Jaguars Happy Hour: Thursday, September 10

week one right around the corner. Big test for this Jaguars defense. Certainly, how they played against the run last season was not good enough. Far from it. They'll get a test this week against the Colts team that ran the ball very effectively last year. The debut of the Jaguars offense is on the dock. Coming up. What will this thing really look like? And we'll find out. Tony Wasselli joins us at four thirty today and then Doug Baron joins us at five o'clock on the Doug bron Show.

Jeff Lockerman, good afternoon, It's Game week. Finally, Hey, j P. Excited Uh, We've got a little football action tonight and then the Jaguars home opener against the division to put it on Sunday. So it's setting up to be a pretty good week. Yeah, I would say some game tonight. Fantastic matchup of quarterbacks tonight. The defending champions are at Arrowhead this evening against the Texans. Well, you know we're gonna pick that game a little bit later in the show.

I know you can't wait for that. Let's say, get to the news of the day. The Jags back on the practice field Thursday to get ready for the Colts. They were one running back shorter, though divine A Zigbo placed on the reserve injured list after that hamstring injury that he misspracticed with yesterday, So he's gone. The Jaguars sign all right, I'm gonna try this. Log's dary. That's pretty good. That's pretty good. A couple of tricky names.

Are you very surprising about a Zigbo? I mean, holy count, hamstring and practice just kind of odd there, and especially with all the attention that the Jaguars running back position has gotten this week and last week with the release of Leonard Fournett and uh, and then James Robinson. When they put out the depth chart, He's right at the top of it. And so the expectation was, Okay, it's going to be a shared role between Thompson or Zigbo

and Robinson. And now Zigbo goes to I R which means that he can come back later on in the season and play for this football team. And then they go and sign dari Obo. And the only reason that I can pronounce that is that we played the Texans when he was with the Texans, and it was one of the most challenging names that that I had to pronounce and the easy way, and I always do it. I've got these uh little flip card my cheat sheets JP and that you've seen me carrying it around all

the time, and I make a ton of notes. And if I have a guy's name that is incredibly hard to say or to pronounce, I write the name out phonetically that way that even BESSELLI could read my chart and get it right, even though he doesn't. You know what's funny, though, I haven't spelled out phonetically as well, and I still Butcher. But hey, that's the way it

goes sometimes. But we'll I get used to that name because he's one of three running backs that at least currently are on the active roster for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The injury report just came out as well. Josiah Scott, rookie cornerback, was added today. He did practice full though, but he's listed with a shoulder so but a full practice was not on the list yesterday. Tyler Eiffort full today after a scheduled day off Wednesday. James O'Shaughnessy practiced yesterday,

but a scheduled day off today. Tyler Davis, the rookie tight end from Georgia Tech with the knee issue, is not practiced this week yet. And then Adam godsis added to the list of the scheduled day off today. And then as we mentioned, Divina Zigbo is on injured reserve. So there's your at least thursday injury report for the Jags. And if you look at the Colts sidelogs, the whole left side of the offensive line for the Colts is

on the list today. Yeah. I don't think that's a big deal with them, Uh, you know, I think that's more of a precautionary thing, you know that I don't want to say it's a scheduled day off, because if that was the case, it would it would end up saying that, like the Jaguars have certain guys that have scheduled days off, but I think those are more precautionary, and I think the concern and what is going to be interesting, I know that we'll have to talk to

Doug Moron about this later on during the Doug Marrone Show, is that this year the rules are a little bit different about how you can bring guys up from the practice squad as opposed to what they've been in the past. You know, this year you had the expanded practice squad roster in which you can have even veterans and the

and the number was expanded to sixteen. Well, in past years, if you wanted, for example, let's say Davis the tight end, let's say he can't play this week, Well, what would you do, Well, you would release somebody off of your fifty three to be able to elevate maybe, uh, Ellison, did I say that right? Ellison? Else? And the other yeah, the young tight end that they don't have that practice squad,

yes from North Dakota State. Well, in years past they would have to let somebody go to to be able to elevate Ellison off the practice squad to be able to play on game day. The rules are different this year, and uh and I was talking to Dug Run a little bit about that earlier today, and we'll go into greater detail with it with him because he can explain,

