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The Jacksonville Jaguars fired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and quarterback Blake Bortles one day after the team's seventh consecutive loss.
Coach Doug Marrone fired Hackett and placed Bortles on bench on Monday, bringing radical changes to one of the league's worst offenses.
"I felt that I had to make a change to give us the opportunity to win games," said Marrone. "This is not an instinctive reaction, I really think that at the end of the day we have to try to get better production of our pass game or a more consistent production of our pass game. . "
Marrone promoted quarterback coach Scott Milanovich to the position of offensive coordinator, as well as alternate quarterback Cody Kessler.
Milanovich spent five seasons (2012-2016) as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before landing in Jacksonville last year. Kessler lost all eight starts for Cleveland in 2016.
Marrone expects Milanovich and Kessler to revive a dull attack when the Jaguars (3-8) host Indianapolis (6-5) on Sunday.
"Let's hope that he can stay healthy and win a few games for us," said Marrone. "My plan is that he's going to play there."
Staying healthy could be a challenge for Kessler, knowing that Jacksonville will not have three offensive linemen beginners, including left-guard Andrew Norwell (ankle) who was placed in the reserve injured on Monday. Norwell joins center Brandon Linder and left tackle Cam Robinson in the IR.
The Jags could also be stripped of their offensive centerpiece if the NFL suspends halfback Leonard Fournette for leaving the sideline and provoking a fight in a 24-21 loss to Buffalo.
Marrone refused to apologize for the offensive struggles.
Bortles has not pitched for 150 yards in four of his last six games. He had 104 yards in the air against Pittsburgh two weeks ago and 127 yards against the Bills. Marrone has put Bortles on the bench twice in two years, only to get the job done twice.
Now, however, it seems that Bortles could be done in Jacksonville.
Finance may be the only reason he stays. The fifth-year starter has signed a $ 54 million contract over three years in February and is expected to have $ 21 million on the salary cap in 2019. The cut would cost Jacksonville $ 16.5 million.
But it is clear that Marrone lost confidence in Bortles, who has regressed this season.
Marrone felt that Hackett should have done more, too. Marrone and Hackett have been together for nine years, including Syracuse (2010-12), Bills (2013-14) and Jacksonville (2015-18).
Hackett was the first scapegoat for the highly disappointing Jacksonville season. He failed to convince Bortles and his team to play at a level close to the level they had at the start of the season or in 2017. Injuries were the main problem, but not enough to save Hackett's job .
"Obviously, you feel really bad, especially as an offensive," said center Tyler Shatley. "I think we have a lot of them, he had great game plans and things, we just have to do better."
The Jaguars are ranked 22nd overall in the NFL, averaging 346.5 yards per game, but have seen a steady decline in the past two months. They rank 29th with an average of 17.9 per game.
The lack of production of Bortles was the main problem. He has 13 touchdowns and 10 steals this season, unable to carry the offensive on his shoulders when everything is going badly around him.
He was also paralyzed, including lack of playmakers and numerous injuries. Jacksonville does not have three tackles left, two tight ends, the first receiver of the 2017 team, the starting center of the team and has played six games without a cookie.
"It's bad that somebody had to let go," said defensive tackle Malik Jackson. "I thought it was doing a great job.But it's the nature of the business.We have to start winning or we all have to look in the mirror to find out who can let go.C & # 39; 39, is zero. "
Marrone could have made other changes. The defense hardly resembles that of 2017, which prompted some to question the future of coordinator Todd Wash, and the task forces have not been decisive year-round. .
But Marrone chose to remedy the offense.
"Every time you lose, it's not just for one person," said Marrone. "It's for everyone, and of course when I say I understand and take responsibility, it all starts with me as head coach … Obviously, none of us do a pretty good job at the moment.We have the opportunity to play five games and get back on the track and break this losing streak. "
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