Welcome into Jagsiah. I'm Kinani Stephens, Brian Sexton, and John Oser are with me today. Jack Wars are getting ready to head to Las Vegas later this week. But first off, we're going to talk a little bit more about that Jets performance against the Jets and then also what they're doing this week to prepare for the Raiders. So we'll start out with big thing number one, which is rookie phenom.
As we know, Brian Thomas Junior had a breakout game against the Jets two touchdowns, one hundred and five receiving yards and ten receptions, one of his best performances so far. And Brian, we've talked a lot about. I made that not so hot take of that. I think he's the best rookie wide receiver of this class. But quickly is he approaching maybe top ten in the league as one of the better receivers as a whole.
Wait, look, Tuck, he's going to be. I mean it doesn't matter what you ask him to do. Catch it short and run on a slant, or go deep and catch the ball like he did against Jalen Rams on opening Day. He's tall, he's long, he's fast, he's got game strength. I mean, this is a guy who's got everything you could possibly want, and you know we talk about hot takes. I didn't want the drag Wars to
draft him. I thought this was too good of a draft for offensive tackles, that you needed to get big guys, and yet they took him, and he turned into one of the best Drag Wars draft picks that I can recall, and one of the best receivers in Jaguars history. I mean Jimmy Smith right, Thomas Junior. He doesn't say a lot about the Jaguars history of wide receivers. There have been some really good ones, but this guy looked like he's going to be mentioned among the very best.
I think what's really impressive is I've never seen a rookie wide receiver who is as good as a rookie as he is in his third or fourth year, because there's so much to learn. There's so much in terms of route running in it's just NFL knowledge and experience that you gained. I'd say he's approaching top ten and if I could put him there yet. But I was with Brian. I thought they should have gone big. I want this team to get bigger stronger, more dominant up front.
But you also need superstars, and on a team that hasn't had enough, especially at that position, which is a premier position in the NFL. Now it looks like they finally have a superstar.
Kay I told the story back after the Colts game, after his fifth week in professional football, that standing next to Jimmy Smith and listening to the greatest of the Jaguars receivers talk about this kid admirably, admirably, you know, talking about his great traits and what he saw in him in just a few games told me everything I needed to know about Brian Thomas junior.
Yeah, I don't want to think about him. If we hadn't drafted him this year, this season without him would not have been any fun at all. So let's get to our second big thing, which is return of the Mac.
Now.
Mac obviously threw a crucial interception at the end of the game against the Jets, but overall, probably his best game so far in the Jaguars uniform. John and if nothing else Mac is entertaining. Is this the Mac We're going to get the rest of the way or do we still not know because of the inconsistency?
Well, I hope. So he's played, he's had moments. He was certainly better on Sunday than he has been. I think you're gonna get it in the sense that he's gonna throw a pick that breaks your heart. That seems like it's happened every game. But the other day he mixed in a lot of energy. He mixed in being able to go downfield of Brian Thomas Jr. Really getting him the ball he distributed, and yeah, it was fun
to watch him. I think teammates got behind him. So I would say, yeah, there's three games left, I would say you'd see good Mac Mac in two of them and one of them you'll probably see bad Mac that breaks your heart. And I hope not because I like the kid.
We are seeing more of the good Mac, right, I mean week to week, there's more good than bad with Mac, and so that you know, boges well with three games left that perhaps we'll see some really good Mac before this is all said and done with. You'd rather be the Jaguars with Mac Joones than the Raiders with Desmond Ritter.
I mean, you got a guy that you know can go out and operate and John when I watch him, I just think you hear quarterbacks described as guys who can make all the throws, Well, he don't look like you make all the throws. He doesn't have that deep ball accuracy to be able to really take advantage of
someone like Brian Thomas Junior. So the trick for Press Taylor, for Doug this week is to figure out a way to tailor the game plan to do what he does and still find a way to throw the ball deep when you can.
Coming up.