I think a whole lot better than me. But now you don't have to release somebody to elevate somebody from the practice squad, which is a big difference than in years past. So essentially what the practice squad is now, it's really just an expanded roster. And I think the only difference is is that if a player is elevated from the practice squad to be active on game day, then he ends up getting a minimum salary one sevente paycheck instead of a practice squad salary. So it gives

the team's great flexibility. And obviously the whole reason that they put this in was in the case of a huge outbreak of COVID nine team with a football team, they wanted to allow teams to be able to feel the teams. Hey, look if you got fifteen guys or sixteen guys, hey just elevate the whole practice squad and let's go, Because with contact tracing, you never know what

might end up happening. If all of a sudden, one guy is sick and and he was around twelve other guys or fifteen other guys, you may end up having to utilize all of that practice squad. So, even though the rules were designed for COVID nineteen JP, I think the rules provide a lot of flexibility for teams this year to be able to utilize that practice squad in a much different fashion than what they have done in

past year. And you know, considering that there was no preseason games this year kind of gives some guys that may not have had a chance to to really show a lot under the lights, which they might not still, but at least they're still involved in an NFL team with an expanded opportunity on the on the practice. What excited to hear what Doug Moron says about that? Um,

let's hear from Doug Moron now. In fact, he was asked this week, with the opener looming on the horizon here a few days away, is it exciting or daunting? It's definitely exciting, you know, I mean, you know, you see a bunch of guys that have worked, you know,

extremely hard, to see guys that are pulling together. Um, you know, I'm not you know, obviously you can't predict you know, what what's gonna occur, but um, you know the focus, Um, you know all the things that you're looking for that you're kind checking off the box, things that may cause you anxiety. You know, we've worked extremely hard about you know, discipline. We've worked extremely hard on penalty's. We've worked extremely hard and you know, not turning the

ball over and creating turnover. So you know, we we put a lot of time in this and and it's been reflective in the practice now. Um, you know when you go out there and play, you know you expect that to carry over, but that doesn't always happen. Head Coachmarone earlier this week. Yeah, I mean excited. That's the way he has to be, right, I mean, he's the head coach of the team. This is a group that

he believes in. It is a younger, excus younger, but they are veteran in certain key areas, especially the offensive line. So he's excited for what this team can bring to the table this year. Logs well, first and foremost, and a lot of people say, how can you be excited because you're young and this team is tanking. Look, they put together a roster that they think that they can win with, but then also build to the future with.

Now is that going to happen or not? I mean, that's debatable, you know, and you can argue different ways, and eventually the win and lost record is gonna end up being the truest indicator obviously of was it the right thing to do and is it the right thing to do? But there's a lot of reason for excitement this week, jp whether you have a young football team or whether you have an older football team right now.

First off, it's kickoff weekend, and kickoff weekend in the NFL is incredible, especially when the nation is still in the midst of a global pandemic and many people didn't even expect the NFL to be able to pull this off, So it's exciting from that aspect. Also, it is the home opener, and the home openers, even though you're not

gonna have plus strong, it still means something. And also it's a divisional opponent, you know, so even though you're going against teams to where the whole secrecy thing and and to where you know, nobody knows what they did in the preseason. You don't get to see their players, and uh and the team's as we know, JP they went to their utmost to protect all of their little trade secrets because camps were closed this year and they weren't seen by other teams. Even though all of that happened,

there's there's still some others. But there's so much excitement. I think when the season gets started. I don't care if you're you're the favorite, the Kansas City Chiefs playing tonight, or you're the Jacksonville jagut Wars which many people have thirty two and the power polls. There's always excitement to the newness of the season. And right now it's zero and zero everybody zero and zero, and that that's why they play the game. We're gonna find out this weekend

where this Jaguars football team is at. And now I will say this too, not only this week, but the next week the Titans on the road in Nashville. I mean, we're gonna get a really good idea of how the Jaguars are going to fair in the a s C. South. Really quick this season. The first two weeks of the

year here they come. Well, and let me kind of add to that, because you know, during this past Saturday, when the general manager Dave called well talked, he alluded to that and said that, hey, look we're gonna know right away. We've got a couple of tough games, and obviously some people are picking the Colts and the Texans to be favorites, etcetera, etcetera. And you know, look, you don't play the first two weeks to find out where

you're at, where you're at. You know, you play to win and then you figure out where you're at at the end of the season. That's what mattered. It doesn't matter where you are in Week two, because as a football team, you can still get better and from week one, week too, all the way until your week sixteen, you know.

And I think that's what Bill Belichick has had such great success in New England is that he always, even though he had Tom Brady and Gronkowski, and that he always preached improvement throughout the season, and his team's always improved throughout the regular season. So I'm a little don't want to say shocked, but I'm a little surprised at at you know, the comments that you know, after two weeks we're gonna know where we are. Well again, I want to say that, look, after two weeks, it doesn't

matter where you are. It's after sixteen weeks, you know, the whole goal is to get to the playoffs when the division, get to the playoffs and get in the tournament race. And so with the young football team, I think the most important thing is is that you've got to get better every week so that when the end of the season rolls around, you feel good about where

you are and where you can be. All right, let's come back in a moment, Logs and we'll get into the Jaguars defense and what they have in store this week against the Colts offense with one of the top rushing attacks in the league last year and oh, by the way, a future Hall of Fame quarterback now and

