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Caldwell hoped the team would take a step by being more competitive every week. That happened during a three-game stretch against Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Cleveland last month. But then the Jags reverted to their more typical form with lopsided losses to Miami, Cincinnati and Dallas.
With eight first- or second-year players also starting on offense,Cheap Mens Jordan Sneakers, Bortles has plenty of teammates going through similar growing pains.
Jacksonville also made history by becoming the first NFL team to start 1-9 in three consecutive years.
Of course, that takes time.
Bradley and general manager Dave Caldwell were hired to handle the ground-up restoration, a complete roster overhaul that includes building through the draft.
"You want to speed it up and you challenge them," Bradley said. "It's something that we've talked about with our team and we've challenged our team to take it on. It just comes with consistent play."
"We intend to be responsible for this, but we're looking for more," Bradley said. "I don't want to have a locker room full of guys that are volunteer victims, 'This is happening to us and here's why.' We do not have that right now, but I am not naive enough to know a locker room can't turn into that. We've got to keep that strong. Because when you have that, you've got a chance to continually get better."
What he really was hoping to hear was someone change "I am" to "We are."
"We want to go out there and win. We want to go out there and play well. We've got to figure out some type of way to go out there and pull it out."
"Not the good side of history,Cheap Air Max Shoes For Sale," receiver Cecil Shorts III said.
Maybe players changing "I am" to "We are" will be the next step.
"We have a lot of guys just taking care of their own business: 'This is what I'm supposed to do, and you asked me what my responsibility is and that's what I'm going to do,'" Bradley said. "Let's spread that out and really have it permeate the whole team to where that's who we are."
Despite mounting losses, the Jaguars believe they're on the right track.
The Jags have seven losses by at least double digits and lead the league in point differential, giving up 124 points more than they've scored through 10 games.
Defense has been Jacksonville's bigger disappointment.
The franchise is 7-35 since owner Shad Khan took control in 2012. Khan fired general manager Gene Smith and coach Mike Mularkey after one season,Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys, blaming them for a 2-14 campaign that came after Smith convinced Khan the team was close to competing for an AFC postseason berth.
"I do feel like we're a better team than the previous years,Wholesale China Jerseys," Shorts said. "We've just got to figure out a way to put that product on the field consistently. We can't have flashes here or there. Hopefully we find it soon."
"Confident, prepared and mentally tough" were among the answers Bradley received.
It might be a lot to ask from a team that's the youngest and least experienced in the NFL. The Jaguars (1-9) have started nine rookies and 10 second-year players this season. And the results show.
The unit has played well at times — it allowed just two touchdowns during a three-game stretch — but also has been gouged on the ground and hurt through the air repeatedly,Brian Campbell Jersey.
Although rookie quarterback Blake Bortles leads the league with 14 interceptions,College Jerseys, Bradley and Caldwell see development with every start and expect the third overall draft pick to continue to improve over the final six games and after a full offseason of work as the starter.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley asked each of his players last week to fill in this sentence: "I am (blank) for this opportunity."
The Jaguars expect things to turn at some point, but how long it takes to get there is anyone's guess. Khan has stressed patience, but he also told reporters in London that he feels the team is getting close.
"We get punched and we don't punch back hard enough," Shorts said. "We've just got to find a way. We're tired of it. I feel like everything's the same. We're all saying the same thing. You can only saying so much after losing. I feel like I'm being repetitive.
The frustrating part for fans is that there has been little, if any, noticeable progress. |
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