The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown, and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams, pause or rewind your local sports and news, and add shows to your queue to catch up later.
There's a lot to listen to, so get started and download the free Odyssey app today. What makes your skin crawl? No matter how absurd, I want to know.
Tails without fur on them, such as rats or opossums. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new podcast called Your Weirdest Fears. You send me your fear. I'm just so weirded out about the texture and how they can just move around and flop. And then I go to the experts to learn how to overcome them.
Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. I think it's about time, right? I mean, this is a Jags team that is young. It's a new coaching staff.
It's a second-year quarterback. It's a defense that had a lot of new parts in free agency and in the draft, and they had some hiccups earlier in the season. I mean, it started two and one, but then they lost five in a row and they had fourth quarter leads in a lot of those games and just couldn't figure out how to finish a football game. It felt like, and then, you know, kind of came to a head in London in week eight. Jaguars had it.
Trevor Lawrence threw a couple interceptions in that game, including one on a first and goal with the one, and it just kind of unraveled there. Since then, Trevor's been playing better football and the defense is opportunistic. They're giving up some yards, but in key moments, they've been okay. They're starting to take the ball away again. So they're getting winning results against pretty good football teams now too, when it matters and all of a sudden they control their own destiny for the playoffs, which is remarkable to think about. If you would have said that week nine, that it was three weeks to go, the Jaguars would have controlled their own destiny. You'd be crazy, but they are.
That's the way it is. Three to go, down one in the division. They've already beaten Tennessee once.
You'll see them again head-to-head in week 18. So the fan base is over the moon right now. It is the Jaguars town for sure.
I definitely am hearing from a lot of Jaguars fans to my show. What did they show you in this game against the Cowboys on Sunday in which they were able to come back, not just once, but twice to win that in overtime. Right. It was a 17 point deficit late in the third quarter, which they had done earlier this season, by the way, they had rallied down three scores to win a game. So they knew they had it in them. So it was really, there's some time left.
Let's just go to work. And Trevor Lawrence hits a double move to Zay Jones and that kind of flipped the whole momentum of the game and cut it down. And they kept on driving and scoring the defense had given up some, some points early in the game and some yards in the ground. They kind of settled in in the second half and got the ball back a few times, got a couple three and outs from the Cowboys offense kind of contributed to it. Trevor kept throwing touchdown passes, took the lead. They gave it up, but then, you know, and then at the end, it got really crazy when the Jaguars are down three, trying to drive the field, they're moving into a Cowboys territory and Trevor fumbles the football. That was an issue earlier in the season for him. He was just trying to make a play, got knocked out of his hands.
Okay. Gosh, under two minutes to go. But the Jags had all three timeouts. So they get a stop tackle for loss. They get another tackle. And then, so they use two timeouts. The Cowboys decided to run four verts and throw it out of bounds and save a timeout for the Jags, which is great. So the Jaguars get the ball back just over a minute to go with a timeout. Evan Ingram somehow gets out of bounds. They review it.
He's out of bounds. They get to save the timeout. They get a pass to Zay Jones to set up the game tying field goal. I mean, all this kind of worked in tandem together, built up and you know, these were games earlier in the season and that five game losing skiddos talking about that the Jags would find a way to lose it somehow. Now they're starting to turn it around. They found ways to go out and win games like this that a lot of people might not expect them to if they haven't seen them this year. It's a maturing football team. That's what happens.
This group's together. They're all about it and they're not going to let any deficit really keep them down. And that's what happened on Sunday.
I gotta tell you the truth, JP. When Lawrence fumbled that ball, as you point out, it was knocked away about 98 seconds to go. I thought it was done. I thought there was no way that they would get the ball back. How can the Cowboys not run out the clock and yet the defense held, as you point out, the play calling a little bit suspect. I kind of wonder what they were doing going deep on that third down. The look on the face of Trevor Lawrence kind of told you the story, how dejected he was that a turnover might have ruined their hopes at coming back and yet that's not what happened.
It was remarkable. The look on his face was, yeah, this is over, but talking to the defensive guys earlier on Monday, they said, we got you, man. We're going to do what we can to get this ball back. There's some belief in that quarterback that, hey, if we just get it in his hands now, we're going to find a way to get a field goal. That might not have been the case earlier in the season. Right?
Okay. He's not, he's playing okay, but he's going to turn it over or whatever. Not anymore. He's a, he's, you know, since that London game, he was really settled in. He's, he's playing great football and there's a belief building on that sideline in number 16 with a long blonde hair. And that's a good thing. And he's going to be, he's one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL in the second half of this season.