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I think it's you know one of their strengths. They've added some great weapons on the outside too, and obviously Philip, but um, I think that's the strength of their ball club. Um, you know, we're gonna have our work cutout for us. Um, they're very good players. UM I think we have some good matchups that that, uh, we're gonna try to get to in different situations and stuff like that. But um, it is definitely their strength and we're gonna to challenge

our guys up front. It's it's it's been a week where we have challenged the heck out of our front and uh, you know, they're one of the best fronts in the league. And we're fortunate up that we get to seem twice a year. Todd Wash talking about the Colts offensive blind Welcome back, Jaguar is a happy hour. J P. Shatrick from the home studio, Jeff Flagman from his home studio. And we're about fifteen minutes or less

away from Tony Boselli joining us at four thirty. So here we go right in the fire against one of the top offensive linds in football. And we mentioned earlier that three of the guys are are on the injury report. But it just doesn't seem like they have missed the opener. But who knows. Let's but this is a group that look, they have thrown so much money at this position, at at this group across the front over the last couple of years to really solidify things their draft equity and

some free agent money and new contracts. I mean, look at the numbers. Costanzo is on a two year deal thirty three billion. There's quentnin Nelson still in his rookie deal all guaranteed twenty three point eight. Ryan Kelly just got paid fifty million total contract, Lewinski the right guard, three year, sixteen million. Brandon Smith a second year player, a second round pick, still at his rookie deal, but they feel like he's a really solid player on the

right side too. So it's a successful group. It's a consistent group. They didn't miss a snap last year across the front, and they're all back and most of these guys are paid. So that's pretty good group somewhere. Why in the hell did you finally decide to address the offensive line with me gone right? He took a beating while he was with Indianapolis and Ryan Griggson, the general

manager essentially got fired for it, and rightly so. But I think what is is interesting is that the things you mentioned about the Colts that you know, they played all sixteen games last year and they were I think the only offensive line that we're all able to do that and play every play. But the Jaguars are also returning all five starters from the offensive line from a year ago. This I don't know how many times this

has ever happened in league history. Where do you have an opening game on kickoff weekend where both teams return all five starters from the year before. It's very rare, and obviously it's something that because that is the case, that both teams have an expectation out of that offensive line to be something that you can count on, and the Colts have proven that they can be counted on

as an offensive line. That Jaguars are trying to reach that level of success, and so I think it's gonna be an interesting watch and it obviously makes Philip Rivers very comfortable. When you're talking about a seventeenth year quarterback who is a little long in tooth and maybe the not the most fleet of foot, he doesn't have great escapability outside of the pocket, but he can maneuver are in a pocket. And I'm sure it was one of the big reasons why Philip Rivers decided to go to Indianapolis.

I mean, look, talk about comfort level, you know, leaving San Diego slash l A. And I'm surprised I got both of those cities mentioned with the Chargers, which I'm proud of myself for that JP by the way, and then all of a sudden, he's got some familiarity with Frank Reich and Sara Janni the offensive coordinator, and they have a great offensive line. I mean, does it get any better than that for Philip Rivers to continue his career? And I mean, I think it's a pretty great set

up for a guy like him. Now, before we went to the break, he referred to him as a future Hall of Famer. That's debatable. I think. I think it's a great argument, but I wouldn't put him in that category yet. I don't think there's much of a debate. Logs, I'll be honest with you, he's every statistical category. I know he hasn't won one, but well, I know I get you. But you know what when you when you play quarterback and you coach, what do you judged on

wins winning the Big One? The Big One? Yeah, wins in in the Big One, and and he hasn't He hasn't done that. So is it enough to get him into Hall of Fame? Probably so, But I don't think he's a He's not going in on roller skates now, so potential Hall of Famer is a better way to refer to him. I know it's a it's a one year deal for him, so this might be his swan song this season. It does help, though, when you have a running attack like the Colts had. We saw, of

course this first hand last year. I think it was Week eleven last season when the Colts ran rough shot over the Jaguars. Marlon Mack had a big hand that day for the Jags. And this is a it's a running group, man, I mean, and this is what they really I think you're gonna be built to do is hand the ball off and then Philip can do his damn je off the run. Yeah. Look, Marlon Mack is a really good running back. I don't think he's a

very good back out of the backfield. As a receiver, I think sometimes he has the Roberto Duran syndrome hands of stone, and that's why they have him Hines who is more of a threat out of the backfield, and he's gotten great speed. And then all of a sudden

they drafted Jonathan Taylor in the second round. The Colts had quite a few second round picks, and we're able to pick up a wide receiver and running back, and running back is Jonathan Taylor, and he's a good one from Wisconsin, and the expectations for him are very high. So you have really a really strong one to punch and maybe even a three punch if you're counting to

him Hines in that category. So the Colts are definitely gonna try to lean on what has been their bread and butter, particularly in an opener when you're talking about having a new quarterback. So the Jaguars better be prepared. And watched a little bit of film this week of the match up that you were referring to, which was in Indianapolis last year, and it wasn't very good. JP. It wasn't very good by the Jaguars defensively at all. They weren't getting off of blocks, they were out of position.