Our final big thing is going to be familiar faces because we take on the Raiders this week and there are a couple of familiar faces on the defensive side of the football. Former defensive coordinator here Mike Caldwell now out the linebackers coach for the Raiders, and also kaylebon Chase on who Brian already has three sacks and one interception this year for the Raiders.
One of the all time worst first round picks in Jaguars history, and there have been a lot of them, but this is the guy that the Jaguars took instead of taking Justin Jefferson. And I still think how the world in the twenty twenty draft room, can you say, look at twenty twenty one. We're taking a quarterback no matter what. So how are we doing this? I mean, how are we taking this past Rusher who had six
sacks in one year. I'm sorry, I'm going way back in the past, but yeah, I'll always remember Caleb On Chase On as not being justin Jefferson.
Yeah, they were filling needs in that draft, and when you reach for needs, you hurt yourself. So look, there's anything wrong with Calebon I'm not gonna say here in the show and Slam. He was not what they hoped for in four years here, and good for him if he's having some success, and you know, good for Mike. Good for Mike callwell too. It's in the past, all right.
We'll talk some more about the Raiders later this week, but coming up after the break, we're gonna talk about what's going on around the NFL. Welcome back to jag vaan brought to you by Field's Auto, Jacksonville's premier luxury auto group. Head over to Fields Auto dot com to check him out today. Welcome back into jags Am.
It's week sixteen.
At this point, we're getting ready to head to Las Vegas a little bit later in the week. But we're going to talk about what's been going on around the NFL as well, so we keep you up to date on everything. We're gonna play the Titans again in two weeks, but who will be the quarterback will be interesting, as they benched Will Levis against the Bengals this week after three interceptions, including a pick six, and it got ugly
really quick. We saw some ugly play from Levis when we played them earlier this month, but doesn't look good for him there.
No I would think that Mason Rudolph would be the guy that they would go with. It gives him the best chance to execute on offense, and we've been talking about that here all year. Is making sure that some of the young guys, whether it's an offensive lineman or a skilled position player, they have the best chance to engage the offense and execute the offense.
And Mason Rudolf is a competent backup.
And at some point Brian Callahan just as to say enough, I've seen enough.
I need to see my offense work well, And I think he probably cares less about seeing the offense work in the short term. In the frame is knowing who the quarterback is going to be. In the long term. Before the Titans Jaguars game, or was it ten days ago, the storyline up there was that Levis had done some good things and there was a chance that he could
be the guy moving forward. The reason this is such an important story for the Jaguars is now you sort of know he's not gonna be the guy there, So you're gonna have a team in Tennessee that gets into that quarterback building, find dark guy mode again, and that'll be their storyline until they find.
The guy interesting interesting. I thought it was gonna be the Colts maybe, but Anthony Richardson has been playing a bit more too, so I guess we'll see.
Well, Anthony Richardson, listen. I mean when you look at him as a pastor, you still think what's he doing? And then you watch him run and make a couple of throws on the run and think, well, maybe, you know, maybe they can refine that. But they're gonna have to be really patient until he comes way around.
Yeah, it's awfully hard when all you can do is run as a quarterback. They're great runners Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson and guys like that, but they are much more polished and you know can win from the pocket at times. Anthony richards right has to have time every winning for the box.
Well listen, I mean Lamar Jackson came into the league and he was a better passor than Anthony richards and he has done it more at Louisville. You know, Heisman Trophy, but he wasn't as polished as he needed to be. And when you see him the last couple of years in particular, he's really lifted his game. So I mean, I would have some hope for Anthony Richardson because I hear he's a good kid and works hard.
We will see, we will see development game for sure. As far as the Raiders that we're going to be facing off against this week, they played on Monday Night football, so it's a short week for them taking on the Falcons in a barn burner twelve to nine.
So is that the offense we're gonna see?
I guess, or I guess the Falcons haven't fallen off as well. With Kirk Cousins not playing very well.
It's so hard to know what you're going to get from a team that's out of it. With he's a third quarterback. They've had so It would have been easy last week, right for fans and say, well, the Jaguars can't score against the Jets. We all sort of did it, but they came out found something and they got twenty two points. So you can never say with the team that's out of it just because this happened, it is
gonna happen. They're depleted. Both teams should strive to get out of the teams and I would guess the team that scored seventeen or more wins, but I thought that last week too.