And I don't think that's going to stop anytime soon. And the guys that are around him, the other 52 on the roster believe fully in what he can bring to this team. J.P. Shadrach is a senior reporter with the Jaguars and there's no time off around the holidays with the Jags poised to grab a playoff spot.
It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. What difference has Doug Peterson made J.P.? Oh, all the difference.
It's not even close. It's, I mean, the guy's been in the league since 91. He was a player, obviously. He's, he was a back and quarterback to two great ones, obviously. He was an assistant coach under Henry. I mean, the guy's one of Superbowl's head coach. He understands how to communicate with every level of the organization from the janitor to the ticket takers, to the president of the team, to the starting quarterback, to the backup quarterback practice squad. He gets totally understands the tone, the messaging, what needs to be said, why, what the goals are. Everything is clear. It's a professional football environment and you're here to get things done and win football games.
That's really what it is. So there's, there's not a lot of messing around it's business and, and he's unbelievably approachable in our role, which is fantastic. And you know, it's perfect for the quarterback.
That's really the number one priority. And he said that coming in, you know, it's really, that's one of the big things that drew him to this job was Trevor Lawrence and their relationship has just continued to blossom as the year has gone along. You know, obviously off the field, that's fine, but in, in the classroom with press Taylor, the offensive coordinator and Doug Peterson trying to like cook this thing up and Trevor's got his hands on it too. And don't forget about Mike McCoy, the quarterback coach, that whole group working together.
They're all on the same page and that trickles down, I think, to the whole team too. So it, I don't know if you could have found a better hire. I mean, the Doug Peterson, a guy who's done it. He has the blueprint for it, a track record of success.
And he's got the parts and pieces to kind of make this thing go and give it another year. So when they start churning out the roster and get some, some of their own draft picks in and that that can really stabilize this thing further. There's no way to, to really undersell how big of a hire that was for this team. I mean, Doug has settled the whole thing down. How did they keep going or keep working or not lose confidence during that five game losing skid where people were sputtering out the same old lines about this is the Jaguars. It doesn't matter who's coaching, blah, blah, blah. Questioning Trevor Lawrence.
How did they stay steady during that stretch? Well, I think it's Doug. I think it's Doug Peterson. I mean, he's, it's his messaging. It's his consistent day-to-day approach that never wavered. You know, there's, there's never, he's the same guy.
At least that I can tell day in, day out, win loss. Okay. Lose a fourth quarter lead again.
Okay. Let's come back Monday and figure out why. And here's what we have in front of us. Our goals are still out there. We're playing football. We play again on Sunday at one o'clock and we're playing the next nameless, faceless opponent, if you will. And it's all, it's all about the Jaguars, right? It's all about us improving and trying to finish as a football team. And we're all in this thing together that that's really, I think what kept this group going. And, you know, in, in years past, when you'd have a stretch of losses like that, it would turn into eight in a row or okay.
They might sneak one and then lose four more. No, there's a, there's a little bit more poise and confidence now. And I think that comes with that steady everyday approach that Doug has and that's comforting. And that I think is a big reason why they're where they are right now. Then JP, when you look around at the top teams in the AFC, so we're talking about the Bills who are 11 and three, same record as the Chiefs, what separates the Jaguars from teams like that or the Bengals or even the Ravens who have had some extended success? Let's start with a little bit of where they are. Right. Okay. Consider the last couple of years around here and the Jags still are six and eight, by the way, it's not like not headed for Cincinnati right now, or Buffalo 11 and three.
Let's just, I don't know. I want to, I don't want to get too far out in front of our skis here, but you know, the offense I think is pretty darn close to what they like. They've got a little bit of a running game with ETN. He's had a fumbling issue, but they can, they can work on that. And, and maybe if they have a secondary back to him, that could, that could help out.
And then he's kind of stepped up there. The receivers have been fantastic for them. A lot of people gave them flack for the amount of money they spent on Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and free agency. And to that point, Evan Ingram, the tight end and a one year deal.
But all three of those players are, if not already past career best seasons, they're on their way within a game or two of having career numbers, all three of those guys in one season. So they've done a good job there. I think they could get another true deep threat on offense and be able to maybe hang with those teams. I think the quarterback's pretty close to being able to make a lot of the throws that some of those guys you listed can do some of those teams have defenses to Baltimore.
