JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get down to business…

0-4. The Jags played better, but the result was still the same and now Trevor has lost eight games in a row. The panic button is broken.

I think this is as good a starting point as any. The Jaguars lost 24-20 to the Houston Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas – a loss that left them at 0-4, one of two NFL teams still winless this season. That also means they have lost nine straight games with Trevor Lawrence starting at quarterback. These two facts mean that this Monday in the O-Zone, the expected blow will require the firing of coaches and general managers, the insertion of quarterbacks and the pressing of reset buttons. While these feelings are understandable, I expect that none of these demands will be met this week or in the foreseeable future. But don't be fooled: what's happening is chaos. It is unacceptable. I didn't expect the Jaguars to be great this season. But they should be competitive. They should be able to make a decisive play and win a close, competitive game. Players need to play better and make more plays in crucial moments. Coaches need to get better and make sure players are in a better position. Perhaps most notable going into Sunday: Lawrence needs to play better and make the big plays when they're there — and several potential game-winning plays were absolutely there on Sunday. Something has to happen to make it not look like that. Something has to happen for this team to win. This is slowly becoming too much.

Wow, I didn't think I'd be saying this four weeks into the season, but Trevor just isn't the guy. That final drive, with three minutes left, had the game in the bag, just had to do SOMETHING, but he couldn't.

Lawrence didn't play well enough on Sunday. He had a few moments, but his protection held up better Sunday than it has all season. When that happens, quarterbacks have to make the big plays downfield. Lawrence threw a nice throw to Brian Thomas Jr. to set up a touchdown in the third quarter. He had two touchdown passes. He wasn't terrible. But he missed two potential touchdown throws and he again failed to lift the Jaguars when they needed to be lifted. That must be the expectation now.

Shawn from Moore County, North Carolina

Fire everyone. I don't want to hear about moral victories. Time to start again. Oh, right, a question. How was your day?

Can we just give up the last 13 games? This feels much more enjoyable than watching them try to play football.

The Jaguars can't forfeit the last 13 games. They tried to play pretty good football for the most part on Sunday. But it's time for them to stop playing football and start winning at football.

Zone, why do we keep trying to go after right guard Brandon Scherff?

Because you have to keep trying.

James from Titusville, New Jersey

How many more failed fourth-down attempts do we have to endure before Doug learns to take the points he's given? Same answer as always: “At least one more time.”

This refers to Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson's decision to go for a first down on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter on Sunday. Lawrence fled with the shotgun and was unsuccessfully stopped. Pederson declined to discuss the decision after the game, calling it a “moot point.” That's him. He will be aggressive.

This team can't close. Incredible.

No, that doesn't work. And yes, that's kind of it.

Do you think we'll hit .500 this year?

That's a legitimate question. The Jaguars need to win nine of their last 13 games to finish above .500. It would be disingenuous to watch this team and say that I think they will go 9-4 in their last 13 games, and I always try to be disingenuous.

JK from NY and Fernandina Beach, FL

John. That hurts and effectively ends the season from a competitive perspective. I'll tell you what you already know: Failing to convert on third down is the difference between the Jags being 3-1 and not 0-4. The defense stayed tough in the second half and gave the offense enough opportunities to win the game. If a team can't gain a yard when it counts, they won't win many games in the NFL.

Time management is 100 percent the coach’s responsibility. This can't be anywhere else, right?

I received several emails about clock management after Sunday's loss. I never felt like this was a problem during the game. But there are times when I miss things while watching the game in real time. This may surprise readers who think I'm perfect. I'll watch the game again Monday morning. Maybe I see it differently.

Bad teams find a way to lose.

That's the sad reality for the Jaguars through four games. Could the Jaguars be better than 0-4? Naturally. Could it be that they are 3-1 with wins over the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Texans? Absolutely. But they lost those games because in the NFL, good teams win close games. Bad teams don't do that and neither do the Jaguars.

Bill from Jacksonville, FL

Doug Pederson, offensive coordinator Press Taylor, Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne Jr., wide receiver Christian Kirk. This is their third year together in this offense. Why are they still trying to figure out their identity?

“The answer in the NFL isn't always 'Fire everyone.'” So settled. So…what's the answer? Just tell everyone to “do better?” Wow – how did this brilliant plan fail??

There is a whole world between “fire everyone” and “do better.” Life is about the world in between, not the extremes.

0-4 is not the start my team was hoping for this season. However, when I saw the schedule in May, I wasn't expecting much better. I think the team showed courage on Sunday. They took the lead, and while I was disappointed that they couldn't score from the 1-yard line and had to give up a drive right after to lose the game, I still think we showed fight and I'm optimistic that the season could get even better. Kirk can still catch the ball. Thomas is the real deal. Running back Tank Bigsby can run on steam. With tight end Evan Engram and our linebackers, do you think we have as many wins coming our way?

There are some valid points in this email. If the Jaguars were 1-3 or 2-2, they would resonate a little. But the Jaguars have an 0-4 record and do things that losing teams do to lose games. I can't consciously focus on these details when it comes to the big picture. At least not in an O zone on Monday. Give me a day or two. I'm feeling better.

Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL

Wow, it was really disheartening that the head coach shirked responsibility. “It's a moot point, game over?!?” It was a crucial decision, you clearly made the wrong choice and then dodged the question. Pathetic.

It was the wrong decision because it didn't work. I was disappointed that Pederson didn't answer the question. That seemed out of character.

Hello, John. Can you explain to me why the Jags always seem to get the ball in the final seconds of the game clock? This seems to be a big advantage for the pass rush.

I can't really explain it. Coaches and players have tried to explain it in recent weeks. I don't understand the explanations. You could argue that I don't understand football well enough to understand them. Damn, I'll buy that.

Will from Saint Augustine, FL

I've heard you say that September is too early to discuss the draft, but there's absolutely nothing else to entertain us fans right now. I request that, given our dire circumstances, we begin draft discussions on October 1st.

This game looked different. They had a pretty good game, passing the ball playfully down the field in a shotgun formation. Some better throws from Trevor. Some nice runs and good defense. They didn't win, but they looked like a good football team

Wow. So much positivity, so little time. The Jaguars actually did a lot of positive things on Sunday. The problem is that this is not a team worth building. This is not a team with an eye on the future. I don't doubt that there are parts that can win and improve. But it's fair for fans not to care Monday morning after a team that went 9-8 the last two seasons fell to 0-4.

Don, understandably and not at all reassuringly, is no longer “all in.”