Neither team seemed to be able to get their footing, literally and figuratively in the first half at Wembley. The field was “heavy” and slick and the offenses of the Jaguars and the Colts couldn’t find a rhythm. For the Jaguars, a blocked pass by Dante Fowler fell into the arms of Yannick Ngakoue for a turnover deep in Colts territory. Blake *Bortles followed that with a TD pass from 3 yards out to Allen Robinson to take a 7-0 lead.

Even though the Jaguars had the lead, midway through the second quarter the Colts dominated the time of possession, kicked two field goals and stayed in the game. Neither quarterback could get untracked with their combined total being less than 100 yards passing. In fact, the Jaguars had more penalty yards than offensive yards.

Things changed as the Jaguars started to run the ball. With both T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory available, the offensive line got comfortable and started opening up holes on the inside. That made the Colts respect play action and Bortles started to find open receivers. He scored on a little bootleg to make it 14-6 The Jaguars had 80 yards rushing in the first half with Bortles hitting six different receivers.

A nice drive at the end of the half resulted in a FG. Bortles threw it short with just :07 on the clock and Jason Myers kicked it for a 17-6 halftime lead.

For the first time in recent memory the Jaguars scored on the drive at the end of the half and the opening drive of the second half, opening up a 20-6 lead after another Myers field goal. The defense continued to hold the Colts in check throughout the 3rd quarter when Myers added another FG to make it a three score game 23-6. The Jaguars had 9 penalties for 116 yards through three quarters but also had 128 yards rushing.

Starting the 4th quarter the feeling in the stadium was that the Jaguars had control of the game but couldn’t let up. The Colts couldn’t win the game without help from the Jaguars. That’s when Indy scored their first TD against a soft zone to pull within 23-13. And they did it again with the help of a pass interference call against Devon House making it 23-20. House has been picked on all year and Sunday was no different. Aaron Colvin is eligible next week so it’ll be interesting if they give him a shot at the corner spot. Josh Johnson saw a lot of action there against the Colts.

For the first time this year the Jaguars responded to a score in a critical situation. Bortles hit Yeldon a couple of times in the flat for first downs then threw it to Hurns on a simple out route that looked like another first down. Instead, Hurns broke a tackle, cut inside, picked up some blockers and ran for a 42 yard TD to take a 30-20 lead with 5 minutes to play.

In the four years the Jaguars have been here, their fan base has grown, especially at the games and the knowledge of the European and UK fans has expanded. When Hurns scored, the place erupted like a home game. They used to get excited about FG’s and punts but the locals have gotten used to the game.

It’s been a while since the Jaguars answered an opponent’s score late in the game but they did just that on the next drive. After a couple of balls in the flat to T.J. Yeldon, Bortles hit Allen Hurns on an out route but instead of running out of bounds, Hurns cut inside, picked up blockers and scored from 42 yards out to give the Jaguars a 30-20 lead.

Not being able to stand prosperity, there was a mix up on third down in the defensive backfield and Andrew Luck threw a 64 yard TD with 3 minutes to play to cut the lead back to just 3. That’s the kind of thing that just can’t happen in that situation. Whether it was Jalen Ramsey or somebody else, you can’t give up the big play there.

It looked a felt like the Green Bay and the Baltimore games in the last two minutes with the Jaguars holding on by their fingernails. But this time the defense, maybe more specifically Josh Johnson made a play on 4th down to let the Jaguars eventually run out the clock. Indy got the ball back but couldn’t do anything with it. Sen’Derrick Marks had a big sack of Andrew Luck and the Jaguars win 30-27.

It wasn’t pretty but maybe with a taste of winning and a week off, the Jaguars will go into the next part of the season with some confidence.

It’s an easy equation that leads to winning in London: Play better.

In their first two games at Wembley against San Francisco and Dallas the Jaguars weren’t competitive. Last year’s win over Buffalo was a wild swing of emotions but showed the team on the rise. This year it’s a division matchup the Jaguars should win. To do so, they’ll need better quarterback play from Blake Bortles, showing some version of the form from 2015 where he threw 35 TD passes.

“It’s just been such stupid things that have gone wrong that are easily correctable,” Blake said after Wednesday’s practice. “So that’s why for me I can’t wait to get another opportunity to go play, I can’t wait to get an opportunity to, like I said, reach our expectations and play the kind of football we know we can play as an offense and score the points and move the ball that we know we can.”

Even *Bortles admits that sounds like the same old explanations but he’s a true believer. He thinks the Jaguars will break out and show the same kind of scoring prowess and ability to move the ball that they had last year.

“it hasn’t been obviously what we wanted offensively but that doesn’t mean for a second that we’ve lost the confidence as an offense or lost who we are and what we believe we should do,” he explained. “I think our bar and our standard is still at the same level and we just haven’t been able to reach it yet.”

How do they fix that? More specifically, how will Bortles, who takes everything as his responsibility, get out of the funk?

“I think just keep playing,” he said. I’m not very complicated or an over-thinker. I enjoy to play the game of football. I think I play it best when it’s at its simplest form and I’m just having fun and enjoying the game and really, obviously, we’re moving the ball and being successful.

In his first three years, *Bortles has played his best in an up-tempo offense, running around looking like he’s having fun playing the game with friends. Offensive Coordinator Greg Olson hasn’t tried that yet early in the game but that could change this week. It should.

And *Bortles hasn’t lost any of his nerve or talent. He’s expecting to play well this week against a familiar opponent.

“I’ll continue to try and prepare as hard as I can and be as ready as possible, but when the game starts I’m going to go have fun and enjoy myself and have a good time with a bunch of good friends playing football in the NFL.”

When a coach looks at “game video” they look at it very specifically. When Gus Bradley breaks a game down he looks at the offense, defense, offensive line, etc. position by position looking for good, and not so good plays across the board. After the loss to the Ravens, Bradley chose 60 plays to show the team the day after. That’s a lot of breakdowns throughout a game where the Jaguars squandered a couple of chances to win.

“We went through a bunch of plays,” Bradley said at his weekly Monday press conference. “The big point is consistency and it’s a game of inches.”

Although quarterback Blake Bortles had a completion percentage of 63%, there were some critical misses that cost Jaguars scoring opportunities.

“It’s also a game of inches situation where it’s just off the fingertips of Allen Robinson, overthrew Marqise Lee a little bit. Missed Julius Thomas on a seam route,” Gus explained. There are those things. Telvin Smith had three great plays and then there’s one where he dropped too far and allowed a completion to happen. That was the big message that I was pointing out to them, that the NFL is a game of inches and you have to do it consistently. We’re not making enough of those consistent plays in those times.”

So is there blame to be had? Perhaps everybody shoulders some of it, including the head coach. How to they take that last step to win close games after upgrading the roster to being competitive? I asked Gus if there was enough veteran leadership to know the nuanced difference between winning and losing in the NFL.

“Yeah, I think they do a good job of it. I think that is what this meeting was about, too, just to ensure that we understand,” Gus said, anticipating that could be an issue with a young team.

“To look back and say we could have been or we should have been, I am not into looking into the past very much like that. To point out the opportunities and you would like to see this team when you are in those situations take ownership and say, ‘Let’s roll.’ A guy like Brandon Linder is a strong presence in our offensive line, a very strong presence. I don’t know if we missed that presence yesterday. If you do, then someone has to step up and be that presence.”