You didn't see a wholehearted commitment to stop in the run. When I say a whole hearted commitment, the numbers were there, in other words, the defensive calls, you fortified the front to stop the run. But you just didn't see the emphasis in the sense of urgency by the players in that game. And it turned out to be a game that wasn't pretty. And the Jaguars, obviously, the next time around in Jacksonville last year, had a whole lot better performance than they did at Indianapolis and were able to

hold the Indianapolis Colts running game in check. If the Jaguars don't hold the Colts running game in check, they have no chance of beating the Colts at home this Sunday. It's been an emphasis all off season, but we really don't know until you go out and play what the defense is really going to look like against the ruck. Can they you know, they they've done all they can.

They've added the middle linebacker and free agency, they added a couple of other free agents who have opted out are retired for different reasons, and now it's the guys that are here are gonna have to step up and do it. And they added Journey in at the in the middle of training camp as well, but that that middle of that defensive line and the middle linebacker spout with Miles Jack on the outside roaming around to make

some plays. That's where it's got to start guys in the right spot and then you have to have the want to after that. But a lot of these guys are new here. They didn't see that game last year in Week eleven. No, And I don't know how much motivation that you get out of what happened last year. But but I'm sure a guy like Avery Jones or Miles Jack, and we're talking about defensive captains that that this is in the back of their mind because they went through that and they know how important it is

to stop the run at against the Colts. But knowing that it's important and then having the ability to stop it are two totally different things. It's a it's a tremendous challenge for any football team to stop the running game of the Indianapolis Colt and I think it's a it's a huge challenge for a Jaguars football team that has a lot of components that are gone and then a lot of components that were brought in to fortify

areas that were maybe a week spot last year. Some of those guys are gone to now, you know, so can they do it? And I think that's a big question. And obviously there's a lot of skepticism that is out there about the Jaguars ability to improve on defense with some of the lack of additions that they had and the subtractions that they had from last year. I mean, because and I understand it. I mean, if you look at it from a name standpoint, JP, the list is

pretty long. You're talking about Klais Campbell, Marcel Darius uh A, J Boy, Jalen Ramsey, and I know that those guys aren't necessarily run stoppers. And then Ronnie Harrison. I mean, so there's a lot of new faces with this defense and some of the same faces, and can they do it? We're gonna find out on Sunday. Two new faces on defense first making now their debut in the National Football League, the two first round picks c J. Henderson and Cal and chaseign A lot of folks I know are excited

about what they could offer on defense this year. What have you seen in camp from the two first rounders? What do you expect on Sunday? I know there are two different type of roles. That feels like I think Calevan Chase On is ready to be uh When I say an impact player in that it won't appear that he's a rookie. I think he's gonna have successful pass rush. I think he's gonna be able to put pressure on the quarterback from week one. And he's got a real

nice quickness to him. He's got some power to him, he's got some advanced hands to where he is I think a step ahead of where Josh Allen was last year as far as knowing how to have moves as a pass rusher, Whereas Josh Allen last year was just kind of think more more being an athlete than anything else. So I think there's a real there's a good role that Caleb and Chaz is gonna be able to fill.

He's gonna back up Josh on regular personnel when they get the sub which is Nickel or their dime packages, They're both gonna be on the field and both gonna be the edge rushers. Uh. C j Henderson, I think he's gonna have He's gonna get tested, and I think it's gonna be very interesting to see what light that they view him in will he follow a t Y Hilton? Will he match up with other number one wide receivers?

You know, when you draft a guy number one overall and then in the top ten at that corner position, I think most people would expect that that eventually maybe an right away, but at some point you've got to take him and put him on somebody else's best guy. And if you look at the Jaguars roster and that corner position, that's not gonna be Trey Herndon. That that's

just that's just not him. I think he's a good football player, but to be able to match up with the true number one, that's a that's a totally different level of of of ability. And I think CJ's got that ability. But is he ready for it? You know, Look, that's why you dropped him in the first round. Time to put him on a t Y Hilton then find out. But I'm excited about him, watch him because he's got he's got the tool box. I don't think there's any

debate whether he has the tool box. The question mark is I think with a lot of young players, especially on that on that position that's on an island, do they have the mental makeup to be able to have success, because at some point things are gonna go bad. And if things go bad and you give up a big play or you have a bad play, what's your next play gonna be? Like? What's your next game gonna be? Like?

You know, can you work your way through? And I think that's a question that you don't know until you actually get there. Well, we're gonna get there Sunday at one o'clock and you can get there as well. Game Day just around the corner, and the stadium is open for fans this year, limited capacity, of course. Remember protecting the team starts with you, though, stay at home if you don't feel well, practice social distancing, and remember masks are required at t i A Bank Field this season.

