The Jacksonville Jaguars added another one to the loss column Sunday after falling to the Detroit Lions by a score of 34-16. To put it lightly, the game was one that was flat out hard to watch — something that’s unfortunately become a theme under owner Shad Khan in all but one year since he acquired the team.
Sunday’s loss also put Khan at an alarming 96 losses as the Jags’ owner, and if the team continues at the rate they are, he could eventually tie with the second-fastest owner to hit 100 losses. At just four losses away from such a terrible feat, he could hit the triple digits by his 141st game, which would tie him with former New Orleans Saints owner John Mecom.
If he registers four more consecutive losses, Khan would also be just one game shy of tying with former Tampa Bay Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse, who made it to 100 losses at the fastest pace in NFL history.
Because @BoldCityCap asked: Former Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse was fastest owner to 100 losses (140 games). Jaguars owner Shad Khan is at 95 losses in 136 games and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is at 95 losses in 133 games (records include playoffs). @GeneFrenette helped research.
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) October 18, 2020
Analyzing such figures simply means one thing for Khan, and that’s the fact that he’s coming up on the most pivotal time of his career as an NFL owner. Sure, mathematically there is plenty of time for coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell to turn it all around with 10 games remaining, but realistically it appears improvement won’t happen.
Simply put, the team’s defense can’t stop anyone, the offense is regressing by the week and the atmosphere at the team’s facility, in general, feels lifeless. While he did state he wants to see how the current group would finish, it’s hard to imagine that even Khan doesn’t know how things could play out after losing to the teams the Jags have this season.
Clearly, change needs to happen during or after the season, and if it is to happen after, Khan should be researching head coach and general manager candidates at this moment. If he’s going to keep Marrone and Caldwell until Black Monday, beginning his research on the low would be a great use of his time because his next potential regime is that important for his 41-96 record.
With Khan being an owner since 2012 and bringing in the results that he has, it’s time for winning to become the top priority when it comes to the Jags. At this point, nothing else seems acceptable to a fan base that has done almost everything asked of them. A good start for Khan would be treating his potential search for a new regime with the necessary time and care it deserves, and getting a group that will garner respectable and sustainable results.