Gus’ Midnight Mailbag: Jaguars vs Jets Week 15 recap

Welcome to the Week 15 edition of the Midnight Mailbag! I’ll be asking for your lingering questions after each Jaguars game on 1010XL’s Facebook and X/Twitter pages, with the submission deadline set for 11:59 p.m. the same day.

Here were your questions following Jacksonville’s 32-25 loss to the New York Jets.

From @JustAFan2024 — When will the GM, HC, and OC be fired?

I’m about 90% sure head coach Doug Pederson, offensive coordinator Press Taylor, and the rest of Jacksonville’s coaching staff will be relieved on January 6th (the Monday after the final regular season game). I’m about 40% sure general manager Trent Baalke will also lose his job that day. Whether Baalke stays or goes, I wouldn’t expect any official news on this front until after the New Year.

From @KnaffyJS — Should we give an ounce of credit to our GM for his drafts? We have a true #1 WR, our second year TE looks to be a keeper We have a K who will be a perennial pro bowler for a decade and it looks like he paid and kept the LT. Now he needs to find a coach..

You had me until “We have a K who will be a perennial pro bowler for a decade.” Rookie Cam Little does seem like he belongs in the league, but he ranks 13th in field goal makes this year. And while Baalke deserves come credit for drafting Thomas Jr., he also chose to trade down from pick 17 to pick 23 knowing Thomas Jr. could be taken in that range. As for Brenton Strange, I wasn’t all that impressed by his 73 yards on 12 targets yesterday (6.1 yards per target). I did like the Walker Little move, but c’mon. For every decent decision, Baalke has some horrendous errors, like selecting Travon Walker (good player) over Aidan Hutchinson (elite player). He traded up in the first round for a linebacker and in the fourth round for a running back the following year. This year’s second-round pick, Maason Smith, looks as bad as Thomas Jr. looks good. I could go on but the point is: Baalke is not good at his job. He needs to go.

From @NashJagsNats22 — What are your thoughts on the win vs. tank crowd now at the end of the season? Seems like there is somewhat of a divide between Jags fans that want to see their team win and the group that is fine with us taking Ls if it means getting a higher-ranked player in the draft.

I think it’s silly for fans to root for losses just because of draft position — that is, unless it’s a situation like 2021, when the Jaguars needed the first overall pick to nab Trevor Lawrence. I personally don’t think Travis Hunter or anyone else in the 2025 draft class is worth tanking for. You can find good players all throughout the draft (remember, Thomas Jr. was the 23rd pick this year) and it’s more important for the players on this year’s team to try to build momentum heading into the offseason. Now, if Jaguars fans are rooting for losses because they want Baalke gone, that is understandable. But rooting for a loss because the team would be projected to pick third overall instead of seventh overall seems pointless.