Stadium Journey: Patriots’ First-Class Home Mirrors First-Class Team

Without question, the New England Patriots have been the class of the NFL since Bill Belichick became their head coach back in 2000.

Their three Lombardi Trophies, four Super Bowl appearances, 14 playoff wins, and .700 win percentage set them apart as the top franchise of the Noughties—a decade in which they endured only one losing season.

You’d figure that the home for a team like this would be, in the words of Massachusetts’ own John Winthrop, a “shining city upon a hill.”

Prior to this season, though, you’d have been wrong—or, rather, not yet right.

Gillette Stadium is, in itself, a good setting for a football game. Its three broad, flattish tiers rise almost imperceptibly from the field to a formidable stacked height, crowned by full rows of floodlights.

The sometimes-harsh elements of New England’s winter season are given ample open space, through the end zones and from above, to come in and play. In the subtle polish of dark red and blue, with guts of grey concrete, the venue embodies the stolid professionalism of the organization it houses. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, but you’re not living in luxury, either.

Until the tail end of the Patriots’ 2007 season, that was the sum total of the game-day experience. Outside, construction skeletons, dirt-strewn pedestrian walkways, and parking lots littered the flatland patch of Foxborough along Route 1, where Gillette had been plopped down in 2002, just up the road from an unremarkable suburban neighborhood.

Over the past two years, though, completed pieces have filled big spaces in team owner Robert Kraft’s ambitious framework.

From a 142,000 square-foot Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store in 2007, to The Hall—New England’s own football hall of fame—in 2008 and several prominent restaurants in 2009, the stadium that once stood alone has become the nucleus of what Kraft calls “a super-regional lifestyle and entertainment center,” complete with its own four-star hotel and 14-screen movie theater.

Make no mistake: Patriot Place is that “city upon a hill,” and it makes Gillette Stadium as elite among sporting venues as its Patriots have been among football teams.

FANFARE Score: 28

(StadiumJourney.com’s unique “FANFARE” metric scores venues on a five-point scale in six categories, with additional bonus points awarded at the reviewer’s discretion.)

Food & Beverage: 4

The in-stadium concessions, unfortunately, are anything but elite. Sam Adams on tap is an admirable alternative to the standard domestic fare, and $4 small beers aren’t a bad value as ballgame brews go.

But Gillette’s too-typical selection of $5 hot dogs and $7 sausages is uninspiring, and paying $9 for a combo at one of the two McDonald’s locations sucks the “value” right out of your value meal.

Given that, there’s no earthly reason to get your grub inside the gates.

Along the thoroughfares of Patriot Place, several city blocks’ worth of dining options have been slotted between shops.

Ranging from $8 burritos at Qdoba to $50 rib eye steaks at Davio’s, with chains such as Red Robin and Olive Garden and several other restaurants priced between, there’s something for every palate and budget.

And then there’s Five Guys.

The burgers and fries served up by this Alexandria, Va.-based chain deserve paragraphs upon paragraphs of praise.

Suffice to say, there’s nary a freezer on the premises—meaning fresh 80% lean beef, vegetables, and bread—and the spuds that end up as your fries are cut and cold-soaked the morning of your visit. A burger, fries, and a drink costs around $10, and you’ll bless every penny of it.

 

Atmosphere: 5

Maybe it’s the ever-present (and sometimes oppressive) touch of the New England cold, the parking lot talk of “layering up” and keeping your feet warm, and the resultant sea of heavy jackets, coveralls, and snow caps.

Maybe it’s the sheer overflow of that crowd, which fills all of the stadium’s 68,756 seats and spills over heavily into areas for “standing room only” ticket-holders, or the feeling of taking part in the mass movement of so many people to and from their seats, or the sound of them all screaming for a big play or shouting to finish the announcer’s sentence: “First down!”

Maybe it’s just that the Patriots, who are 60-12 all-time (and 7-0 in the playoffs) at Gillette, usually give their home crowd plenty to cheer about.

Whatever the reason, the place feels like big-time professional football. From the tailgate-swamped lots to the bustling shops to the concourses and stands, it exudes “place-to-be” appeal.

The modern fan can follow his fantasy team and the rest of the NFL at CBS Scene, a restaurant and bar just outside the gates.

Next door, The Hall at Patriot Place ($10 admission) celebrates New England football, through exhibits ranging from local prep school history to the actual snowplow used in the infamous 1982 “Snow Plow Game,” in addition to the frequent presence of legendary former players.

