JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get down to business…

Hello KOAGF – Is it me or am I watching the same game over and over again?

That’s a fair question after the Jaguars’ 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon at Allegiant Stadium. That’s because the Jaguars’ seventh loss in eight games literally mimicked many of their previous 11 losses this season and marked their ninth loss this season by a touchdown or less. The Jaguars had another chance to win and again failed to make a big play at a crucial time in the final period. They once again failed to force a takeaway, marking the fifth straight such game for this struggling defense. They weren’t good enough in secondary school either. And wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was once again the only Jaguars player to stand out offensively. A few differences also hurt Sunday, as tight end Brenton Strange and running back Tank Bigsby both lost key fumbles and the Jaguars incurred a number of pre-snap penalties. But did it seem familiar overall? Absolutely and unfortunately.

Peter from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Losing a lot of close games is not proof that you are close to being a good team. This means you are a bad team, especially if you ignore the complete failures. I hope Jaguars owner Shad Khan doesn’t fall for the “well, we were pretty close” suggestion. Head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke must go. As quickly as possible.

Losing close games absolutely does not mean you are a good team. The NFL is about close games. Good teams win them. Bad teams don’t do that.

If you’re a fan of professional football, this entire game was just hard to watch.

That was absolutely true. Sunday’s game felt like what it was – a late-season game with no playoff implications between two of the NFL’s worst teams, but who are also among the NFL’s most injured teams. That was a recipe for ugliness. We got it.

Bradley from Sparks, NV – on vacation in Oceanside, CA

I think it’s hip or trendy to say it’s not one person’s fault, but I see a lot of similarities with this Jaguars team and last year’s Los Angeles Chargers team. The Chargers fired the head coach and general manager and replaced them with head coach Jim Harbaugh and Ravens front office No. 2 Joe Hortiz. Hortiz has fended off a lot of bad hires and baggage, while Harbaugh has hired smart professional coordinators, even if they aren’t quite in lockstep with him. He seems confident enough that he doesn’t have to bend his knee all the time. The Chargers have gone from a weak joke team with a lot of excitement to a team willing to constantly compete for quarterback Justin Herbert’s top spot. I know that’s two people, but the point is that it’s actually one or two people at the top who are driving massive culture change.

It’s neither hip nor trendy to say that no one person is to blame when an NFL team struggles. It is actually popular and trendy to try to blame one person. Anyway, I had to smile a little when I received an email clarifying that sometimes one person is to blame, citing a team that has overhauled its front office and coaching staff.

I can’t wait for this season to be over. All I want for Christmas is for Trent Baalke to be fired. I don’t care if we keep Doug Pederson (getting rid of offensive coordinator Press Taylor), but keeping Baalke is malpractice in football. I’m tired of fighting my team over and over again to get a better draft position. I have been delusionally supportive of this team since its inception, but I care less and less about it. This is the worst time in my Jaguars fan base. I despise Baalke. John, I’d like to ask you to unnerve me, but I’m afraid we’re way past that. Happy holidays, brother.

Bill from Springfield, VA

What concerns me most is the aspect of physicality, or lack thereof. If we have an identity, what is it? We have to recruit nasty trenchers!

The Jaguars don’t really have an identity. That’s not unusual. Most bad teams have no identity. This is because bad teams don’t do a good enough job of sticking to an approach and developing an identity. But yeah…the Jaguars definitely need to get more physical on both sides of the line, especially inside.

Fan since its inception. This is the worst product ever placed on the field. Baalke is very bad at his job. These players are terrible. Nuff said.

You don’t have much of anything.

DuvalJag95? From everywhere

This has to be the worst team dumpster fire in Jaguars history. They are fundamentally a joke. How do you fix this garbage without it taking another few decades to get done?

Get back to work. Draw better. Develop better. Stay away from so much free agency. There’s more. Start there.

What a comedy show!!! Shad Khan is a very smart man. He can’t believe football’s “brain trust” overseeing this debacle should remain in place until 2025, can he? CAN HE?!?!?

Chris and Katherine from Mandarin

O-Zone: My daughter and I are huge Jags fans. We talked about the gifts that quarterbacks and others in the NFL give their teammates. Did Trevor get anything for the O-line? If so, what did he get, coal?

The Jaguars’ offensive line has protected quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones well for the most part this season. Lawrence suffered two serious injuries outside of the box this season. Why on earth would he get the offensive line money?

It is always mentioned that you play with pride and professionalism. How about playing for the fans? You know, the ones who paid good money to see you play? So stupid…

Tony from Johns Creek, GA

Oh, it’s painfully obvious that only the New York Giants are worse than the Jaguars. At this stage I do not think it is inappropriate to discuss the draft. We fans need to have something to look forward to.

We’re talking about the NFL Draft here in the O-Zone after the regular season ends. There are more than three months between this point and the draft of 25. That’s enough.

So what do you want for Christmas, John?

The company of good friends and family. Or bourbon.

Bruce from St. Simons Island, GA

Oh, a pause in the fire conversation. What do you think about the injury to Lawrence’s shoulder? Does this injury cause concern about his future?

I don’t have much of an opinion on Lawrence’s shoulder, partly because I’m not a doctor and partly because the injury is a sprained AC joint on his left non-throwing shoulder. He underwent surgery last Tuesday and is expected to be 100 percent healthy by the spring. I believe Lawrence needs to protect himself better by paying better attention both in the pocket and out of the pocket since he has been injured seven times in the last two and a half seasons. This kind of early-career wear and tear can take a toll.

Can we build around Travon Walker? How? Are we using it wrong? Are we using Josh Hines-Allen incorrectly? If it’s not always the coaching, then in these two cases it must be the players, right? If it’s not the players in this case, then in this case it has to be the coaching. Which is it? Hutchinson is better than Walker and doesn’t come close.

We see Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker differently. That’s okay.

This is not a coaching problem. This is 100 percent a player problem. From the missed interception in the first half to the holding penalty in the fourth. I’m convinced complacency is somehow the norm in Jacksonville. It’s sad that the fans have to half-watch as only two or three players carry the team. The locker room lost Doug, not the other way around.

The Jaguars have plenty of players who could start in the NFL. They don’t have enough great players making winning plays in crucial moments. They also aren’t good enough on defense and tend to be just terrible in the secondary. What wasn’t a great selection of talented players at the start of the season is now largely down to replacements. That doesn’t make for nice Sundays.

Rob from St. Augustine, Florida

There aren’t many things I hate more than the insanity line. It’s unbearably annoying, wrong and overused. I hope that every time you use it, you’ll just leave the question out altogether.