From a team standpoint, that presence is *Bortles. They talked to Blake early in his career about his body language. His improved play last year put his stamp on the Jaguars offense. This year he’s struggled and he knows it.

“He’s put a lot on him now because he knows he wants to play better and give more to this team,” Bradley added. Like we pointed out in the team meeting, there are multiple good plays there. It’s everybody. It wasn’t just Blake or Telvin, Jalen Ramsey, it was multiple guys that we pointed out just how important those little things are.”

All of the chatter outside the stadium about Gus’ job and how long he has is well known to Bradley and the players in the locker room. But there’s not much he can say or do about it other than keep coaching and win games. I do think he needs to ask more of the players, more discipline, more focus, more attention to that little thing that makes the difference between winning and losing.

If they were just looking at development, the Jaguars see the defense figuring out how to play together. They created chances at the end of the game for the offense to score points and put the game away. It just didn’t happen.

They couldn’t run the ball for the third straight week and Bradley knows that his team will have to run the ball effectively even when the other team knows they’re going to run it if they want to win some games. Especially close ones.

“Green Bay, when you’re on the 14-yard line and its third and two, you have a chance to win the game and then Baltimore, you have two opportunities inside the 40 to win the game, just get a first down and get a field goal, that’s your worst case scenario,” Bradley said, getting more animated with the explanation. “That’s the part that our team has to learn. That part right there could very easily have swung in our favor, but it didn’t. There’s a reason for it. That’s what I think this meeting was about. You have to figure this out now.”

It was a pretty forgettable first quarter for the Jaguars against the Ravens. Two first downs, two penalties and a bunch of punts that moved the field position around a bit. The Jaguars got a couple of breaks thanks to Ravens mistakes but they looked sluggish and out of sync for the 5th quarter in a row. Quarterback Blake Bortles was still off, making a bad decision and a worse throw that led to an interception and killed the only offensive momentum the team had.

Despite giving up a Ravens TD on a Joe Flacco scramble, the defense seemed to have an idea against Baltimore and started to gain some momentum in the second quarter. The offense did the same, taking advantage of another 40+ punt return by Rashad Greene and scoring to make it 10-7.

It looked like a good defensive stand for the Jaguars as the Ravens went into their 2-minute drill but Malik Jackson was called for roughing the passer on 3rd down and Dante Fowler was called for “leverage,” jumping over the tackle on a short FG attempt and gave the Ravens three points to trail at halftime 13-7.

If that’s the rule, that’s the rule but Jackson’s hand touched Flacco’s helmet after the play and he was called for making contact. That’s not much, but it kept the drive alive. Fowler was called for jumping over the lineman, something he should know is illegal and it gave the Ravens three points. No matter if Fowler is fired up or just dumb, that’s the kind of thing that comes down to coaching. If he doesn’t know the rule, he should. If he does and did it anyway, he should be on the bench.

Despite giving up a FG on the Ravens opening drive, the whole Jaguars team started to play better in the second half, making plays on both offense and defense. Again, mediocre officiating kept the Jaguars at bay but they had a call overturned in the end zone for a TD to pull within 16-14. Bortles gave himself up on a scramble and was hit on the ground but no call was made saying “the defender had committed.” That’s baloney and every other QB in the league gets that call. Bortles will get it eventually if the Jaguars start winning, but apparently not now.

It takes some breaks to go your wan in any game and the Jaguars got on early in the fourth quarter when Devin Hester muffed a punt and Denard Robinson recovered at the 38-yard line. Jason Myers kicked a 49-yard field goal to give the home team a 17-16 lead. They had some chances on that offensive series but on 3rd and 1, Bortles had the ball batted down for the second time in the game forcing the FG try.

Off-season acquisitions paid off on the next series on defense. Malik Jackson pressured Flacco into a bad throw that was tipped by Jalen Ramsey and intercepted by Tashaun Gipson. None of those guys were on the Jaguars last year. And that play wouldn’t have happened with last year’s personnel. Another tipped pass at the line of scrimmage gave the ball back to the Ravens but Paul Posluszny jumped over Justin Forsett to intercept Flacco who was under pressure. The officials huddled for an eternity before calling personal fouls on both teams including Jalen Ramsey. Somebody needs to tell the rookies that this is pro football. Make a play and get off the field.

So here’s where good teams take advantage of the breaks and put the game away. But the Jaguars looked tentative on offense both in their play calling and their execution in the following series. Instead of rising up and asserting themselves, the Ravens took control. Bortles again suffered a sack, just about the only thing he couldn’t do in that situation, forcing Myers to attempt a 52-yard field goal. That was blocked and the Ravens had a chance to take the lead.

Methodically moving the ball in small chunks of yardage, they got it to the 37 where Justin Tucker blasted a 54-yard field goal to give the Ravens a 19-17 lead.

Still with 1:02 and a timeout left, the Jaguars only needed a field goal. Instead, Bortles held the ball on second down and was sacked and was intercepted on third down to end the game.

This was a game of missed opportunities and turnovers as well as mediocre play by Bortles for the third week in a row. If he doesn’t step it up, or if other players on offense don’t pick him up, changes are in the offing for the team perhaps sooner rather than later.

1. Attitude
In the opening week against Green Bay, the season was full of promise. You could tell the week leading up to the game that the Jaguars had a new swagger, a new confidence in their roster and their ability. Despite losing to the Packers, they didn’t lose that in the days leading up to the departure for San Diego. But something happened during that time span that allowed a team, supposedly on the rise, to fall flat against a mediocre opponent. They lost that swagger that led to good play. Head Coach Gus Bradley acknowledged that they needed to find the problem and fix it. “”Sweep the corners,” ‘is what Bradley said the message was to the team prepping for Baltimore. “In a room, you have to go and dig in the deep corners and do everything. It is easy to bring all the dirt to the middle. You have to go into the corners and dig out to find out – it really is a message about doing the little things.” That’s a noble objective but perhaps it would be simpler put as “play better.” There’s no question the Jaguars are better than they showed last week, displaying that in week one. Bradley and Blake Bortles said the team has a strong mental core and is not about to pack it in after an 0-2 start. “This team is far away from that mindset,” Bradley explained. “They were frustrated and we went out there and we thought we were going to play better than we did and we didn’t play as well. His (Bortles) mindset permeates through the locker room.”

2. Bortles Execution
One thing about Bortles that’s different than some other quarterbacks the Jaguars have had over the years is his ability for self-evaluation. “I have to play better” is something he’s willing to say that a lot of players, particularly young quarterbacks, can’t bring themselves to say. “I don’t know how you really describe it other than it’s just been really bad, Blake said this week. “I know what I should do, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t so I think it’s consistency, being able to get that and obviously being efficient with the ball and not turn it over.” Part of the issue is the lack of targeting his best receiver, Allen Robinson. Bortles has been reluctant to throw those “50-50” balls to Robinson this year, instead checking down to the dump off to T.J. Yeldon. “We do a lot of stuff game planning and trying to get him the ball,” he explained. “He’s always pretty early in the progression so it’s really just me giving him an opportunity to make a play and that’ll be a continued frame because he is an extremely good player and somebody that needs to have the ball in his hands.” It would help Bortles and the entire offense if they ran some up-tempo stuff early in the game. He’s more comfortable and likes directing the offense on the fly.

