If it stays just offshore one issue as it will not lose strength as it would if the eye goes over land.
It's a very dynamic system; that's why these things are so hard to pin down. Any interaction with land has some impact, it's hard to predict how much. Shear is coming into play for the next day or so; so a delayed landfall might mean lower wind speed at that time. But as you said, the highest wind speeds are usually found to the northeast of the center, and that's the part driving up the coast. Irma's a big storm; hurricane force winds extend quite a ways out from the eye. Any way you look at it, she's going to make a very big mess all along the western side of Florida, and well inland.
Praying for the safety of all in harm's way.