The Jacksonville Jaguars are still knocking on the door outside the club almost nine months after the party ended.
Being less than a quarter away from facing the Eagles in the Super Bowl a season ago, the Jaguars are 3-4, and awaiting the Eagles at a neutral-site contest on Sunday. Unfortunately, this week is their annual London trip, and not the final game of the NFL season.
Quarterback Blake Bortles shredded the Patriot defense in both the AFC Championship game, and the rematch earlier this season. He is now sitting on the sidelines, having been benched in favor of Cleveland castoff Cody Kessler. Bortles has nine touchdown passes, but eight interceptions. Five of those picks have come in the last three games...all Jaguar losses.
Actually, losses would be generous in describing the past three games for Jacksonville, as they have been outscored 90-28 against Kansas City, Dallas, and Houston respectively. Kansas City may end up representing the AFC in the Super Bowl this season, and Houston has won five straight (second longest winning-streak in the league, behind the Los Angeles Rams 7-0 start).
Star running back Leonard Fournette has only played two games thus far, totalling only 24 touches. The fourth overall pick from a year ago is missing his fourth straight game with a hamstring injury. The Jaguars traded a mid-round pick in 2019 to Cleveland for running back Carlos Hyde to fill the void while Fournette recovers. Hyde is only signed through the end of this season.
Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey cannot seem to keep his mouth under control. Ramsey stated on at least two occasions this year that he could play in the National Hockey League, due to his athletic prowess, despite not being able to skate. Several NHL players have been outspoken about Ramsey’s disrespectful comments, while other players would like the opportunity to line him up to be hit much like Ramsey does to receivers.
Even the Jaguars changing their uniforms caused a stir this year. Sure, that horrible black-to-gold gradient is gone from the helmet, but the jersey stripped away striping and outlining as well.
Now we get word that four members of the Jaguar secondary were arrested in London on the eve of Sunday’s game. At 4:00 AM London time (midnight eastern) Saturday, defenders DJ Hayden (28), Jarrod Wilson (24), rookie Ronnie Harrison (21), and starting safety Barry Church (30) were detained for over nine hours for trying to skip out on a (reported) £50,000 bill at a London club. That amounts to $64,165 US dollars.
I get that Boddingtons and Guiness are overpriced, but almost $65,000 worth?!
The Jaguars have already fallen two games behind the Texans in the AFC South, thanks to the Texans’ winning streak. What makes matters worse is that Andrew Luck appears to be rounding back into upper-echelon form in his return from shoulder surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2017 season. That means the AFC South has Deshaun Watson, Andrew Luck, Marcus Mariota, and who the hell knows under center in Jacksonville.
What were these players doing out this late the night before a game anyway? We all know nothing good happens after midnight if you are a professional athlete. It is unknown if Jaguars’ head coach Doug Marrone will sit any or all of these players against the Eagles, as a statement released expressed that any discipline would be handled “internally.” The players reportedly settled the bill, and the charge by the club was dropped.
This season is quickly unraveling into a series of events that gets a coach fired.
-JC24