3. Find Flacco
It won’t be that different from last week with a top-flight, veteran quarterback across the line from the Jaguars defense. Joe Flacco is a bit more mobile than Phillip Rivers but nothing like Aaron Rodgers. He’ll be there if they can get there. Dante Fowler had two sacks against the Chargers and Yannick Ngakoue recorded his first in a critical situation. Both of those guys are still learning and need to be involved in pressuring Flacco. It’s one thing to hold the pocket and get in a quarterback’s face. It’s something else to have a speed rush, jailbreak that creates havoc and makes the QB pay attention. “I think we are just starting to see who Dante is,” Defensive coordinator Todd Wash said on Wednesday. “It is going to be exciting to watch him grow through the season.” Wash sees a lot of encouraging signs on defense but they haven’t been able put it together and finish it off. ‘Right now it is feast or famine. We go three and out or we don’t score. We just have to play consistent and we are going to give ourselves a chance to win some games.”

4. Run the football
Adding Chris Ivory to the mix this week will be a welcome addition. No matter what Bradley says about the similarities between Yeldon and Ivory, Ivory can hit a gap and move the pile in a way Yeldon can’t. Yeldon is a nice zone runner, avoiding the contact running from “color.” Ivory, on the other hand, can get you the yard off tackle when you need it by blasting somebody. And likes it. If the Jaguars win this game, Ivory should have at least 20 carries, most of those in the second half. They’ll operate behind a makeshift offensive line with Kelvin Beachum out of the lineup and Brandon Linder a game time decision. For competitive reasons, the Jaguars haven’t said how they’ll configure the front five but Tyler Shatley, Chris Reed and Patrick Omameh made the team with their play in training camp and the preseason. Certainly a team has starters but the backups can’t just be fill-ins. (see New England, Thursday night). At some point in this game it’ll be a slugfest with Baltimore wanting to run the ball and establish their presence. The Jaguars should meet that with some attitude no matter who is in the game.

Randomly: Poz is not supposed to be following receivers across the field as he was against the Chargers. “There’s supposed to be a defensive back there,” is how Bradley put it. Although they praised Dwayne Gratz, it was apparent he was the culprit in some crucial situations, “The challenge for him is, it has to be every play, every play,” Gus said. “There are a couple plays he would like to have back, but that is like everyone in a game. We have a tendency to have them at critical times where we can get off the field or we can make plays. We had three of them this week.” Joeckel took snaps at left tackle and at left guard in practice this week. The way both Bradley and Wash talked about Jarrod Wilson, don’t be surprised if he gets a shot at strong safety before long. Jonathan Cyprien still struggles in coverage and hasn’t been a sure tackler this year either. Tom Coughlin used to say, “Back to work” when asked how he’d deal with a loss. Jack Del Rio used to say goofy things like “We’ll plan our work and work our plan.” Bradley talks about the “process” a lot but at least admits they need to be better. “We are also going to stay the course. We believe in this process. We believe in it. We had a game where we did not show up. We did not play up to our capabilities. That is the truth. Now let’s get back going and play like we are capable of playing.”

1. Pass Rush
Saying he didn’t let them ‘pin their ears back’ Gus Bradley gave the defensive line credit for their effort against Aaron Bradley last Sunday. Rodgers was able to sidestep the rush and get the ball down field, perhaps more effectively than any other quarterback in the league. This week, Phillip Rivers presents a different challenge. “Yeah. It is a quarterback that has the ability to move in the pocket and stay alive,” Defensive Coordinator Todd Wash said this week. “He is obviously very smart. He probably knows what we are doing before we even call it. It is a situation where we hope to pin their ears back and let those guys rush and show exactly how athletic they are.” But Rivers will be right there in the pocket, they’ll know exactly where he’ll be. He’s thrown 11 TD’s against the Jaguars without an interception. If he was the quarterback last week, the Jaguars might have had a few sacks. If they don’t get to him this week, it’ll be a long plane flight home.

2. Running Game
Last week’s 1.8 yards per carry average won’t cut it for any winning team in the NFL. Chris Ivory’s absence might have had something to do with it but running the football tends to be an offensive line/blocking/QB calls/running back project. TJ Yeldon will carry the majority of the load again this week but there needs to be some variety in what they’re doing. Maybe Corey Grant gives them something different in the backfield; maybe Luke Joeckel and Kelvin Beachum provide more push on the left side. Whatever the difference, they need it to be better. Anything under 2.5 yards per carry means something fluky has to happen for them to get the win.

3. Turnovers
Last week, the Jaguars turned the ball over once on the opening drive but it proved to be costly. A ball thrown behind Marqis Lee was bobbled and intercepted giving the Packers a short field at the 29. Good teams take advantage of breaks like that and Green Bay did just that. They scored on an Aaron Rodgers run to make it 7-0. Taking care of the football, especially in their own end of the field is of paramount importance on the road against an offense like San Diego’s. On the other hand, getting some turnovers is what the Jaguars stressed throughout training camp. It didn’t appear they came close last week so somebody playing “above the x’s and o’s” and making a play on defense would go a long way toward a win.

4. Special Teams
A 100% scoring grade is hard to come by in any game but that’s how Gus Bradley assessed his special teams play against the Packers. That’s hard to argue given the two downed punts inside the 5-yard line and Jason Myers not missing a kick. Brad Nortman’s free agent signing this year might have been a bit under the radar but he showed how significant a smart, veteran punter could be. Grant had a 32-yard kickoff return and the coverage teams did their job efficiently. That kind of performance again will allow the game to be decided by the offensive and defensive units.

In recent years the breakdown of every Jaguars loss included some form of “We’re getting better, we’re getting closer” when you talked to the players and coaching staff.

Not so after Sunday’s game against Green Bay. If there was one overriding emotion in the locker room it was anger. Even Head Coach Gus Bradley’s press conference was a little flat. He’s usually upbeat about “lessons learned” but Sunday he was just down because they lost. He confirmed that today after reviewing video of the game.

“Yeah, when we we’re planning for this game, I expected our best,” he explained of his pre and post game emotions. “I felt that we were going to play really well. I am shocked that we didn’t play well. I think that what I am surprised is that I really felt that we are going to win this game. That is a good sign. It is a good sign for our team, too.”

He’s exactly right about that. Perhaps the best thing to come out of the opener is the fact that the team was angry that they didn’t get the job done. If you’ve ever played in any game at any level and lost, you know exactly how they felt.

“There is a difference between you expecting to win and you knowing you are going to win.” Bradley added. “When you know you are going to win, you are shocked if you lost and that is what this team is feeling now. I think that is a good step for our team. We do not accept the loss. We do not accept it. How they are handling it now shows me a lot about them.”

Through training camp and the preseason games the Jaguars had the look and feel of a legitimate NFL team. It wasn’t guys trying to figure out how to play in the NFL. The free-agent additions gave the team the feel of a competitive group. That carried over to the regular season opener and while the significance of this game won’t be revealed until the end of the season, it looked like a matchup of two good teams. We expected that of Green Bay. We didn’t know that about the Jaguars. Even their reaction to the turnover and touchdown by the Packers in the first quarter showed a different Jaguars mindset.