 

Neighborhood: 5

Gillette Stadium has two neighborhoods, really. One (Patriot Place) surrounds the stadium, self-sufficient in its abundance of attractions. CBS Scene doubles as a nightclub, and shops for global brands such as Reebok and Hollister stand next to the theater and plethora of restaurants mentioned above, in addition to the row of sizable chain stores located across the parking lots to the east.

In their midst, a bank branch and a four-story health care center suggest that the Patriots’ block of town aspires to be a hub for more than just out-of-town football fans and shoppers.

Perhaps equally as fascinating are the otherwise run-of-the-mill neighborhoods a stone’s throw down Route 1, in the shadow of these developments.

A far cry from venues like Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium and Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, which sit squarely in the heart of those cities’ downtown areas, Gillette’s parking lots rub elbows with side streets lined by houses that could be found in any American small town. Less than a mile east of Patriot Place along the highway, on the corner of North Street, a video rental store and pizzeria sit across from a gas station and a McDonald’s.

Commuter rail connects Foxborough to big-city Boston on game days, but the two feel worlds apart in spirit.

 

Fans: 5

The rowdies who filled Foxboro Stadium (the Patriots’ previous home) would have been much more intolerant of the visiting team’s colors, most fans in attendance insisted. Patriots fans of old, they said, would raucously liquor themselves up in the parking lots before rampaging inside the gates.

A real rough bunch, by all accounts—and, yet, no sign of them this year.

Plenty of good-natured ribbing, loud cheering, and team spirit. Amongst the tens of thousands, plenty of characters stood out. One fan dressed up as a wolf-man, one as a silver-faced Patriots superhero from his own imagination, and even one as Randy Moss.

Most importantly, they came in droves. In a season when some NFL teams’ attendance figures have taken a hit from tough economic times, New England fans shrugged off a wet, windy morning to fill their stadium to its brim and make the kind of noise a professional football team deserves from the home crowd.

 

Access: 2

In one way, of course, tens of thousands of fans and a charming small-town backdrop don’t mix well—a realization that crushes all but the earliest to leave Gillette on game day.

Remember the sea of tailgaters in the vast, crowded parking lots? The two-lane highway (Route 1) through the charming small town?

That’s the only way out. For everybody.

Some people park in the $40 spots around Patriot Place, while some choose the $20 lots down the highway. (No one uses the town’s stores, whose game-day towing policies are ferocious.) Some head for the exits in the fourth quarter, while others wait out the storm for hours after the game at their tailgates. All of them must confront the bumper-to-bumper gridlock that builds in both directions away from Gillette.

Expect to spend extra hours getting through the first miles back toward wherever you came from.

 

Return on Investment: 4

As much as Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place pack an ultra-modern excitement punch, rivaled only by the rich history and intrinsic value of venues such as Lambeau Field and Camden Yards, spending a Sunday there might hit your wallet even harder.

The Fan Cost Index (FCI) developed by Team Marketing measures NFL teams’ game-day affordability by calculating the average price for a family of four to buy four tickets, soft drinks, and hot dogs, two small beers, programs, hats, and parking. On average, that experience costs about $415; this year, New England’s FCI was close to $600.

Only 10 teams were above the league average FCI; only Dallas’ astronomical $758 outstripped the Patriots.

For that price, Gillette Stadium, the on-field product—and all of Patriot Place’s bells and whistles—should be every bit as good as they are.

In case you’d forgotten, in visiting some less-than-stellar stadiums, that a trip to an NFL game can be a big-time experience, the price tag here should be an easy reminder.

 

Etc. (Everything Else and Bonus Points): 3

One point for the distinctive lighthouse and bridge marking the stadium’s entrance, a replica of the Longfellow Bridge that connects Boston and Cambridge. The team enters from under it to thunderous applause, and the organization has used it with great success to increase the venue’s brand equity.

Another for the Moss-costumed fan and Randy Moss himself, whose impromptu touchdown celebration competition via Jumbotron drew big cheers from a happy crowd, and took the edge off of recent tension between Moss and some local fans and media.

Lastly, one point for the tailgate party four cars over. The beer you donated didn’t take the sting out of my Jaguars’ 35-7 loss like you’d hoped, but getting to experience your Patriots’ place certainly helped.

 

[This article was originally published on StadiumJourney.com .]