Visit Jaguars dot com slash Stadium and learn more Tony Boselli. When we come back, it's Jaguars Happy Hour on the Jaguars Digital Network. Hi. I'm Tito Beverord's founder and master distiller at Tito's Hammade Vodka. We became the first micro distillery in the state of Texas and we're still making the same smooth stuff after all these years. We're still cooking in a pot, still working with our dogs, buyer sides, having fine and tasting batches, and I'm still wearing the

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now and right now at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Try our watermelon mohito and guava margharita smoothies and you're tasting fruity now, Sipping sunshine now, toasting summer. Now. You're on tropic time now at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Yeah. You always at that hope, otherwise you're in the wrong business. You know, we're very optimistic going to the season. We know we have a lot of challenges. We had some youth plan but really I think the biggest uh reason for belief that I

have is the offensive line. I think the offensive line uh is very solid right now with tackles that we have, the interior players and obviously the center I feel good about. So for the offensive line, it gives you the ability to do a lot of different things, I think, and hopefully we'll give us a chance to get our skilled players the ball in space and between the tackles and

do some good things. Jay Gruden, offensive coordinator from the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this week and welcome back to Jaguars Happy Hour and this Thursday of Colts Week. The kickoff weekend game coming up Sunday at t I A. Bank Field, JP Shadrick, Jeff Lockerman, and Tony Vasselli joins us. Now, Tony, good afternoon. What's happening. What's up guys? You know, just getting ready for the opener? That's really about it. We've got a lot going on. It's uh, it's right around

the corner. I can't believe it's here tonight is the first game? Is it just new or does it not

feel like kick off Weekend? I mean, it's just I think it's because like historically, we've all been a part of this where you're like getting ready for the regular season, Like you have the preseason games and you like get tired of pre Like you're so excited for the first preseason games like hey, we're gonna play someone else's in the stadium, YadA, YadA, YadA, and then by like the third preseason game, like I cannot wait for the regular season, We're so tired of this. And then you're all amped

up for Opening Day. Well we've cut out, that's a big portion of it, and we haven't been able to be around the team, Jeff, like we usually are like talking to people, hanging out, like getting really amped up. And then I was like thinking about today. I'm like, we play a game on Sunday, Like I'm looking looking through the game release and and then I'm thinking, Okay, what tape am I gonna go watch? Well, there's no tape to watch outside of last year's game, I guess.

And they got a whole new offense because I up rivers and everything else, and it's, uh, it's it's it's wacky. I think once we get into the regular season, um, then we'll it'll feel a bit a little bit more normal. I don't know, if if we're ever even gonna feel

even close to normal this year. I mean you like you're saying you typically have a build up, and I think what may even be stranger is that, you know, we go to the stadium on game day this Sunday and you're talking about maybe fifteen thousand people, and uh I mean talk about different. I mean fifteen thousand people that that's something that you would get maybe for a scrimmage in preseason, and uh so it's gonna be vastly different.

And you wonder as a player. You know, look, coaches can say all they want, Tony that, Okay, you gotta have guys that are pros and they're paid to play the game and they got to prepare and they gotta come ready to play. But to re it is Look when I played at Virginia to use an example here, and we will go down to play Clemson. It was incredible. I mean a great atmosphere, you know, the team coming down the hill, touching the rock and getting ready to

play football game. And they hammered us all the time pretty much, and we got beat up, but it was fun. I mean it was eighty thousand strong in Death Valley and then we travel maybe the Duke and there'd be a couple of people over in this section, a couple of people over in that section and uh maybe twelve fifteen thousand people looking. I know you didn't have that in the in the in the pack twelve or ten or whatever it is, Tony, But I mean it's got to be like playing at Duke back in the day.

And and yeah, I mean, yeah, you're a pro, but man, having sixty thousand plus strong cheering and get you fired up that I mean to not have that, that's that's gonna be different. Yeah, I think it would be really different. And as a player, Jeff, I think once you get on the field and the game's going, it's competitive. I don't think like the level of play will be uh

noticeably different. I mean, I can't remember remember the last game we played in uh Basterdom in nineties six and there was one about seven thousand people in that place. We played the Oilers and you can literally hear each other coming off the sideline. You could hear, but once you got in the game, it felt like a real game. Now, maybe it was because we were playing for the playoffs and we were like getting better at the end of the season and we're really trying to shoot for something.

But I don't remember thinking, um, I wasn't playing hard. But what I think backup is the motion that was surrounding the game wasn't the same that gave you that I want to say gave me individually extra juice, but to your point, made it a more fun environment, Like it was just exciting because you like you could sense the you know, the feelings of the fans and everything else.