“It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, here it comes, what’s going to happen?’ Bradley said today referring to what had happened to his teams in the last three years after adversity struck. “There was none of that. The tension on the sideline, their focus on the sideline, it was great.”

In fact the Jaguars scored themselves and even took the lead, all done early on without involving their two top receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Neither apparently said a word and were eventually very productive with quarterback Blake Bortles.

“One of our rules is no whining, no complaining and no excuses. No one wants to hear it anyway. Let’s move on,” Gus said when asked if Robinson had asked for the ball more.

Seeing him in person it might be hard to dispute that Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the game right now. Put a different quarterback on the Packers on Sunday and the Jaguars win that game. With a strong arm and accurate, Rodgers can still run and moves in the pocket just enough to frustrate defenders. Bradley said part of the game plan was to try and limit his mobility. He says that’s why the sack number was low. It was part of the plan.

“It is tough on the defensive line,” he said of the scheme. “They are going after it. We did not turn them loose. It was not a game like that. It was more of a detailed pass rush to really try to constrict him and force him to stay in the pocket.”

It generally worked, limiting the Green Bay offense to just 199 yards passing. And maybe the same kind of rush this week turns into a few sacks of Phillip Rivers in San Diego. But there’s still that “Where’s that guy coming from?” factor that the Jaguars don’t have. Strong and sturdy up front, they need a high speed, occasionally dominating pass rusher to compliment what they have. They’re hoping that Dante Fowler and Yannick Ngakoue turn into those players.

The sooner the better.

Jaguars: 4 to watch 4

1. Does the left side of the offensive line work? When he named Kelvin Beachum as the starting left tackle, Head Coach Gus Bradley admitted that it really wasn’t a competition. He awarded Beachum the job for his “body of work.” Yes, Beachum was an elite left tackle for the Steelers before his injury in October of last year. His rehab has been long and while he’s approved to go 100% he’s only played a few series in the preseason. His conditioning will be in question as the opener drags on. Beachum admitted it’s “a marriage” when it comes to the relationship between him and Luke Joeckel at left guard. Joeckel had performed well in the first two preseason games at tackle but was also given kudos by the coaching staff for the way he approached the move to guard. It might take a while but here’s to ‘hoping’ that the coaches aren’t ‘hoping’ this works out. Perhaps they’ve seen something that convinced them it’s the best combination available.

2. Did they spend money in the right place? Acquiring Malik Jackson and Tashaun Gipson through free agency seemed to create an immediate upgrade for the defense. Gus Bradley likes to use a nine-player rotation on the defensive line so Jackson being fresh throughout the game, and a healthy Sen’Derrick Marks also only playing 30-40 snaps should keep them fresh. Any kind of push up the middle from those two will put pressure on the passer along with Jared Odrick. They also are pretty stout when it comes to sheer size in the middle with Roy Miller and Abry Jones so they should be effective against the run. Gipson is the kind of free safety Bradley wants. One that can cover from side to side, is a ball hawk and isn’t afraid to hit. Gipson’s confidence and leadership will also go a long way in the defensive backfield.

3. Can they run the ball? Which leads to the free agent acquisition of Chris Ivory. Thought to be a thumper, Ivory has shown speed to get to the edge and an ability to quickly get his shoulders turned and head up field. He’ll bring plenty of punch behind his pads. Quarterback Blake *Bortles called him a “ball of muscle” in the preseason, but he also has speed that might catch some defenders off guard. If T.J. Yeldon is a classic “run from color” ball carrier who does well in a zone blocking scheme, Ivory can be a very effective “gap” runner, especially in short yardage. Brandon Linder at center will be the key to the offensive line getting a push for the running game. Offensive Coordinator Greg Olson says Linder has adapted well to his new position, and brings that “physical presence” that they need up front. No question Linder is a tough guy. They missed him last year after his injury.

4. Can the rush Aaron Rodgers and keep him contained? After sitting out a year with a torn ACL, Dante Fowler is being counted on to provide an edge rush for the Jaguars, something they haven’t had in a while. In fact, the only guy you can compare Fowler to who’s ever worn a Jaguars uniform is Tony Brackens. If you’re a Gator fan and haven’t paid attention to Fowler since he left Gainesville, you might not recognize him. He’s completely changed his body style and is faster and stronger than ever. He dominated early in training camp but ran into a wall, literally, starting with the practices against Tampa Bay. The coaches challenged him to be a “pro,” study more tape and take the mental part of the game as seriously as he does the physical side. Between Fowler, Yannick Ngakoue, and Myles Jack the Jaguars have plenty of speed to get to the passer. Part of their problem with Rodgers will be what he can do outside of the pocket when he’s flushed. Getting to him and getting him on the ground will be the key to keeping the Packers offense in check.

Looking over the 75 players who were vying for the 56 final roster spots on the 2016 Jaguars, Head Coach Gus Bradley declared this team “bigger, faster and stronger,” than teams he’s’ coached in Jacksonville in the past.

“It’s an exciting time,” Bradley continued, talking about the cutting process. “We have some really good football players we’re going forward with and that’s exciting.

While agreeing with Bradley that it was “exciting,” General Manager Dave Caldwell had a slightly different take.

“Exciting because in the past few years we’ve been looking at guys being cut from other teams,” he said with a laugh. “This year, we’ve got our guys right here.

Even making the final 53 on Saturday didn’t mean you were around for game one. Joe Banyard was cut and Josh Wells put on IR to make room for other free agents who could help right now.

“Yeah we had some very tough decisions. Very tough decisions,” Bradley said on Monday. “To us that is a good thing. When you are getting down to those last four or five cuts and you have multiple discussions about what role everyone can play. I think from top to bottom without a doubt this is the best team we have had, personnel wise.”

It’s not always the starting 22 that have to be adjusted. The Jaguars will have 14 new players on the roster this year, all will be expected to contribute on special teams (except QB Brandon Allen. Getting what you’re looking for on special teams means sometimes it comes down to just what a guy ‘looks’ like.

“That is hard. It is hard,” Bradley said, explaining part of the process. “I think that you are looking at what roles people fill and what we are looking for at certain positions. At times we need length. When you lose a guy like Ryan Davis we had Clay Harbor and that size and length is what we were looking at. I think sometimes it is body type what you are looking for and it might not mean that they can go elsewhere and be a good special teams player.”

When it comes to deciding between two players, it can be a ruthless process. Coaches have to be overly-analytical to find the smallest thing that will make the difference between being on the squad or looking for a job. Josh Johnson is a good example of how easily it is to be out of the league and how hard it is to make your way back in. Johnson was playing in the CFL when the Jaguars brought him in for a workout. His performance on special teams and his versatility as a defensive back helped him earn a spot on the 2016 Jaguars.

“Josh Johnson is a guy that’s obviously production has earned him to be on this team,’ Caldwell explained. “He’s around the ball, he makes plays on the ball when given the opportunity. Not only that but he’s been a sure tackler. He’s been a good blitzer, he can play both nickel inside for us and outside, and on special teams, he is an emergency returner for us. So it was a difficult decision. Nick (Marshall) is more of just an outside corner for us and Josh brings a little bit more versatility for us.”

