Jacksonville Jaguars O-Zone defends red-zone play, addresses Hines-Allen
Jacksonville Jaguars senior writer John Oehser in an O-Zone column published Oct. 25, 2026, defended the teams red-zone performance and responded to fan questions on multiple topics ranging from sack production to replay assist rules. Oehser noted the Jaguars scored touchdowns on three of four red-zone possessions against the Houston Texans and said the club has been “very good” in the red zone through the Week 7 bye. He described the red zone as a difficult phase of the game and rejected the idea the team needs to “turn it around” in that area.
Oehser replied to a fan who pointed out a 44 percent touchdown rate over the last three games, saying that occasional dips are inevitable even for teams that rank among the leagues best in red-zone scoring. He emphasized that the Jaguars will not be perfect and that it is common to have games with multiple red-zone possessions that do not result in touchdowns. The column framed the recent stretch as part of normal variance rather than evidence of systemic failure.
The column also addressed concerns about defensive end Josh Hines-Allen. A fan cited sack totals from a previous contract year and a longer span in which his raw sack numbers declined, and Oehser said Hines-Allen has not been as consistently dominant this season but stopped short of calling his performance disappointing. Oehser noted Hines-Allen has typically provided consistent quarterback pressure and that the Jaguars have often lacked interior pressure to complement him, leaving the pass rush dependent largely on Hines-Allen and defensive end Travon Walker. He added that it is difficult to sustain high sack totals when a team effectively has only two reliable pass rushers.
On replay assist and officiating, Oehser explained that replay assist can overturn facemask penalties called on the field but cannot overturn holding penalties, because facemask rulings are more objective than holding calls. He said the league favors objective review where possible and acknowledged the system is imperfect. The column also included some lighthearted responses to fans who suggested conspiracies about officiating.
Oehser praised coach Liam Coens work, calling him a “phenomenal offensive mind” six games into his second season as an NFL head coach and pointing to the team’s record since Coens arrival. The column noted the Jaguars have won 17 of 23 regular-season games since Coen took over before the previous season, have won an AFC South title during that span and currently lead the division this season. Oehser said Coen will continue to grow in the role while also acknowledging the legitimacy of some criticism.
The O-Zone column touched on other subjects, including a question about Baltimore running back Derrick Henrys chances to pass Emmitt Smith for the career rushing record. Oehser called Henrys chance “outside” given he is in his 11th season and is a little under 5,000 yards from Smith’s record of 18,355 yards. The column closed with brief notes on the London Series and a “stay tuned” response to fans curious about its impact on the organization.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The Jaguars red-zone numbers cited by John Oehser and the three-of-four touchdown mark against the Texans indicate the offense remains effective inside the 20 despite short-term variance. The columns assessment that inconsistent sack totals for Josh Hines-Allen have been influenced by a lack of interior pressure and a pass rush that often relies on two primary edge rushers aligns with a tangible schematic concern. Given those facts, the most realistic path to more consistent quarterback takedowns would be improvements that produce more interior push rather than expecting edge production alone to carry the pass rush. Coach Liam Coens overall record since arriving and the teams AFC South standing reinforce that the Jaguars core performance has been strong even as they address those situational issues moving forward.