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Jacksonville Jaguars Are Rough, But Are They Ready for New England?

When told that the weather outside figures to be frightful in Foxborough on Sunday, Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio was unfazed.

“That would be great,” he said earlier this week.

“We have a group of mudders. We don’t get to see snow down here. I think our guys look forward to that sort of thing.”

With rain and cold temperatures forecast for the weekend, Del Rio and his Jaguars will likely get their wish. Come one o’clock, they’ll take to a soggy, cold-frosted field in Gillette Stadium to fight for their dwindling playoff hopes.

Whether they flourish or freeze on it will speak volumes about the character of this year’s squad.

Jacksonville’s playoff-caliber 2007 team earned the reputation Del Rio invoked this week by mashing the Pittsburgh Steelers twice in the muck at Heinz Field: a tooth-and-nail postseason win against wind, a wet field, and freezing temperatures, and a 29-22 Week 16 beating administered in heavy snowfall to the tune of 224 yards rushing.

That year, the Jaguars boasted one of the league’s best run-blocking offensive lines. Guards Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams had the athleticism to pull as lead blockers and the strength to pave the way where they went. Tony Pashos was an aggressive right tackle, and center Brad Meester consistently made second-level blocks.

Put them together and the result was an offense capable of running downhill, chunk by four-yard chunk, against eight-man fronts and run blitzes.

In comparison, this year’s unit doesn’t quite stack up. Manuwai has struggled to return to form after a season-ending ACL tear last year, Jacksonville’s rookie tackles lack the seasoning to handle the barrage of twists and overload blitzes sent their way, and Meester has looked lost blocking in space.

They’re ranked eighth in the league in rushing, averaging over 128 yards a game, but it’s not the same. The Jaguars’ inability to take yards forcibly on the ground turned winnable games versus Miami and San Francisco into losses and nearly cost them a close contest against Buffalo’s league-worst run defense.

Jacksonville’s flaws won’t have been lost on Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, whose defense works by stripping opponents of their strengths.

The Jaguars should hope for at least half of the advantage the Buffalo Bills had in last week’s 17-10 loss to New England, which Patriots defensive linemen Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren missed due to injuries. With Wilfork and Warren limited in practice this week, New England’s defensive line might be short-handed again this Sunday.

Despite their shortcomings, Jacksonville’s interior linemen would match up well against backups Ron Brace and Mike Wright, neither of whom has the overpowering strength that made Miami’s Paul Soliai and San Francisco’s Aubrayo Franklin and Isaac Sopoaga such tough opponents for Manuwai, Meester, and guard Uche Nwaneri.

In any case, the Patriots will look to press the advantage of their swarming linebacking corps, led by second-year man in the middle Jerod Mayo. Having either Wilfork or Warren back in front would only make their work easier by occupying potential second-level blockers for Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew.

Should the Jaguars make paths to send Manuwai, Nwaneri, and capable blocking tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Ernest Wilford ahead of Jones-Drew, they’re more than capable of overpowering a New England defense that lacks the sheer size to hunker down against them.

The worry isn’t that Jacksonville can’t rough up a smaller opponent, as last week’s grinding performance against Indianapolis showed. On 34 runs, the Jaguars were stopped for a loss or no gain only five times while amassing 139 yards.

Rather, it’s that they can’t do it every week. Before Jacksonville can be considered ready for a shot at the playoffs, the issue of their week-to-week readiness has to be addressed—this Sunday, in the mud and cold, ideally.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Jacksonville Jaguars Are Rough, But Are They Ready for New England?

When told that the weather outside figures to be frightful in Foxborough on Sunday, Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio was unfazed.

“That would be great,” he said earlier this week.

“We have a group of mudders. We don’t get to see snow down here. I think our guys look forward to that sort of thing.”

With rain and cold temperatures forecast for the weekend, Del Rio and his Jaguars will likely get their wish. Come one o’clock, they’ll take to a soggy, cold-frosted field in Gillette Stadium to fight for their dwindling playoff hopes.

Whether they flourish or freeze on it will speak volumes about the character of this year’s squad.

Jacksonville’s playoff-caliber 2007 team earned the reputation Del Rio invoked this week by mashing the Pittsburgh Steelers twice in the muck at Heinz Field: a tooth-and-nail postseason win against wind, a wet field, and freezing temperatures, and a 29-22 Week 16 beating administered in heavy snowfall to the tune of 224 yards rushing.