Just to your point on the Falcons, they're seven and seven, but you know they have Bejon Robinson, right, and they have big, toll fast receivers. That's suppose that they went and gavee Kirk Cousins all that money because they thought, here we go. I mean, this is our year to challenge and they're still in it in the NFC with a couple of games left to go. That's a perplexing team because there is a lot of ability up there and they just haven't got enough from it.
A lot of parody around the league. Definitely interesting to watch it all go down. Say well, so we're going to do a little this or that after the break for eleven years, Dreamfinders Homes I'm been proud to call themselves the official home builder of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Physic Dreamfinders' Homes dot com for all of the available inventory and go Jags.
This this Schoor's.
Welcome back to jagszam or and do a little this or that. As we look at this team going forward the last three games of the season, we've talked a ton about the younger players kind of going up basically seeing what that is available for them. I think we've noticed, at least specifically on defense, there's gonna be some holes to be filled in the off season and some positions
that are open. Is there a position group that you think specifically is one that is a need at this point or that you want to see younger players step up?
Or who are you kind of looking at.
Well, I'll stick with the defensive line because I've been on that and not the X to your guys, obviously, you know what you have with Josh and with Trayvon. You've got to be able to stop the run. And this team there was a section of the season where they just couldn't do anything at the line of scrimmage. On defense, you draft Mason Smith and Jordan Jefferson. I need to see those guys and we haven't seen them
on the field together. We haven't even seen him active on the same game day when Jefferson was active in doing things in London, and just after London, Mason Smith wasn't. Mason Smith's been active the last couple of weeks. That was a second and a fourth round pick. Those two guys have got to come through in a big way or you've got to go at the top of the draft next year and be looking for defensive tackles because you're just not big enough and strong enough inside on the defensive line.
Yeah. I kind of think it doesn't matter what these guys do. At the end. I think you need to get stouter, bigger in the defensive line. And I'm not sure that you know. We need to stop playing depth chart football. I call it in the alf season with the defensive line and just get as many guys as you can because you need six or seven really good players up there to do it, and I think they have it. I'll go defensive back. For the point of the question, you really wonder what safety is gonna look
like next year. Yeah, I don't think Cisco is going to be back. Dewey, who I liked very much as a player, hasn't really gotten on the field very much. Antonio Johnson struggled. So I think you keep playing those guys. You get Antonio into the lineup, you get DeAndre Prince into the lineup, but they need some bodies and some young bodies without regard to depth chart defensive back and defensive line, because there's just not enough there there.
No, And I don't want to see him play in free agency at all at all. You like to just shut it down and not go there at all. They will go into it. It's what the Jaguars have done historically. Safety is a place where you might be able to go find a couple of guys who can come in and help you. But I'm with you, you have to overhauld the position and scheme might have something to do with it. Yeah, you know, the defensive scheme doesn't work. I don't know whether you ask Ryan Nielsen to change
it or you change that. I don't know what you do there, but maybe that has something to do with how these guys can play better.
And here's what we're talking about with free agency. Look, I like Darnell Savage, he's been good, but you pay a veteran guy to come in and be what you would hope that you could get a second year guy to be. And I darn Hosk have a good, long career, but I don't know that paying that to bring it in is better than having second year guy to bring it in. And they've got to start having second and third year guys playing these roles that they're bringing these veterans into play.
Well, let me qualify it. Then I don't want him to play in heavy you know, in big name free agency. But go find a couple of guys who you can bring in here to off the level of competition, that second tier, that third tier of guys, big bodies who can run, and that you can coach them and figure out whether they can play or not. Because other than Antonio Johnson, you don't you don't look like you've got anybody.
I mean Savage.
But we know that the big dollar free agent doesn't work, not long term think.