So it’s a little of this and a little of that that can help you get into the league. And when it comes to the competitive part of it, you have to shine or generally you’re gone. Sometimes it’s just that other guys played really well. That’s the case for the Jaguars in deciding between Ryan Davis and Chris Smith.

“It was some of the guys like Chris Smith playing really well, Dan Skuta using him and our surplus of guys that’s interior rushers; Malik Jackson, Sheldon Day, Sen’Derrick Marks and Jared Odrick all can play inside,” Caldwell said after the cuts were made. “Then you got three LEOs there and then you got some flexibility with Hayes Pullard and Myles Jack in terms of MIKE, WILL and OTTO. And then it came down to special teams too and then who was going to be up so that was really the thing that came down to was special teams and not really having a great fit for him anymore.”

“I’m not a big fan of hope,” former Jaguars linebacker Tom McManus once said to me during an analysis of a game.

Hope is a funny word when it comes to professional sports. On one hand fans can hope things go well. On the other, hope shouldn’t be a part of a coaching staff’s decision making.

That’s why I’m hoping that the Jaguars staff isn’t hoping things work out on the left side of their offensive line.

During his daily press conference, Head Coach Gus Bradley said they decision has been made to start Kelvin Beachum at left tackle and Luke Joeckel at left guard for the regular season opener against Green Bay on September 11th. All along they expected Beachum to be back for the third preseason game, at the same time saying it would be a competition for the starting spot.

Clearly, the competition was only between Beachum and himself, whether he’d be physically able to play when asked. His 23 plays against Cincinnati showed what he’s capable of doing at the same time showing how he’s not conditioned well enough to play an entire game.

Still, Bradley says it was a “body of work” decision and admitted it wasn’t a true competition at all.

“I can credit as far as where at left guard he really elevated himself and, I cannot argue, that’s what I told him, I cannot argue the fact that you’re playing left tackle better than you did last year.,” Bradley said of his conversation with Joeckel. “I can’t argue the fact that this was a competition back and forth; that’s not accurate because Beachum wasn’t playing much in training camp. It was more the body of work we saw in what was best.”

“The competition did not come out where it was straight from the start because of the number of reps Beachum got, so we went about it a little bit of a different way,” Bradley said, trying to put the best spin on an awkward situation. It’s the first time in his tenure as head coach that Bradley had to “clarify” some things that were going on. I’m not sure what the big mystery was or if they were just trying to protect Joeckel for some reason but it’s obvious they intended for Beachum to be the starter at left tackle, if physically able, from the day they signed him as a free-agent.

“I really appreciate Luke and how he competed at guard and tackle,” Bradley continued, echoing what he said earlier in camp. “He improved at both areas. We felt like he did a really good job with Beachum, you know the body of work that he has had and also what he has shown to us in camp.”

Most fans will only remember the two times Joeckel was put flat on his back against Cincinnati, once falling into Blake Bortles. Bradley says he saw those as well but is looking beyond and in a larger scope.

“There’s plays here and there that you look at, but going into it, we just think that he’s got a high, high upside at guard and for us, we got a guard that’s playing very well and a guy that’s improved at tackle versus where he was last year. For us, selfishly speaking, pretty good deal, a guard and another left tackle for us.”

They’ll have to trim another 22 players off the current 75-man roster by this weekend. That’s why Thursday’s game against the Falcons is so fiercely competitive. Roster spots and some NFL futures are on the line. The Jaguars have a lot of decisions between helping now and developing players down the road. Offensive line is one of those positions they’ll have to release some players who are capable of staying in the league.

“I think that the depth is coming along there.,” Bradley explained. “We feel like [Tyler] Shatley’s really starting to perform really well. He had some good plays we showed in the team meeting today. So did [Chris] Reed. He’s doing a pretty good job in there, too. We got some decisions to make, that’s why this game, a lot of those guys will play.”

Without committing to not playing the starters on Thursday night, Bradley said the plan is to see just about everybody else get some playing time. He’ll look at the general health of the team regarding tightness, soreness, etc., before he decides if any of the starters will see action against Atlanta. Blake Bortles will not play but Chad Henne could also be on the bench for the entire game. The head coach says it could be Brandon Allen at quarterback and he could play the whole game. Plagued with a back problem for most of training camp, Sheldon Day went through practice on Tuesday and the staff is planning on him getting some reps in the game against the Falcons.. Bradley was asked if he had addressed his players’ actions during the National Anthem in light of the recent Colin Kaepernick controversy.

“I have, individually. Just when it comes up in conversation, but we have not addressed it as a team. I think with our team, it is more the communication, they all have their freedoms and things like that, but to communicate and have good conversations about their thoughts, I think is important.”

Bradley added he didn’t anticipate any similar action by the Jaguars.

Game time is at 7pm Thursday on Channel 4. The pregame show is scheduled for 6:30.

If nothing else, the first half against the Bengals should have served as a giant wake up call for everybody associated with the Jaguars.

“We played pretty bad at every position. When you play bad, you don’t score a lot of points,” quarterback Blake Bortles said in the second half.

Players, coaches, front office people and even fans who have been full of optimism had that tempered a bit by many of the same mistakes that have plagued the team in the last three years.

A reminder: it is still preseason.

But against a perennial playoff team, the Jaguars turned it over, missed assignments on defense, and had 14 yards of total offense midway through the second quarter.

And oh by the way, they were down 14-0.

When it was first team vs. first team, the Jaguars were no match for the Bengals, getting manhandled at the line of scrimmage and outsmarted in the field. If Gus Bradley was looking at this game as a “fact finding” situation, what he found out is that his team has a lot of work to do.

Early in the week Bradley said having the game on s Sunday night in front of a national TV audience would give him a chance to see how his players reacted to that spotlight. When they kicked it off, the Jaguars, unlike the first two-preseason games, looked tentative and a step slow.

Andy Dalton and the Bengals turned a TJ Yeldon fumble in the first quarter quickly into a touchdown. Three plays, twenty-two yards and it was 7-0. Their next drive, after a Jaguars punt, chewed up 8:57 on the clock and ended in another Cincinnati TD, 14-0 Bengals. The Jaguars looked outmanned up front and were out of place on defense consistently. If Bradley and the coaching staff were asking the players to do something different (i.e. play a base defense) it might be explainable. But teams do prepare and game plan for the third preseason game much like the regular season so it’s hard not to just see the first half as not much better than anything we’ve seen in the past three years.

Simple things kept the Jaguars from having any success.

Hays Pullard was so excited to be in the game as the fullback, he forgot (or wasn’t coached to) to report to the ref as an eligible receiver his touchdown catch was negated.

That’s just basic football stuff that can’t be ignored.

That was followed by a couple of miscues that led to a field goal from Sam Ficken that bounced off the left upright and in for three points. Ficken and punter Ryan Quigley were in the game for starters Brad Nortman and Jason Myers. Both were auditioning for other teams in the league.

As the defending division champs and a 2015 playoff team, the Bengals are good, not great. But Bortles was right when he said they were the perfect team to go up against in the third preseason game on national television. Tough, big and solid, they exposed the Jaguars starters as “not ready for prime time” yet. It might not mean it’s time to panic but it should get everybody’s attention.