That year, the Jaguars boasted one of the league’s best run-blocking offensive lines. Guards Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams had the athleticism to pull as lead blockers and the strength to pave the way where they went. Tony Pashos was an aggressive right tackle, and center Brad Meester consistently made second-level blocks.

Put them together and the result was an offense capable of running downhill, chunk by four-yard chunk, against eight-man fronts and run blitzes.

In comparison, this year’s unit doesn’t quite stack up. Manuwai has struggled to return to form after a season-ending ACL tear last year, Jacksonville’s rookie tackles lack the seasoning to handle the barrage of twists and overload blitzes sent their way, and Meester has looked lost blocking in space.

They’re ranked eighth in the league in rushing, averaging over 128 yards a game, but it’s not the same. The Jaguars’ inability to take yards forcibly on the ground turned winnable games versus Miami and San Francisco into losses and nearly cost them a close contest against Buffalo’s league-worst run defense.

Jacksonville’s flaws won’t have been lost on Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, whose defense works by stripping opponents of their strengths.

The Jaguars should hope for at least half of the advantage the Buffalo Bills had in last week’s 17-10 loss to New England, which Patriots defensive linemen Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren missed due to injuries. With Wilfork and Warren limited in practice this week, New England’s defensive line might be short-handed again this Sunday.

Despite their shortcomings, Jacksonville’s interior linemen would match up well against backups Ron Brace and Mike Wright, neither of whom has the overpowering strength that made Miami’s Paul Soliai and San Francisco’s Aubrayo Franklin and Isaac Sopoaga such tough opponents for Manuwai, Meester, and guard Uche Nwaneri.

In any case, the Patriots will look to press the advantage of their swarming linebacking corps, led by second-year man in the middle Jerod Mayo. Having either Wilfork or Warren back in front would only make their work easier by occupying potential second-level blockers for Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew.

Should the Jaguars make paths to send Manuwai, Nwaneri, and capable blocking tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Ernest Wilford ahead of Jones-Drew, they’re more than capable of overpowering a New England defense that lacks the sheer size to hunker down against them.

The worry isn’t that Jacksonville can’t rough up a smaller opponent, as last week’s grinding performance against Indianapolis showed. On 34 runs, the Jaguars were stopped for a loss or no gain only five times while amassing 139 yards.

Rather, it’s that they can’t do it every week. Before Jacksonville can be considered ready for a shot at the playoffs, the issue of their week-to-week readiness has to be addressed—this Sunday, in the mud and cold, ideally.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Maurice Jones-Drew’s Kneel-Down in Jaguars’ Win: Smart, Not “Unselfish”

By now, Maurice Jones-Drew’s refusal to take a fourth-quarter touchdown against the New York Jets has been widely witnessed, argued about, and gushed over.

For those who managed to miss its coverage in the sports media, Jacksonville’s vertically-challenged star running back skidded to a halt one yard from the end zone on the Jaguars’ game-winning drive in New York last weekend.

A score would have given his team the lead, but Jones-Drew’s play (dialed up, for the record, by much-maligned head coach Jack Del Rio) allowed Jacksonville to retain possession for a decisive last-second field goal.

In the aftermath of the Jaguars’ 24-22 win, “unselfish” has been the adjective most often used to describe Jones-Drew’s kneel-down—an odd word choice, considering his stated ambitions for Jacksonville’s 2009 season.

Throughout the year, ESPN.com blogger Paul Kuharsky, among others, has noted Jones-Drew’s insistence that the Jaguars are the NFL’s best team and that they have their sights on the Super Bowl. Through spirit-dampening losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans, Jones-Drew has remained optimistic about his team.

Even when speaking out to demand the ball after Jacksonville’s blowout loss in Seattle, Jones-Drew’s concern was for the offense as a whole.

“[Opponents need] to respect the run game,” he said in his postgame press conference. “That’s going to open up the pass game and open up the run game later on.”

With his own interests tied up with the Jaguars’ success, the truly unselfish play for Jones-Drew this past Sunday, really, would have been to give New York the ball. Jets defenders Jim Leonhard and Darrelle Revis were close by, and either would surely have accepted such a self-denigrating sacrifice.

(In fact, the replay shows Revis trying to “accept” it after the whistle had blown.)

For a player so concerned about winning, taking a knee to keep the Jets’ offense off the field was practically selfish—and that’s a good thing.