So not short term much either. But we'll make it happen for my second this or that. Today I'm looking a little bit. We talked about both of these guys already, but Mac Jones doesn't Ritter. These are backup quarterbacks in this matchup. We're gonna see on Sunday. Which of them has a better opportunity at this point, Who do you think is making a better case for themselves? Obviously doesn't, Ritter hasn't hasn't had as many games as Mac thus far.
But towards the end of the season. Who's gonna have this better chance? Who's gonna take advantage of the opportunity?
Well, I think realistically both, I'm trying to dodge the question. I think both of them are gonna be back ups. They're the same guy, and uh, they haven't really shown that magic or his azz. I don't know that gms are gonna be sitting boy. We've got to have that at a starting level salary. As opposed to, you know, let's go draft. Are you gonna bring Mac Jones in next year if you're the you know, a team in the A C West, for example, to say, okay, we're
gonna start him. I don't think so. I think they're both gonna be good backup quarterbacks.
Yeah, I don't think Mac has earned the free agent contract. I don't think any would argue that he hasn't earned the free agent contract. I'd like to see Mac back here as a backup, right, I mean a guy who can play in his hometown for a number of years. Listen, how much should Chase Daniel make the former Saint and he was around the league with a couple of different teams, the Eagles for a while. He made like forty seven million dollars in fourteen years of being a backup quarterback.
It is a lucrative way to make a living, So maybe that would work. I think both of these guys are the same guy. It's hard to say who has a greater opportunity. I'll go with Mac because he's got Brian Thomas Junior on the field.
That certainly doesn't hurt. And we'll get to see it Labin in person on Sunday, so we'll be able to judge a little bit better after that. I imagine, stay with us. We'll tell you what's going on the rest of the.
Week for the Jaguars.
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Staying right here, y'all be playing We're good brown man about right here, y'all didn't get away. It's a ship six year.
Sure he.
Lay the back flip that led the back up. You ain't said.
I when y'all dam though you walked the.
Way that's the back floor.
You lie like hell man, You ain't said it. You ain't hear it. Hit the bat ain't clean, bigga bad blow.
How I missed that? Let's Trayvon Walker miked up? Missed the back flip.
I don't know how because you two feet away from it, but apparently didn't see it. And uh thought Josh high Down was on too, because Josh does that a lot.
Super impressive. But was I the only person who was thinking about when Buccaneers kicker Martine Gramatica did the same thing in towards a CEO? Remember that a couple of years ago on Monday Night football.
A couple was about twenty three long ago. Yeah, we do didn't see that long. It was a hike for guys like you and me. It's not longer. I thought it was really cool. That was really funny, and yeah, probably gonna do it every play. I was a little scary.
I wasn't gonna make the full rotation, but the one got hurt.
Awesome athlete.
It was good.
Three hundred pound backflip is impressive. Coming up this week, obviously, we're getting ready to head to the West Coast our first West.
Coast game, I think this season. Yes, I don't think we went last season either. Anytime you could avoid going to the West Coast, it's a good.
Deal, probably for the best.
Yeah, it is. Is it a bit of track?
Of course we had the London trip in there, so there's always that. What are you guys looking at this week? Who are you talking to?
I'm going to talk to you Richard and Google the tight Ends coach about Brenton Strange. You know, we spent so much time on Brian Thomas Junior, and rightfully so. I mean, he's the story of the season, but quietly, Brenton Strange has carved a roll out for himself bigger than I think a lot of people thought possible in year two, especially after year one was kind of limited. I think he's got big time potential and I'm excited to talk to Richard and Google about him.
Yeah, he's turning into a nice player. I'm hoping to get Mac Jones. Sometimes the quarterback can be busy during the week, so I think it could be fun. We can talk about Southside Private School Jackson.
Listen, it will be more than fun. I mean, you'll just have to sit back and let him do all the talking.
He's a good time.
I'll tell you all his favorite restaurant choices. I'm sure I'm gonna be talking to the backflipper himself, Fos, I believe, and I will find out where all that came from, if he's a gymnast or what in the off season. But we'll be back again tomorrow on Jagsam. We'll talk to you more about that Raiders matchup coming up this weekend.