So I think that will be missing. I can't you can't replace the Remember earlier this week or maybe it was over the weekend, I was watching UM football college football. It was b y U maybe and I'm sitting there and there's no one in the stands, and I felt like I was watching the scrimmage because you could hear the whistles, you could hear players, you could hear every aspect of going back and forth, Like I felt like I could hear the coaches screaming, and it was missing

something not I watched it. It was great. It was fun to watch football UM. But I think it will be different. And then I look at it for Jeff, you and I in our experience on game day Uh, like, we won't even see JP, probably because we're not gonna go down the studio. We're gonna spend the whole time up in the booth. We're not gonna go down on the field and talk to the coaches and get those nuggets that you kind of feel. You get a sense of like how everyone's feeling about the game, and you

know who's up, who's down. You know what happened at the end of the practice, the end of the week and practice. You know all those things we're missing. And for me, like I sow it forward to the game, It'll be fun to call the game, Um, but I'll miss that. It won't be as fun because of those experiences.

So it's gonna be a whole different deal. Um. But I still think you have millions and millions of people watching it, and I think the nation cannot wait to see UH football start tonight kick it off with the Chiefs in the Texas. Hey, JP, just thought here, JP, real quick, the with this game coming up, and obviously

it's the Colts Jaguars. Philip Rivers has been training for a game like this for the last couple of years or the last year in l A Right, I mean, how many fans that they have in l A that were that were Chargers fans, so advantaged Philip Rivers in this instance. Interesting thought there for sure. Let's go back to Jake Gruden at the top of the segment here, you know he was he was talking about the offensive line. And obviously we've known all offseason, Tony, that they've they've

put a lot of eggs in this basket. This year. They brought everybody back. Um, the entire starting line is back from the end of last season. And you can argue this obviously for most offenses anybody, but this for the Jaguars offense is where this season will be made or broken. If if they play well, then Gardner has time to deal it out to all the playmakers. If they don't, they can't run the ball for some reason, then Gardner is gonna have to run around like a

Chase Chicken like he was a lot last year. So it starts up front, Tony. And where is your belief in this offensive line a few days out? Well, I'll say, you know after after Gardner minshore the offensive line is the most important position group on this entire team, without hands down. Um, I found it interesting listening to Jay Gruden, he sounded like me, I've been like the one proponent of this offensive line and especially last year, and I

got just skewered for it because they didn't perform. And that was actually um and that she said, and I said it a little thing I wrote up today. Brochure is like, like, individually, I love these guys, Like individually, they're good players, and I think they would start on other teams. But for whatever reason, as a group, they've been wildly and consistent and that has to change this year. They really knew have to be the strength and Um

and Jagrun's right. If you have confidence in your offensive line and then they perform up to their expectations that everyone has, it makes the entire team better because it makes everything easier. It makes plain quarterback easier because you can run the ball and you have time back there. If it makes it easier to get open outside because they're worried about the run, it makes it easier to run the ball. If you're young back and Robinson is a rookie, I'm just gonna get a lot of carries.

So UM, I agree with them. Um, I'm a little bit more pessimistic and It's hard for me to be pessimistic about the offensive line because I do love these guys. But after going all in on them last year and taking a lot of heat for it, I still believe in them. I believe them as individuals, and I think they're well coached. I think words war Off is a very good coach. I just got to see it happen on the field, and they're gonna have to show that

their consistent group that can really carry this offense. JP the to go back to your original comment about the offensive line, and it stemmed from a question to the offensive coordinator, Jay Gruden, and he was asked about the offense and his entire response was essentially about the offensive line, and I didn't hear him, and he didn't go in any way, shape or form towards his quarterback, which I kind of find found that interesting, And that when you're

asked a question about your offense, then your answer is about the offensive line. I mean, it doesn't usually you're one of somewhere in there you're gonna talk about your quarterback. But he didn't. I think it's really intriguing how this offense as a whole is going to perform, not just the offensive line, but a rookie running back, a group of wide receivers that we all kind of view as a very talented position, a second year quarterback that we whom is gonna take the next step, but you can't

be assured that he's gonna take the next step. So for me, there's a lot of intrigue, you know, especially with a new offense, a new offensive coordinator in a year in which you've had so many things that were different and restricted in the off season, and so you didn't and we're able to rep this new offense and O t A s and mini camps or anything else. So it to me it's gonna be very interesting to see where they are at. Yeah, quite a matchup early

this year too. And you know Tony today, another change in the running back room. Zigbo's gone on i R. They bring another guy in off the street last second. So that position group has been a revolving door the last week or so. Especially. That's not ideal. No, we got Rock Armstead on the COVID list and it sounds like he's not gonna be back for a while. Um JP, I like you this, say who the new running back is they signed? Did you give us his name please.

I'd like uh played this game earlier, Dara ogun you but you didn't quite get it. Tony your turn ole um he uh listen like, I hope Robinson is good, and I hope Chris Thompson, you know, is the scap back that they want him to be, because they put a lot of eggs in those baskets, in that basket. And I go back to I'm of the belief they knew from January that they were going to find a way to get you know, try to trade Leonard Fournette.

