The Jaguars have reached their bye at 4-2, and Liam Coen is using the extra week to circle two areas that can tighten up the operation moving forward: situational football and the self-inflicted mistakes that have crept in over the last three weeks.
Speaking to local media on Monday, Coen said the first priority is getting sharper in the moments that decide games. That means two-minute situations, end-of-half work, third downs and the red zone.
"You can not rep enough situational football," Coen said. "You don't have enough time in the day to do it, but emphasizing it as we're in our second year together, that's what I mean about the beauty of simplicity in all three phases allows you to work on more situational football."
The other focus is cleaner execution. Jacksonville opened the season strong in the penalty department, but over the last three weeks has become one of the more heavily penalized teams in football.
"Playing clean in terms of the self-inflicted things," Coen added. "Whether it's fundamentals and techniques of blocking and playing coverage and man coverage.
Like hey, we're at the point of attack and we can't tug, it could be called, it could not be called. And so fundamentally sharp.
Being fundamentally sharp throughout the course of the week to be able to provide that on Sundays."
The message is pretty clear: in a league where the margins are razor thin, the Jaguars’ ability to clean up those details could make the difference in close games down the stretch.
In Other News...
Brian Thomas Jr. Trade Buzz Just Got More Real For Jaguars Fans
Brian Thomas Jr. has become one of the more intriguing names to watch around Jacksonville as the season unfolds, not because anything is imminent, but because his future with the Jaguars suddenly feels less settled than it did not long ago. The receiver market has a way of turning quickly, and the latest chatter has connected the Rams and Commanders to the kind of wideout help they may need after injuries thinned out their depth charts.
For Jaguars fans, the interest is obvious because Thomas brings real value and still sits at the center of a conversation that is more about fit and timing than any official move. The Rams and Commanders both make some sense on paper given their receiver situations, but for now it remains exactly that, a theory built on roster need and uncertainty rather than a confirmed deal. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Have A Cornerback Problem The Trade Deadline Could Finally Fix
The Jaguars secondary is one of the clearest places to watch as the NFL trade deadline approaches, and the cornerback market has a few names that make sense on paper. Jacksonville has been linked in the discussion to a mix of younger, affordable options and more experienced veterans, with Tariq Woolen, Zyon McCollum, Brandon Stephens and Kristian Fulton among the players that could potentially be available depending on how their current teams view them.
What makes this interesting for Jacksonville is the fit as much as the price. The Jaguars do not need a splashy move just for the sake of it, but they do need help at a spot where the options have to line up with both present needs and future cap reality. Whether the front office can find a corner who actually becomes available is the bigger question, and it is the kind of deadline puzzle that could shape the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Liam Coen Made One Jaguars Decision Fans Will Debate All Week
Late in the fourth quarter of a tight Week 6 matchup, Liam Coen chose the conservative path and sent out the field-goal unit instead of rolling the dice on fourth down. The kick was from 60 yards, a long try by any standard, and it went through, giving the Jaguars a chance to let the defense finish the job.
Coen later pointed to his confidence in the kicker and the situation on the clock as the reasons for taking the points. Still, the choice will linger in Jacksonville after the Texans answered with a game-winning field goal of their own, turning a successful gamble on the scoreboard into one of those coaching decisions fans will revisit all week. [Read more 🡒]