Things in Jacksonville slid downfield quickly since losing the 2017 AFC Championship game, with the Jags finishing last in the AFC South in back-to-back years including a 6-win 2019 campaign.
Losing in Jacksonville has become a habit. The Jags generated 10 losing seasons in the past 12 years.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping was blunt during a recent discussion with The Florida Times-Union.
"We have done a crappy job of winning," Lamping said. "Hopefully we will get better. But just to sit back and say winning is going to cure everything, not in this market."
Perhaps winning won't cure everything, but it'd go a long way to get eyeballs on the Jags, locally and nationally. Owner Shad Khan's statements this year have focused heavily on generating support from fans.
In bringing back coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell, the Jags decided to stay the course instead of undergoing a big reboot much of the fan base desired.
"I would be surprised if the fan wasn't frustrated. I'm frustrated but I go to the games for free," Lamping said. "We're in the business that your record is who you are. Shad made a decision not to terminate Dave Caldwell, not to terminate Doug Marrone.
"I think if you had a vote of our fans they would say both of those gentlemen should have been terminated. This is a business where people get fired all the time."
Instead, the Jags will give Marrone a fourth full season to see if he can dig himself out of the hole.
"Our on-the-field performances have been so bad, I just don't want it to shade the conversation to such a degree that that's the only thing people focus on," Lamping said. "We're really fortunate to have a really wealthy person who owns the Jaguars that feels like helping turnaround downtown Jacksonville is a noble goal."
The Jags' biggest sell at this point: Quarterback Gardner Minshew, who enjoyed a fantastic rookie campaign. Minshew Mania provides energy and entertainment lacking from the Jags. Fans, however, will only take that distraction for so long. Jacksonville knows it needs to win, and win soon.