He was not in their plans moving forward. And because of that, I'm shocked that they did not do more to address the running back room. And I think now we're seeing, you know, this is a thing group, and you're counting on an undrafted rookie free agent to be your bell cow um more than you know, really and Chris Thompson, who's the third down scap back, who has more receiving yards and resting yards in his career, is

going to be, you know, your third down back. Not a lot of debt um, not a lot of room for air. And I hope Dave and dougle right um as they kind of put this this room together. I know they liked the room. I like that. I know they like the attitude in the room. But Jeff, I'm still shocked knowing how I feel, at least how I think they felt about Letter for Net for a long time,

that they didn't do more to put some bodies in there. Yeah, I think a little bit of the unexpected happened with with rock Armstead and then a zig bow with the hamstring. But the good thing is is that I think both of those guys are gonna be able to return at

some point. And then with the rule changes, you also have Cotrell who was an undrafted running back Nathan Contrell on the practice squad, and so I think you're gonna have the ability to maybe elevate him up this week because o'gon bally is gonna be so fresh and raw to the system, how much can he actually understand and no to contribute to a game plan? So uh, kind

of this is gonna be an interesting year. And I mentioned earlier Tony, I don't know if you happen to hear it about the rules are different for the practice squad and how will that relate to to an issue like you have now running back to where Okay, you need some somebody, you know, So could Cantrell come up without having to subtract somebody from the fifty three man roster. The rules are different for that this year, and if teams now have greater flexibility, so I would expect that

that could be a possibility. Uh. But then again, maybe o goobally has some familiarity with Jay Gruden system from somewhere somehow, and he can hit the ground and run and be running. It's gonna be interesting, it's gonna be it's gonna be a group that I think, um, outside of Robinson really just being a study and maybe it's I mean, maybe he's you know, it's happened before in this league where a seventh rounder or undreut to guy

comes out of nowhere. I mean, just two years ago, Philip Lindsay undrafted guy from Colorado State or next to the University of Colorado for the Broncos had a thousand plus yard rookie year. It was just dynamic and great. And maybe Robinson is that guy, let's hope. So, but outside of that, I think you're gonna see a bunch

of bodies back there, and I agree with Jeff. You can see guys coming up and down from the practice squad until they really figure out, um, what they're gonna do, what they're gonna do with that position, or how they're gonna handle that. And it's such a far cry from where they were the last two years. I mean, think about this offense was designed to be built around letter for net. Um, you're gonna be a run first, pound the ball, physical team, um uh. And that's how you

wanted to play. And now they've traded, we're actually cut Leonard Fournette. They're going with the young quarterback and they really i mean running backs at fit the style that he wants to play in and that's out of the show and a lot of inside outside zone and you know, quick throws, quick passing game and everything else. So um, it's a it's a hundred eighty degree turn for where they were even last year, especially two years ago when

Blake was the quarterback. Um. And it's very obvious with how they're handling the person personnel in that running back room. Something to watch between now on game day, see what happens for the Jags on Sunday at running back position. Let's come back in a moment and the captains have been announced. Will also pick Thursday Night Football, the season

opener tonight the Texans and the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Don't forget to tune into Jaguars Facebook or Twitter Friday night five thirty for Virtual Trivia Night Live with Brian Sexton, presented by bud Light. This will be a special kickoff weekend edition. Prizes will go to the top three finishers. That's Tomorrow five thirty on Jaguars Facebook and Twitter. Back

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M it means everything you know, Um, you know, that's one of the host honors you can have, is you know, being voted on by your peers, um to represent them and to be their captain. It's something, um, you know, of all the you know awards you can win, that's one that really, um to me means means a lot, means the most because that's really you know, how you are with the guys around you and uh, their opinion of you. And I think that's the best judge of somebody.

Gardner bench to the second Jaguars quarterback and team captain. Welcome back, Jaguars, Happy our j P Shadrick, Pete, Pete Prisco. I'm sorry, Tony Vaselli and Jeff Logan with us in the day's mixed up on Thursday, Ready for the first game. Let's go, let's tee it up on Sunday and sun just right around the corner. I know, Hey, it's Week one, no preseason game. Day around the corner and we can't wait to be dove all together again. The Jacks are taking every precaution to keep fans safe at the bank

this year, from cashless concessions to contact less entry. Visit Jaguars dot com slash stadium and learn more. Tickets are available at pods this year. Visit Jaguars dot com slash tickets for all the info. The Jaguars announced guys eight captains, three on offense Menshew Lender and Conley, four on defense, Alan Miles, Jack Abery Jones, Jared Wilson, and on special teams the kicker Josh Lambeau. Um is that me? Or

