Great expectations are greeting the Jacksonville Jaguars this season, if the words of owner Shad Khan are any indication.
"Make no mistake, this is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars, ever," Khan said this week. "Best players, best coaches. But most importantly, let's prove it by winning now."
Khan's audacious statement contradicts the read of Vegas, which suggests the team will be lucky to finish .500.
Bet MGM has the Jaguars' win total set at 8.5.
It also seems to diminish the teams from the 20th century, which had deep playoff runs ending in the AFC Title Game in 1996 and 1999 under Wayne Weaver's ownership. The 2017 "Sacksonville" squad also advanced to the title game, and was competitive through three quarters against Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the New England Patriots, with a controversial officiating call ("Myles Jack wasn't down!) seen as sealing the Jags' fate that year.
Khan's ownership has led to putrid on-field performance. Even after Doug Pederson guided the team to 9-8 records the last two seasons, the Jags are still at 60-135 since he bought the team from Weaver last decade.
That is, notes the New York Times, good for 31st place among owners. Only Josh Harris, who bought the terminally dysfunctional Washington squad last year, is worse off.
Though the Jaguars haven't won much on the field, there is reason for optimism.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is signed to a long-term deal, though it's anyone's guess if the team's collection of turnstiles on the offensive line will do to the Clemson product what the Colts did to Andrew Luck.
Most importantly, though, the team got its demands met on a stadium renovation plan, which saw just one no vote in the City Council for $775 million of taxpayer money for the build.
No comments:
Post a Comment