Tuesday 22 August 2017 17:20, UK
Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Telvin Smith is a fourth-year linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars seeking a change in fortune.
Over the previous three years he has experienced the highs and lows as an NFL player but for this Jacksonville team there has been a disproportionate number of disappointments.
Twelve months ago, many were talking up a Jags roster loaded with talent but a 3-13 record saw head coach Gus Bradley fired.
Doug Marrone was appointed as his replacement alongside the arrival of Tom Coughlin, who returns as vice president of football operations.
It marks a change in direction for the organisation - a change which is exciting those involved,
"We only get one shot at this," Smith told Sky Sports.
"I agree with the coaches. If you want to be great at something or you want to excel at something, we've dug ourselves into a hole as an organisation so we've got to work three, four times as hard to get ourselves out of it compared to other teams."
In previous years the Jaguars have looked to improve their defence through the draft.
This year, they've added veteran experience, bringing in Calais Campbell, AJ Bouye and Barry Church through free agency.
On offence they selected 232lb running back, Leonard Fournette with the fourth overall pick of April's 2017 Draft, looking to ease the pressure on under-fire QB, Blake Bortles.
As was the case a year ago, the roster looks impressive but questions remain. Smith is aware of the criticism aimed at Bortles but insists everyone on the roster is accountable and has a role to play in making the team better,
"The defence is putting our faith in the offence," he adds.
"Not just Blake but the O-Line, the running backs, the receivers, everybody. And they're putting their faith in us.
"We're going to do that and continue to grow but as for them as a whole, you see the camaraderie, you see them working together.
"As long as they continue to build and grow and put points up on the board, our job is to stop (opponents) and that is what we're going to do as a defence."
In a division which pits them against a Texans team which has one of the best defences in the NFL, a resurgent Titans organisation and a Colts team led by Andrew Luck, the Jaguars aren't receiving a lot of national attention in the States.
Their UK fans have witnessed back-to-back victories at Wembley over the past two years though and Smith is confident that form can be replicated on American soil this season: "Our expectations are high and they continue to grow."
As for what anyone else thinks about them, Smith is clear about the mindset: "Eliminate what everyone else is thinking about us and saying about us. Focus so much on us that you believe what you see. We don't believe what you say but you believe what you see!"
That single minded approach is going to be essential if the Jaguars are to confound their critics and break a 10 year play-off drought.
Their first opportunity to prove this version of the Jaguars are on that road comes at the Houston Texans on September 10, while their annual London visit comes two weeks later against the Ravens.
As Smith points out though, talk is cheap. This is a results-driven business and the 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars are acutely aware, seeing is believing.
The new NFL season gets underway in the early hours of Friday, September 8 when champions New England Patriots host Kansas City Chiefs - you can follow the game on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event with coverage underway from 12.30am