The popular conception of a “selfish” football player is that of a black hole who demands attention and revels in statistics, personal accolades, and big-money contracts.

Notorious personalities like Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens (“I love me some me!”) and former Jets receiver Keyshawn Johnson—author of Just Give Me the Damn Ball! —strike fans as self-interest personified as they bounce, dissatisfied, from team to team.

Recent examples include former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, who “tweeted” about breaking franchise rushing records amidst his team’s struggles, and Dallas Cowboys receiver Roy Williams’ outspoken dissatisfaction with his targets from quarterback Tony Romo.

But as Johnson has fallen to injury fill-in status and Williams’ Cowboys have struggled with their passing game chemistry, ironically, Jones-Drew’s team-first play has brought him the national media attention and Pro Bowl votes—191,123 as of Tuesday, second in the AFC—that such malcontents crave.

Beyond following Del Rio’s orders to forgo a sure touchdown, Jones-Drew has used every bit of energy and grit in his 5’7″, 208-pound frame to fight for Jacksonville in his four years with the Jaguars.

Whether throwing vicious blocks in pass protection (as Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers can attest ) or shoving quarterback David Garrard forward on sneaks, his high level of effort without the ball in his hands is the mark of a player who takes pride in bearing subtle burdens in pursuit of team triumphs.

In short, Jones-Drew’s the kind of player whose selfish desire for the joy of winning is a blessing for his team—even as his agent determines how best to account for the missed score in his next contract extension.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Stadium Journey: Jacksonville Jaguars’ Half-Empty House a Good Bargain

[Article originally published by Stadium Journey .]

Ten weeks into the 2009 season, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium has been one of the NFL’s most buzzworthy facilities. Not for being big and flashy like the Dallas Cowboys’ new billion-dollar home—it isn’t—and not because it’s on a farewell tour like Giants Stadium. (Not yet, at least.)

Instead, “The Jack” has been a hot topic for the national media because it’s practically empty for Jaguars games.

There are over 67,000 seats in the stadium, not including almost 10,000 in the upper corners that remain covered—like training wheels for drawing a “sellout” crowd. But Jacksonville sold less than 46,000 tickets on average for each of the team’s first three home contests this year, with reported attendance figures closer to 40,000 per game.

The upshot? Walk-up ticket buyers can score seats that would be prime real estate in other NFL stadiums.

Lower-level tickets were available on the team’s website less than a week before the game, including one in the corner of the north end zone that provided an excellent view of the Jaguars’ 24-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

With Jacksonville residents spending their Sunday afternoons elsewhere—in one of the many churches within walking distance of the stadium, perhaps—the Jaguars have won three of their four home games. At 5-4 on the year, they’re dark horse playoff contenders despite bidding good-bye to over half of last year’s 53-man roster and starting four rookies from their 2009 draft crop.

Factor in top-tier superstars like running back Maurice Jones-Drew and cornerback Rashean Mathis, and Jacksonville’s on-field product figures to be respectable for years to come. Like the team, the fan experience at The Jack isn’t mind-blowing, but it has its pluses.

FANFARE Score: 24

[StadiumJourney.com’s unique “FANFARE” metric scores venues on a five-point scale in six categories, with additional bonus points awarded at the reviewer’s discretion.]

F ood & Beverage: 5

“Stadium Classics” stands spread throughout the stadium cater to the traditionalist “peanuts and Cracker Jacks” crowd, selling hot dogs, sausages, popcorn, pretzels and the like for $5 apiece. For a few bucks more, though, several local-flavor niche options offer a departure from the regular: “El Gato Grande” (which translates, fittingly, to “The Big Cat”) is an outpost of Burrito Gallery, a local Meixcan restaurant, and Andrew Jackson’s BBQ makes a decent ‘que in the trademark Florida style: sauceless, smoky, and tender.

Soft drinks are $4-6 and beers are $5-8 everywhere, with stiffer concoctions available for $10.

Want the camaraderie of a bar at the game, or just to get closer than a nosebleed ticket would otherwise allow? The Bud Zone, situated behind the lower-level seats in the stadium’s south end zone, is a full-on sports bar, complete with rows of TVs tuned to other NFL games. In the past, this part of the stadium has been open (with no cover charge) for fans to watch the Jaguars’ away playoff games and the NFL Draft.

Nothing beats a pro football stadium—even an empty one—for year-round atmosphere at a bar.

A tmosphere: 3

With that said, the feel of the stadium itself leaves something to be desired.