If the Jaguars are still in the building and learning process, hoping to be a competitive team in the division, the Bengals are several years in front of them, already thinking about a deep playoff run.

From the look on Gus’ face on the sideline, he’s not going to have too much good to say about this one when it comes to the starters. His thought that anybody thinking “I got this” is the enemy of all success will be a theme this week.

They’ll cut 15 players on Monday and give the second and third teamers a chance to start and make an impression on Thursday in Atlanta. While the starters won’t play for either side, that game, as is the case with the final preseason game, will feature fierce competition with guys trying to make an impression and stay in the league. After that, they’ll cut again to 53 and look to sign up to as many as 10 players to the practice squad.

Everybody should be happy it’s just preseason. If it is a wake up call, the bell is sounding loud and clear.

In February of this year when the Jaguars made a big splash unveiling their Shipyards project vision; Jaguars Owner Shad Khan said a renovation of the South End Zone could be completed before the 2016 football season began.

While the project went through various design stages and permitting processes, that timeline got pushed back with Khan saying, “We’re only going to build this once, so let’s get it right.”

Today’s announcement of the project called “Daily’s Place” as part of a multi-year naming rights agreement put the completion in March of 2017.

At the original announcement seven months ago, Khan told me he’d like to see the Jacksonville host the NFL Draft. He reiterated that today.

“It could be a great venue for the draft with all the amenities,” Khan said. “We’re going do our utmost.”

Last year’s draft was held in and around Grant Park near Chicago’s waterfront. The NFL estimated 750,000 people made their way through the exhibits, displays and temporary amphitheater over four days.

All along Khan has said his vision was “iconic, a signature piece for Jacksonville.” Today’s renderings backed up his idea of more “Sydney opera house” than strip mall.

Here’s how they describe the combination covered practice field and entertainment venue in today’s press release:

Daily’s Place will house the new 5,500-person capacity amphitheater and 94,000-square foot covered flex field, as well as a luxurious back-of-house artist building. The soon-to-be-iconic superstructure will reside underneath a roof that covers both venues. Fabric and steel comprise more than eighty percent of the design materials for the project. Polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”) fabric will be suspended from a series of steel trusses, each spanning 430 feet from the south end zone of the stadium to the southern façade of the flex field.

Daily’s Place will be fully integrated into EverBank Field, creating a cohesive environment for events and festivals to utilize the entire stadium premises. At the ground level, the new south end zone field super-tunnel will lead to a brand new central bar connected to the amphitheater entrance. The existing Bud Light Party Zone and Terrace Suite areas will now be linked to the amphitheater’s elevated seating decks via access bridges at each level.

The covered flex field includes a regulation size football field with over 20 feet of auxiliary space around the artificial playing surface. At its highest point along the 50-yard-line, the roof rises nearly 80 feet. Flanked on the north and south side by massive hangar doors, the facility can be used independently or opened up to the amphitheater via a sliding door behind the stage that measures approximately 53 feet tall by 60 feet wide. Along the south side of the property are four more sliding doors of similar size that, when opened, create an open air experience measuring 222 feet wide. When the doors are closed to the flex field, the space is fully climate controlled.

With the inside of the stadium renovations completed, for now, Khan says the south end zone project will provide the impetus to get the entire Shipyards project going.

“What this means for the Shipyards is very good, because you have to have some inertia to get something going,” Khan said. “We have now, across the highway, would be a great opportunity for a high-end hotel and convention center, which really this town needs. We’ll try to work with the city and then as you move towards downtown, the city is wrestling with a lot of challenges environmentally. As that is addressed, then you can really have the growth. I think it’s very good. It’s embryonic, but important.”

All along developers have known that the old Jacksonville Shipyards was an environmental challenge, costing upwards of $50 million to clean up before any construction can begin. The city, as well as Khan, is trying to engage the State of Florida and the federal government to participate in the cleanup.

Starting at the stadium and moving west, Khan wants to reshape downtown, saying a strong urban core is a vital part of any city’s success. He originally wanted to buy the Jacksonville Suns franchise from the Bragan family as part of the project but the timing and the price at the time weren’t right.

“These new facilities are part of our ambitious vision for the future of downtown Jacksonville as a world-class sports and entertainment destination,” Khan said today. “The proximity of Daily’s Place to the St. Johns River, EverBank Field and the Sports Complex will further shape the identity of Downtown Jacksonville as a cool place to be. And, we should expect all of this to serve as a catalyst for future development in the area. It’s a great day for Jacksonville.”

Just about all the talk, all the prep and all of they hype are behind them now. The re-tooled Jaguars will take the field on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers with new expectations. Last February I asked Owner Shad Khan what his expectation level would be for 2016 and he said, “Better than 5-11 I can tell you that!”

So while a specific number of wins is probably not the measuring stick for success this year, how the team plays, how competitive they are throughout the year and how they compete in games will give an indication of how much better they are. Through the draft and free agency they’ve upgraded the talent. But to become a better team it takes a little bit of an intangible quality. Head Coach Gus Bradley has said through training camp that he’s felt that intangible has come quicker than expected and explained how it manifests itself when he’s with the team.

“Very good. Very focused team,” he explained on Friday. “You see position groups talking among one another. It’s conversations [about] what are we dealing with this week. They are having a lot of conversations about football and what they’re going to see, so that’s always good. Can’t always say that is how it has always been. This group is really into football, really, really into it. You can tell by how they’re watching film together and they’re doing it as groups rather than individuals, which is cool.”

Working with Bradley in press conferences and in private meetings, he’s authentically positive. It’s not an act. He truly wants to empower the players to hold one another accountable, to get them ready to play their best. He’s done it in his own career, telling me last week becoming a head coach in the NFL wasn’t an “ultimate goal” for him.

“I wanted to be the best position coach I could be,” he told me. “And when I became a coordinator in Seattle, I wanted to be the best coordinator I could be. I wasn’t always looking at what path would make me a head coach.”

So giving the players that kind of focus has been his goal. To change the meaning of success from what happens on the scoreboard to how you play. Giving the players the tools to play their best is his goal. That’s when the score will take care of itself.

“Now I think when they’re confident that should be a sign that they feel prepared,” Gus related about his team’s vision of the opener. “They’re prepared, they understand the task in front of them, the challenges that they’re facing, but they’re clear on it and they know what they need to do. So I think when you’re prepared like that it breeds confidence.”

Through the conditioning, the meetings, the installation and the practices, Bradley said his team is prepared to take on the season. He never wants his players to have an “I got this” mentality, but rather to be constantly improving both physically and mentally.

“We got better today,” was the perfect answer Kelvin Beachum gave when I asked him what the team did on their ‘Bonus Monday.’

Bradley would approve.

“We talk about enthusiasm, play tough, and one of them is playing smart,” the head coach explained about how the team is finding out all the facets necessary to win in the NFL. “We really have to play smart this game. You play smart every game, but there are so many challenges that this team presents with the hard counts, with the freebies, with the penalties and the substitutions. We have to have a really clean game. That has been addressed with our team.”

