The inevitable finally happened Wednesday night with the Jaguars taking the drastic but necessary step of firing Urban Meyer after 13 games and nearly as many scandals, spelling a merciful end to one of the most disastrous NFL coaching tenures in recent memory. Meyer arrived in Jacksonville as a revered college coach but none of his success at Florida and Ohio State translated to the pros, where the insufferable 57-year-old appeared thoroughly outclassed at each turn, immediately losing the locker room while alienating his coaching staff in record time.
The coaching equivalent of the “We’re all trying to find the guy who did this” meme from I Think You Should Leave, Meyer blamed everyone but himself for the Jaguars’ shortcomings, lashing out in all directions while continually throwing players and coaches under the bus. The tipping point came with Wednesday’s reveal that Meyer kicked Josh Lambo during training camp, an act so revoltingly unprofessional that owner Shad Khan—Meyer’s most fervent supporter throughout his time in Jacksonville—could no longer in good faith employ such a monster.
Beyond freeing them from his unique brand of tyranny, Meyer’s departure may very well be a case of addition by subtraction, allowing the Jaguars to finally, for the first time all season, concentrate on football instead of defending their coach’s deplorable behavior. It’s already had an impact on betting markets with Action Network reporting a 1.5-point line movement in Jacksonville’s favor since Meyer’s ouster.
Opponents have outscored the Jaguars by an embarrassing 131-48 margin throughout their five-game losing streak, though a plush home matchup with Houston (2-11) could be just what the doctor ordered. James Robinson, a 1,000-yard rusher for the Jags a season ago, was benched for Carlos Hyde (a Meyer favorite going back to his days at Ohio State) during last week’s loss to Tennessee, inviting criticism from rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence, among others. Presumably that won’t happen under interim coach Darrell Bevell, a former offensive coordinator for the Seahawks, Vikings and Lions.
The Jaguars, in their current haphazard state, are still no one’s idea of a good team. But after having Meyer take a hatchet to team morale, maybe the move to Bevell will do them some good. Vegas linemakers would seem to agree.
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