is that a lot of captains, Tony? That's a lot of captain of your cent of your roster at the captain, Um, I mean not that what you know. I looked at other teams, like I've seen most of them. I have four captains. I remember Jeff when we played I think it was three captains. Um. That was different. Tom named the captains each game. Um, but eight, I was like, Wow, that's a lot. Um. So whatever the reasoning is, I

don't know what it is. Uh. And the role of a captain is different and you know, depending on the team and the culture in the locker room. UM. For instance, like we never voted for captains. When Jeff and I played, Tom named him each game, and like, but you know who the leaders were. It was very obviously who the leaders in the locker room were, UM, and then the other teams. Nowadays they vote for captains, which I think is great, by the way, and I get I agree

with Gardner what he said. It's quite an honor. I guess I was just a little bit surprised that we have so many, but more the merrier, I mean, with the distancing, they might not all be able to go to the coin toss anyway, right Yellow to be very crowded. Well, it will make for an interesting coin toss. I can tell you that you got that right before we go on to a Thursday night thinking the game tonight. We

we earlier before you jumped on here, Tony. We're talking about the Colts offensive line, and they played every game last year, all five physicians, super consistent. They were a top ten rushing attack last year. They are most of them have big contracts, by the way, now they just paid the center recently. How good is this group compared to others in the league. Oh, I'll just go by what we saw last year. Obviously, I haven't seen what they're gonna do this year. But they're very good. UM

top ten rushing attack top ten and sacks allowed. UM. They were the strength of the offensive line. And I think they're a very dangerous team because that they can protect. And if you give Philip Rivers a bunch of time, which he hasn't experienced in a long time because behind that sieb of an offensive line and uh in Los Angeles said he had to play behind um, he's fighting

for his life. Uh, He's gonna be dangerous because he's gonna get them in the right play, in the right situation, and if he has time, he's gonna find the open receiver. So I think the culture very good, and I think it does start up front with their offensive line. And they got Marlon back back there, who's an effective back as well. And they got Taylor, the rookiet of Wisconsin, who you know, rushed for like six million trillion yards

in college and awards at a campus. He's pretty good. Yeah, yeah, I mean, holy cow, he's a great he's a great back. You know, we haven't even talked much about the additions that the Colts have to their defense. They gave up a first round picked to acquired the Force Buckner, who is essentially like a Kliss Campbell that can play and he can play a free technique. He can he can pass rush, and he can stop the run. He's a great football player. And then Nix Xavier Rhodes at the

corner spot, who's a big, physical corner. It was a very good last come back and even more healthy. Yeah, I know, I know, but he's in his past. He's

been been pretty good in his past. So I think it's gonna be, you know, a better Colts defense and uh certain league with another year under their belt for some of those young players that they've had, because you know, a couple of years ago they committed the youth and so some of those guys you know, and and one of them that's obviously is the best of Darius Leonard.

I mean, he we don't even have to talk about him coming into his own The day he stepped foot on an NFL field, he was an impactful player and he's only going to get better, no doubt about that. Now time to pick Thursday Night Football. It's the season opener in the National Football League. It's a battle of the two highest paid quarterbacks in league history. Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs entertained to Shawn Watson and the Houston Texans. Kickoff time at

eight twenty and Arrowhead. Seventeen thousand expected in attendance. Oh, you got tonight in the season opener on kickoff weekend, Tony. I got the team all the way. They got the best quarterback in the league I can do. Probably one of the best coach teams in NFL. UM. They're good at every position group on the offensive side of the all they got Chris Jones back is the defensive lineman who's very disruptive. I they're really good, and I have I think I think the Texans are a question mark.

I actually have them as the third best team in the NFC South. UM. I don't think they're great on defense. UM, and offensively, you know was now DeAndre Hopkins. I'm interested how they run that offense because he was a safety outlet. He was a safety blanket to pacifier whatever you wanna call whatever. Deshaun Watson was in trouble, he'd find me DeAndre Hopkins. So I think Deshaun Watson is an outstanding player and because of that, the Texans got a chance.

But I think I had the Chiefs win by ten points. Interesting. It will be very interesting to see how Deshaun Watson takes, you know, where his game goes without DeAndre Hopkins. A lot of times quarterbacks get better without the guy that they feel like that they have to throw it to and then they just allow the offense to dictate where the ball goes. So could that be the case with Deshaun Watson. I don't know, but I mean, for me, Patrick Mahomes is such a marvelous player. They've got so

much speed with at Kansas City offense. They've got a very good offensive line, one of the better offensive lines in the league, and they're at home. I don't see them losing. Tonight should be a good one. The Texans and the Chiefs kick off the season coming up tonight, Tony. We will talk to you Sunday on the Public's Tailgate show It see you boys, all right, Tony Vaselli out of here. Head coach Doug Barone is coming up. Jeff Login and I will stick around the Doug bron Show

coming up next on the Jaguars Radio Network. You have been listening to and watching Jaguars Happy Hour on the Jaguars Digital Network.