In their fourth year of changes, the Jaguars have the ‘look’ look of a legitimate NFL team. They’re big across both fronts; they’re fast in the offensive and defensive backfields and their quarterback is building on some previous success. But they’re still young. Only two players (Marcedes Lewis and Paul Posluzsny) are out of their 20’s. Myles Jack just turned 21 last Saturday. They’ll start Jalen Ramsey, a rookie, albeit a highly touted and drafted one, at one of their cornerback spots against Aaron Rodgers. To Bradley, that ‘reason’ for not doing well passed a couple of years ago.

“If we said we’re a young team then, we can’t say that any more,” he explained when asked if he was worried about his team being so young.

“If they are counting on a Saturday speech then it’s too late,” he added. “This team, everything we do, we try to teach them [that it is] more internal. It is more about you going out there and doing your job and doing it at a high level. Hopefully it comes from within rather than from me.”

As the focus for the Jaguars concentrates on their improvement on the field, the backdrop at the stadium continues to be hammering and building as workers race against the calendar to have improvements done before the season starts.

“That extra week in August because our first preseason game is on the road is a big help,” Jaguars President Mark Lamping said about the construction schedule. With all of the things they’re doing and plan to do at the stadium, Shad Khan was leaning on Lamping’s expertise getting the new Busch Field in St. Louis and the stadium in New Jersey built when he brought him to Jacksonville.

Khan’s renovation of the weight room and the locker room were just preludes to the major projects he envisioned that are now becoming reality.

“We listened to the fans,” Khan said this week. “Not just here in Jacksonville but all over the world. What do they want, how to they want to watch a game? What kind of experience to they expect? All of those things when we started this project.”

It’s clear that watching the game in Jacksonville is different than almost every other NFL city. Fans want to have different experiences throughout the day.

“If you’re going to commit seven, eight hours to coming to the stadium, you need to enjoy it,” Jaguars director of sales Chad Johnson explained. “You have numerous different things and experiences you can find at the stadium and that’s what our fans want.”

Johnson’s comments came was he was standing in the nearly-completed loggia area of the south end zone, an “add-on” experience that’s unique to Jacksonville.

“You’ll be right here, just about on the field when the players are introduced and when the game is going on. You can’t get that anywhere else.”

As they complete Phase 1 of this current project, the east and west clubs as well as the interior of the south end zone will be completely different. In fact, the two clubs are distinct from each other.

“Why not?” Khan said, standing in the east club, when asked about the difference between the two. “The west side will be more of an upscale, urban feel. This one will be younger, hipper, more beachy. We have two different, distinct clienteles that are looking for two different experiences.”

From his time in baseball with the Cardinals, Lamping sees plenty of similarities between watching that sport in St. Louis and football in Jacksonville.

“It’s a lot like what baseball fans want. The ballpark, or in this case the stadium should be a place that has a unique feel, a unique look that belongs to the city. The fans should feel a part of it represents them,” Lamping said drawing the comparisons between the two different fan bases. “We’ve connected them with their digital needs without having them sitting and staring at their smartphones and running up $160 dollars of charges during the game.”

Between the indoor and outdoor spaces, the pools, the party deck, the WiFI and the digital boards within quick view no matter where you are, Jaguars fans will be able to keep track of their “other” team or their fantasy roster constantly.

“That’s something that’s unique to our market,” Lamping said in the new, open-air of the west club. “You wouldn’t show Eagles highlights to Giants fans but here in Jacksonville we realize that while everybody wants to the Jaguars to win, most have come here from somewhere else and have another favorite team as well.”

They’re still fine tuning some of the details of Phase 1, like deciding what kind of structure the players will run through when the enter the field from the south end zone, but it’ll be ready when fans show up on August 20th to face Tampa Bay in the second preseason game of the year. After that, Phase 2 will begin on the outside of the south end of the stadium, the long-awaited amphitheater and indoor practice facility they’re calling the “flex-field.”

“That’s going to be something special,” Khan said with a smile adding that they had just finished approving the design of the project. “It’s going to be something iconic, a signature for Jacksonville that will be instantly recognizable.”

Spring, 2017 is the target date for completion of the south end zone project. It will be open for plenty of events before it’s ever used as an indoor football field.

Once that’s done, Khan has plans for the Shipyards project, probably starting a little east of the actual shipyard property with a luxury hotel, a walk-bridge to the stadium, public spaces, some retail, a spot for the USS Adams and maybe even docking space for Shad’s mega yacht “Kismet.”

As he says, “You can’t sit on the status quo. If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward.”

There’s never been a question about Jimmy Smith’s on-field greatness. Smith is one of just three players to play more than ten seasons for the Jaguars, from 1995-2005, and still owns 11 team records 10 years after his retirement in 2006.

But how to you honor a player during his much-publicized struggle with drug addition and run-in’s with the law? Jimmy’s battles with drug abuse were well chronicled on ESPN’s “30 for 30” series among other places. He’s served jail time, has been confined to his house and convicted on drug and parole violation charges. He’s still on parole in Mississippi until March of next year.

Even his retirement in 2006 was surrounded by controversy. In a hastily called press conference, Smith said he was “tired” and it “was time” for him to retire. He denied that he might have been facing a year’s suspension for failing another drug test at the time. But walking away from a several million dollars didn’t make any sense for Smith at that point in his career. Even how the announcement was handled for one of the all-time, on-field greats didn’t seem right. Smith denial was unconvincing and tepid at best.

As fans and friends have hoped, Smith has stayed out of trouble for a few years, long enough for the Jaguars to honor him this December as a member of The Pride.

“There is no question that Jimmy Smith was one of the best players to ever wear a Jaguars uniform,” Jaguars Owner Shard Khan said. “His contributions in the early years were critical to the success the Jaguars enjoyed during that time. The fact that most of his records have stood for 10 years without being surpassed underscores what a great player he was.”

Serving on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, I’m instructed every year to only consider a player’s football accomplishments, disregarding any issues he might have outside of the game. That’s why Lawrence Taylor was elected to the Hall during a time he was consistently running afoul of the law.

But The Pride of the Jaguars is different. If only by the definition of the word “Pride.” In this case it has double meaning, denoting a collection of individuals and a spirit of those involved. It would have been tough to induct Jimmy during his troubled times.

A five-time Pro Bowl performer, Smith was a key to the Jaguars’ early success when the team earned four straight playoff appearances from 1996-99 and played in eight postseason games including two AFC Championship games. He was the Jaguars’ leading receiver seven times and was voted to the AFC Pro Bowl team five consecutive years from 1997-2001.

“We had such great fun and I have wonderful memories of my time there,” Jimmy said. I want to experience it once again with my teammates and the great Jaguars fans. This is a great honor.”

Smith joined the Jaguars as a free agent in 1995, and over the next 11 seasons he produced marks for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns that still stand today. His 171 games played and 150 games started both rank second in team history, and his 11 seasons played is tied for second all-time.

Part of Jimmy’s success was the team around him. Fellow Pride members Mark Brunell, Tony Boselli and Fred Taylor helped anchor a very potent offense during Smith’s career.

Which also begs the question “What about Keenan?” No matter where McCardell ranks statistically in Jaguars receiving history, he was a force opposite Jimmy that put pressure on defenses and gave Smith room to roam. They were even promoted together as “Thunder and Lightning” during their playing days.

