The Jaguars' offense needs to be better. Receiver Jason Hill can’t fall down. Receiver Cecil Shorts has to be far more definitive with his routes.

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert can’t throw into tough coverage.

He did some good things in the Jaguars' loss to the Saints, but too often he didn’t look to be stepping into throws, and unnatural flat-footed throws weren’t finding the right spots.

What’s supposed to help buy Gabbert the time to learn and grow while keeping the Jaguars competitive? A defense that added a bunch of veterans in the offseason -- three defensive backs, two linebackers and a defensive end.

I know they will not make every play.

But let’s pick on them over just two.

Daryl Smith picked off Saints QB Drew Brees and ran up the right side, where he let Brees “force” him out of bounds. There is no way an NFL linebacker shouldn’t, by nature, cut back inside and go for the end zone. The possession resulted in a field goal, costing the Jaguars four points.

“Yeah I wish that now,” Smith said. “You can't go back and redo it."

Later, linebacker Paul Posluszny let a Brees pass sneak up on him in the end zone and failed to catch it. Rather than taking over possession, the Jaguars yielded a field goal. That cost the Jaguars three points.

If we get four more on the board from Smith and three fewer on the board thanks to Posluszny, where would we have been?

At 20-14.

Do the Jaguars pull an upset from there? Who knows, but they sure should have been in position to find out.

The Jaguars didn’t make the plays they could have. Guys like Smith and Posluszny are the guys they are supposed to be able to count on. Make mistakes like they did against a quality opponent and the chance to compete disappears.