The lackluster attendance detracts from the magic of game day, to be sure. There’s bustle outside the stadium and around the concourses, but not the kind of heavy human traffic that screams “This is NFL football, the place to be!” at venues like the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium or even FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins’ financially-exploited, pessimistic fans.

Still, those in attendance would be milling around in an atmosphere worth at least a “4” had the Jaguars not ripped out a walk-through exhibit showcasing the team’s 15-year place in football history. “Decades of the NFL,” marked by an overhead entrance sign featuring Jacksonville greats like Mark Brunell and Jimmy Smith, filled one side of the lower concourse, with a sprawling Jaguars logo on one wall and a visual history of NFL football on the other, as recently as last season.

In its place? A merchandise hallway shilling the same garden-variety shirts and souvenirs found in the many team shops around the stadium. From inside, it’s easy to forget that The Jack is the site of “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”—and the accompanying Florida-Georgia football game—every year and hosted the Super Bowl in 2004.

N eighborhood: 3

Churches. Lots and lots of churches. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, St. John’s Cathedral, First Presbyterian Church, Church of the Immaculate Conception, First United Methodist Church, and the nine city blocks occupied by First Baptist Church—all within a 15-minute stroll of the stadium.

Looking to take in a worship service before kickoff? Pick one.

Out-of-towners in search of other entertainment, though, have fewer options. With most of the Jacksonville Landing—a riverfront mall downtown—and surrounding shops closed until noon, even if the Jaguars’ game starts at one o’clock, the immediate area around the stadium is the only part of Jacksonville that’s awake.

Thanks to Tailgate Bar & Grill, which sits in a grassy lot across from the stadium’s east entrance, it’s not a terrible predicament.

Catering to those who aren’t in with one of the many tailgates set up in lots around the stadium, Tailgate’s outdoor grill cooks up $7 wings, fish, shrimp, turkey legs, and barbeque ribs ($8) in addition to burgers and dogs, and beer comes in small (16oz. – $4) and large football-shaped (44oz – $8) cups. Meanwhile, WOKV (690AM) broadcasts its Jaguars pre and post-game shows from upstairs, starting at 10am on game days.

For a Monday or late-Sunday game, or after an early game, the Landing is worth a visit. A quiet morning stop, Jacksonville’s downtown center picks up its pace as the sun sets with live music, dining options ranging from Hooters to Koja Sushi and the more-upscale Benny’s Steak & Seafood, and a view of the bridges that criss-cross the St. John’s River.

F ans: 2

To be fair, the fans who fill two thirds of The Jack deserve at least a “3”—especially those in the rowdy north end zone. They’re pin-drop quiet for the Jaguars’ offense and raucously loud for the defense. They wear jerseys, body paint, team-color beads, and anything else to show their support. After first downs, touchdowns, and big plays, there are high-fives for everyone around.

Most endearingly, they pick favorites apart from the team’s superstar players. Tight end Ernest Wilford, in his second stint with Jacksonville after the team decided against re-signing him last year, earned respect as a red zone target in his first two years with the team and has a banner dedicated to him in the south end zone. Recently-released long snapper Joe Zelenka also enjoyed a significant following among Jaguars faithful as the NFL’s only player at his position with a fan club.

But there just aren’t enough butts in the seats to give these fans their full due. Those present are true-blue enough for any fan base, but almost 17,000 season ticket holders decided not to renew for the 2009 season and the city at large seems only mildly interested in its team. With the stadium at two-thirds capacity, the fans get two thirds of their grade.

A ccess: 5

Then again, that’s 17,000 people who aren’t taking up parking spaces near the stadium or forming lines for concessions or bathrooms. Parking in The Jack’s immediate vicinity goes for $20, but room in $10 lots abounds in all directions, including several to the west along Duval St.

After the game, leaving the stadium is a matter of painlessly shuffling out along cone-lined lanes. Traffic disperses in all directions, north and south on I-95 and west on I-10, clearing up within an hour or so of the game’s final whistle.

R eturn on Investment: 4

The Jaguars realize that they aren’t exactly packing this house on game days, and the price of a day at The Jack reflects that fact. Despite an on-field product that would command higher prices in every facet of the fan experience in most other NFL cities, they continue to attempt to lure Jacksonville citizens to games by reducing their impact on a fan’s wallet.

