The year of 1986 saw its fair share of impressive accomplishments in the sports world. Golf legend Jack Nicklaus won the Masters at the age of 46. A hard-throwing right-hander named Roger Clemens struck out 20 batters in a game. Wayne Gretzky established the National Hockey League record with 215 points in a season with 52 goals and 163 assists. Michael Jordan became a worldwide name after his performance against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. And in late November, Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion at 20 years old.
However there were also a few lowlights. Two-star athlete Bo Jackson (initially) chose baseball over football. The late Bill Buckner had a routine groundball go through his legs and under his glove to secure a World Series victory for the New York Mets. And around this time in 1986, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set a record by losing five straight football games by at least 17 points.
An appalling honor indeed. One that could withstand the test of time.
That is until December 8, 2019.
Jacksonville Jaguars Reach New Low in Week 14 Loss to Los Angeles Chargers
This past Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9) solidified their place in history with a 45-10 Week 14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. A score that was actually closer than what the eye could see. Throughout the game, the team was careless, clueless, and overmatched.
The lone highlight from the game for the Jaguars was that running back Leonard Fournette eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau for the season. However, in a recent article on si.com, Fournette expressed his feelings on his achievement by saying, “It means nothing, we’re not winning”. Fairly certain the majority of the Jaguars’ fan base feels the same.
The loss was the team’s fifth loss in a row by at least 17 points (over 23 points in the span) which ties the 33-year-old record. A feat that is almost impossible in today’s NFL. But the 2019 Jaguars have done it. And they might add to the streak in the weeks to come.
Anything Positive?
But now what? There are still three games remaining until the end of the season. Based on the last five games there does not appear to be anything the team can do to have positive vibes entering the offseason.
The regression of the offense during this span is confusing. The play calling lacks creativity and lacks a desire to go downfield. There is no sense of urgency among the unit as they appear to be just going through the motions. No confidence at all on that side of the ball.
Finger-pointing
If you are looking for a scapegoat to the lack of efficiency, look no further that the porous offensive line. The unit gets pushed around play after play which disrupts the timing of the entire offense. Quarterback Gardner Minshew spends more time running for his life from defenders than making the magical plays that created Minshew Magic. Receivers are not able make plays down the field and the running game is bottled up at the line of scrimmage.
Meanwhile, the defensive side of the ball has been the biggest disappointment this season. The entire unit is constantly out of position and a step or two behind the opposing offense. This unit that was once built to be the identity of the team, is now the laughing stock of the team. The unit’s inability to make routine plays defensively has not gone unnoticed by the fans. On Sunday, the sound of “DUUUUUUVAL” was faint. The battle cry of the Jaguars had been replaced with boos raining down from the stands.
Fans Grow Impatient
Jacksonville Jaguars fans deserve more than the largest scoreboards in the world. They are tired of losing. Tired of being the joke of the league. Also tired of $5.00 bottles of water in the stadium to watch a losing product on the field. The fans desperately want a team that wins. And it starts with players that want to be here.