So, okay. And Buffalo, right? I mean, those, those teams are complete both sides of the ball teams. And I think this defense does need, they put some, a lot into it, a lot of equity, a lot of cash and free agency, a lot of draft equity. And there's been some holes there at times just here, especially in the secondary. This is a Jags organization that's had troubles over the years. And I think we've talked about this on your show, Amy, that they've had trouble resigning first round picks. And it's not just a recent phenomenon.
It's about a 15 year phenomenon. They've only had, I think one first round pick that they've signed to a second deal here. And we're seeing some of the effects of that now on defense, right? I mean, they had Jalen Ramsey here. He didn't make it to a second contract, right?
The right pick is great player. We didn't make it. He moved on, he got traded and then they tried to backfill that with CJ Henderson.
Well, that didn't work out. He's off, he's gone Carolina, right? So now they've had to double up and go to free agency and get Shaq Griffin. He wasn't playing that well this year.
Then he got hurt and he's on the bench, right? So they're trying to backfill the, the quarterback position from two first round picks ago still. So that's where they are.
That's where, that's the difference. I think in some of these established teams in the AFC, they've had, you know, eight years, six years of consistent drafting and success and keeping those guys as a core group. And the Shags teams not quite there yet, but they feel like they're on the verge of starting that kind of a run. And it's great when you're winning.
It's a lot easier to do the building and to do the work when the wins are the result. We're talking to JP Shadrick from Jacksonville, senior reporter with the Jaguars. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Before I let you go, JP, what are your impressions of this division and how it shaped up with a month to go as the Titans have dropped four in a row and there are no teams above 500 in the south? Yeah, Tennessee is really struggling and just hearing some of the reporting coming out of there, it's, they can't really figure out they're banged up. The players or the reports I saw was some of the players weren't aware of the Jags would have been one game. Like, okay, well, here we are, you know, we're right there now.
You better figure it out quick. It's two different styles. I mean, Tennessee pounds and runs a football with Henry and they don't have a whole lot else to hang their hat on beyond that. The Jaguars can throw it around the yard.
As Brad sham told me, the Cowboys announced that we did a pregame interview and he said it going into the game and it turned out to actually work out during the game. The Jaguars are one of the teams in the league and not many can say this and if they're down three scores, they're not out of it because they can throw it around. That certainly was the case on Sunday against the Cowboys. So if you can score like Jaguars can score or feel like they can, you got a chance of pretty much any game.
It's just a matter of making some stops on defense and getting an extra possession or two and then get that done. So Indy, you know how they lost to them early in the year. Can't bring that one back how they lost to Houston. Can't bring that one back either. That's the one Houston win this year's against the Jaguars and that awful stretch, you know, the five loss stretch loser in the past.
Now forget about those moving forward. What is this Jags team now? They're the best team in the division right now. They've just got to go finish the season. You can you can wear that AFC South Championship hat going into the playoffs.
That's pretty amazing. We could be looking at a Christmas miracle for Jacksonville. A lot of excitement coming out of that fan base with the Duvalls I hear everywhere. So you can find JP on Twitter at JP Shadrach S H A D R I C K senior reporter for the Jags our go-to to talk Jags football and look we actually need to talk Jags football. JP, thank you so much for a couple of minutes. Happy holidays to you. They seem to you and I hope to be talking to you a lot very very soon.
That's for sure. There's a lot to listen to so get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app your trusted local radio stations coverage of your favorite teams live news from your hometown and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all you can completely customize your listening experience follow topics you care about like leagues and teams pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later.
There's a lot to listen to so get started and download the free Odyssey app today. So my biggest fear is there's going to be sneaks in the toilet. We're all afraid of that one strange thing. I'm Larry Mullins the host of a new short 10 minute podcast called your weirdest fears.
We unpack where these fears come from a rat climbed into my toilet and learn how to manage them listen and subscribe to your weirdest fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. If you take CBD listen up next Evo naturals is the only CBD brand clinically proven to have 30 times faster absorption in the first 30 minutes. That's important because you can only get the benefits of CBD if your body can absorb it get smarter CBD from next Evo naturals. Go to next Evo dot com and get a trial size of premium pure CBD gummies for free by adding them to any order of $40 or more and using code gummy 15 that's n e x t e v o dot com promo code gummy 15
Whisper: medium.en / 2022-12-22 09:58:00 / 2022-12-22 10:06:04 / 8