Maybe they’re spacing it out, but if Jimmy’s going in, Keenan should be there with him.

Or at least next.

Then Meester.

When the owner says it’s time to win, it’s time to win. And while he didn’t use those specific words today, Jaguars Owner Shad Khan clearly has high expectations for his team in 2016.

“Absolutely, I can’t wait,” Khan said when I asked him if he was excited about the start of training camp next week.

With the free agent acquisitions in the off-season, the draft falling their way and coming off last season’s breakout offensive year, the plan seems to have come into place. Patience has run thin during the building process, occasionally for Khan and certainly for the fans, but the roster looks legitimate on both sides of the ball.

“It’s scary good,” the Jaguars Owner said with a chuckle when he talked about the names on this year’s team. “Certainly the four years I’ve been here, we’re not used to the national attention. It’s good to have expectations and it’s good to have pressure.”

It’s become the vogue thing among cable network shows to take notice of the Jaguars and even pick them to win the AFC South. As if they know something everybody else doesn’t. But the team doesn’t care where they’re predicted to finish. The only prediction they care about is what their owner’s idea of success will be. “Better than 5-11, I can tell you that,” Khan said earlier this year when I asked him about raising the bar for 2016. So when he talks about “expectations” and “pressure” it’s pretty clear his mandate for 2016 is pretty simple: win.

While he’s happy with where his football team appears to be on paper at this point, Khan is also pleased that the stadium improvements are giving the Jaguars home a distinctive look and giving him a reputation as an innovator.

“This is a 20-year old facility, so how do we make it the best in the business?” Shad said as he addressed the new clubs on the east and west sides of the field. “You create something people want to be a part of. It puts the stadium and the city in the best light. We have a lot of other things going on here besides the NFL so it says a lot about the experience and a lot about the city.”

The clubs will have floor-to-ceiling windows facing the field as well as all of the latest digital technology to attempt to engage the fans from inside and entice them to come to games. While the east and west clubs were identical in the original design, the two sides of the stadium will give a very different experience in what the team is calling the “re-imagination.”

“Why not?” Shad said, standing in the East club when I asked him about the two clubs being different. “If we want to have different experiences it should be different. One is more casual, one is more formal. This is a public stadium. We want to have more use. If you’re looking for a more urban feel, more Manhattan, that would be the other one (the West club). Here it’s more of a casual, more of a beachy feel.”

Clearly the Jaguars research showed that fans don’t want to be tied down to their seats during games. Between the clubs and the end zone spaces, there’s plenty of room to roam. And Shad is trying to be on the front end of that fan experience.

“I think listening to the fans here and also listening to the fans around the world. What would be something they would aspire to because what we have here is something cutting edge.”

And as soon as the clubs are finished, construction will start on the amphitheater and the “flex field” Khan wants as a centerpiece of that part of town. While the Shipyards project goes through the EPA process that might take a while, the Jaguars owner is trying to put some “mojo” in the design, something he said was lacking in Jacksonville a couple of years ago.

“I think the South End Zone is going to be fabulous. Its Jacksonville, Florida at it’s best. Open air but yet can be closed for weather. Great design, almost something iconic that could be signature landmark for Jacksonville.”

When he first arrived on the University of Florida campus in 1976, Jeremy Foley thought he had made a mistake.

“I drove down here from New Hampshire with my dad and got out of the car,” he said in Gainesville on Tuesday formally announcing his retirement as Athletic Director effective October 1st. “It was 4000 degrees and I was wearing corduroys. Florida was the only place in the country to offer me an internship to finish up my Masters. On the day I started, nobody, I mean nobody knew I was coming. I thought I was in the wrong place.”

Clearly things changed in the last four decades but it was 16 years before he applied for the Athletic Director job.

“I applied for one job in my life before I applied for this job. When I walked on campus at the University of Minnesota, no disrespect to them, but it didn’t feel right. I wanted to be here. I like watching sports and I wanted to be a Gator.”

From his internship in the ticket department to his ascendency as ticket manager and eventually Athletic Director, Foley has spent 40 years on campus at the University of Florida. When he was a candidate for the AD’s job, I was a big supporter of his candidacy. I said so on the air consistently and even called the president of the university at the time to say that Foley was the right guy for the job. Obviously he didn’t need my help and far exceeded any expectations I might have for him. In fact, Jeremy was so good for so long, it felt like that’s how everybody did that job as AD. But that’s not so. Foley redefined the position with a blend of leadership, compassion and just being a fan. He figured out early what makes any college program tick. “College athletics is a coach’s game,” he explained. ” Student-Athletes come and go but if you have the right coaches in place, you’re going to find some success.”

Foley noted that he hired Billy Donovan and Urban Meyer and added that he became friends with both. That’s a bit unusual but winning, and according to Foley, winning the right way, made it easy to establish friendships, even with people who worked for you.

“I have a ring at my house from 1984 for a football championship but it doesn’t mean anything. It was vacated (for SEC and NCAA violations). There’s always another championship, always another game. Let’s do it right. The Gator brand is special and it is strong. We pay attention at the highest level at all sports. If you’re going to do things right and be a national brand you have to win in more than one or two sports.”

There are no controversies on the horizon for University of Florida athletics. No coaches to be hired, no programs to fix. Foley will raise money and continue to work on a facility plan for football, baseball and basketball. He doesn’t plan on going anywhere soon. “I’m still the boss,” he said with a smile.

“I’ve been blessed to do this. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s the right time, it’s my call. I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s a perfect time for a transition because it’s going so well. I’ve done things that I could have only imagined doing. It’s the juice and energy of what we do. If they’re keeping score, we’re going to try and win.” ”

While he said he didn’t regret anything he’d done as the AD, Foley did say when a decision didn’t work out; he regretted the turmoil it created around the program.

“I hate the fact that all that turmoil existed when a decision to hire a coach didn’t work out. But that’s the decisions that have to be made when you sit in the chair.”

At 63 years old, Foley is still full of the energy and enthusiasm he’s had the entire time he’s been at Florida. It’s not unusual to see him doing stadium steps or working out somewhere near his office. But he said now’s the right time to leave. Things are good.

“I never imagined this day would come. You have to self-evaluate and do the right thing for your self and for the institution. When the team charter takes off for the first time and I’m not on it, that’ll be tough. I’ll be a long way away from Gainesville, Florida, that’s for sure.”

Picking a new AD will start with a committee and eventually be the choice of the university president. Foley will be involved only when asked for his input and using his experience in the business. But he’ll let his successor know how special he thinks the job of leading the Florida athletic program is.

“I’ll tell them about the coaches, the commitment and the culture we have here. I’ll tell them about the people here because we have some special people here,” he said with a tinge of emotion in his voice.

And he’ll give them a little bit of advice.

“You need to be a fan. You have to be a CEO, you have to raise money but you really have to be a fan.”

And as far as his legacy, Foley said he’ll let others decide what that is, but he’s proud of the accomplishments at the University during his tenure.

“When I came here in 1976 we hoped we’d someday win one SEC Championship. Now It’s one of the best programs in the country. Is it the best? That’s debatable. But you can’t keep us out of the conversation and that’s what I’m most proud of.”