One metric the NFL uses to measure its teams’ affordability is the Fan Cost Index (FCI): the average price for a family of four to buy four tickets, soft drinks, and hot dogs, two small beers, programs, hats, and parking. League-wide, the average FCI is close to $415; at a Jaguars game, it’s barely above $300.

For any team except the 2008 Lions, that’s relatively fair. For Jacksonville, a team on the rise with enough star power to entertain, it’s a bargain.

E tc. (Everything Else & Bonus Points): 2

One point for the jaguar statue in front of the stadium’s west entrance, whose heel is signed “Go Jags!” by team owner Wayne Weaver and dated to 1995. A great photo opportunity if there ever was one.

Another, for the Jacksonville coaches’ fondness for pre-game “catch.” Receivers coach Todd Monken is all business with up-and-coming star receiver Mike Sims-Walker, but head coach Jack Del Rio tosses around with the players in early warm-ups and running backs coach Kennedy Pola has thrown with fans on occasion.

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Jaguars-Chiefs: Jacksonville’s Ground Game Returns in Win

At first glance, the Jaguars don’t appear to be back from an off week of running the ball.

Jacksonville’s 170-yard output Sunday against the Chiefs fit right in with the Jaguars’ previous two games, in which their rushing attack—the NFL’s sixth-best through nine weeks—hit for over 150 yards, including 217 in last week’s 30-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew’s 97 yards against Kansas City, too, was relatively pedestrian—only slightly above his 92.1 rushing yards-per-week average.

But Jacksonville’s 41 carries (29 by Jones-Drew) were a marked improvement after the Jaguars managed only 16 rushing attempts while getting blown out at Tennessee. This week, Jacksonville wore the Chiefs’ defense and the game clock down, run by run, en route to a 24-6 lead late in the fourth quarter.

By the time Kansas City’s offense found the end zone for their first touchdown with 2:41 left to play, it was too little: Jacksonville’s 36 minutes of possession had ensured that the Chiefs’ ensuing 15-point run would come too late.

In calling a run-heavy game, the Jaguars channelled the source of their other three wins this season. Including Sunday’s victory, Jacksonville’s rushing attack has led the way with at least 30 attempts in each of those four contests, averaging just under 35 per game.

The Jaguars’ four losses, by contrast, were games in which they ran the ball less than 20 times on average. Jacksonville’s 26 carries in a hard-fought 14-12 loss to the Indianapolis Colts were the closest the team has come to that 30-run benchmark in defeat.

Counting runs, admittedly, seems like hindsight reasoning. Generally, teams run the ball to kill clock when leading and pass the ball to come back when trailing, meaning rush attempts can be a symptom of success instead of its cause.

Even with the caveat that winning tends to inflate run totals, though, NFL teams can have markedly different winning styles.

Having won their first eight games, the Colts are averaging under 23 runs a game while typically attempting over 39 passes. The Jaguars, for comparison, are only 1-1 in games where quarterback David Garrard has thrown the ball at least 39 times.

Indianapolis’ offense is built to win with the pass; Jacksonville’s, obviously, isn’t.

Primarily, the Jaguars’ hang-up is their lack of quick-strike capability. Despite having an effective offense which ranks ninth in the NFL in yards per game, they put up less than 20 points on average.

Without the ability to quickly and consistently answer opponents’ scores, Jacksonville’s best bet this season has been to establish the running game on time-consuming scoring drives. The Jaguars’ 36-minute time of possession against Kansas City was on par with their average in wins against the Titans, Houston Texans, and St. Louis Rams.

All four of those teams, of course, rank among the bottom half of the NFL in terms of stopping the run. Three of Jacksonville’s four losses have come against run defenses in the top half of the league.

Sunday, the Jaguars followed up on a loss at Tennessee marked by sporadic over-consumption on the ground with a win against the Chiefs that featured a steady diet of solid runs—only two went for more than 10 yards.

For Jacksonville, it’s that kind of slow and steady that wins the game.

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Identity Crisis: Jacksonville Jaguars’ Passing Game Humbled in Loss

Jacksonville’s 30-13 whipping at the hands of the previously winless Tennessee Titans Sunday sent out a news flash that should hardly have been news:

The Jaguars aren’t the New England Patriots.

Nor, for that matter, are they the Indianapolis Colts.

After watching two of the NFL’s perennial passing powerhouses drub Tennessee by a combined score of 100-9, Jacksonville’s aerial attack came into Sunday’s game smelling blood.

Five of the Titans’ first six opponents had gained over 300 yards through the air—including a 323-yard effort by Jaguars quarterback David Garrard and his receivers in the teams’ first meeting, a 37-17 blowout win for Jacksonville.

As the Jaguars’ 14th-ranked passing offense traveled to Nashville, they clearly intended to trounce Tennessee with more of the same. Their play-calling suggested as much: of Jacksonville’s first nine plays from scrimmage, eight were passes.

The results?

Five yards, incomplete, intentional grounding—punt.

Four yards, sacked, incomplete—punt.

Incomplete—then a seven-yard end-around run—and an interception.

Three drives. Eight passes for nine yards and a turnover. Three three-and-outs.

Try as he might, Garrard couldn’t crack the Titans’ pass defense the way New England’s Tom Brady and Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning did in throwing for 689 yards in two dominating performances—or, indeed, the way Garrard himself had done against Tennessee back in early October.

Part of the problem was the return of All-Pro cornerback Cortland Finnegan to the Titans’ secondary. Finnegan, who missed Tennessee’s three blowout losses while recovering from a hamstring injury, hounded the Jaguars’ receivers in coverage while recording three tackles and an interception in his first game back.

Torry Holt and Mike Sims-Walker, who had been combining for nearly 150 yards per game as Jacksonville’s two top pass-catchers, managed only four receptions for 26 yards between them against the Titans’ recharged defensive backfield.

So much for exploiting the NFL’s statistically-worst pass defense.

The Jaguars’ bigger issue, though, was a lack of trust in their wildly successful rushing attack—an uncharacteristic lapse for a Jack Del Rio-coached team.

In four of Del Rio’s six years in Jacksonville, the Jaguars’ ground game has ranked among the league’s top 10. Emphasizing a tough brand of “run the ball, stop the run” football, his teams have always prided themselves on running early and often—with varying degrees of success.

Entering Sunday’s contest, Tennessee did boast a run defense which, outside of a miserable effort against the Patriots, had held opponents to an average of less than 80 yards per game.

On the rare occasions when Jacksonville deigned to run, though, the Jaguars had their way with the Titans, who seemed unwilling—or unable—to tackle running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Two of Jones-Drew’s first five carries were spectacular 80- and 79-yard touchdowns, and only one of his eight runs gained less than three yards.

When asked after the game why his offense had shied away from running the ball, Del Rio noted that several called runs had been audibled to passes in Jacksonville’s first three drives.

Eventually, he said, Garrard was told, in no uncertain terms, “Look, just hand it to [Jones-Drew] and let him run with the ball.”

The concern, here, isn’t that the Jaguars had to force themselves to commit to their ground game, even in the face of its marked success—or, for that matter, that Jacksonville strayed once more to the pass, down 23-13 with 20 minutes still to play.

It’s that it was even a question to begin with.

Past Del Rio’s preferred “smash-mouth” style, these Jaguars just aren’t built to be a pass-first team. With a pair of road-grading guards in Vince Manuwai and Uche Nwaneri, a stable of capable blocking tight ends, and a top-caliber feature back in Jones-Drew, Jacksonville’s offense has the tools for a knockout rushing attack.

Add to that mix a pair of rookie tackles (Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton) who have blocked well for runs while struggling against pass-rushing defensive ends, and the argument for favoring the ground game becomes even stronger.

Running the ball hasn’t always been a viable option this season, of course. Facing three-score halftime deficits against the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks—and having to drive downfield late in the fourth quarter to tie the St. Louis Rams—the Jaguars have needed Garrard to step up more than in years past.

But when Jacksonville’s rushing attack is working, as it was Sunday against Tennessee, there shouldn’t be a moment’s hesitation to ride it.

Whether that’s a matter of having Garrard be less of a leader and more of a lead blocker—as he was on both of Jones-Drew’s long touchdowns—or refocusing the offense as a whole is up to the coaches as the Jaguars prepare for next week’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

From Del Rio at the top down to his position coaches, after six years of run-first football and a blowout loss marked by ineffective passing, they should know that it needs to be done.

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From Knucklehead to Spearhead: Jaguars’ David Garrard Needed Comeback

With under five minutes left in Sunday’s game, Jaguars quarterback David Garrard seemed to have lobbed a softball to the St. Louis Rams and his detractors.

His absent-minded screen pass to fullback Greg Jones hung in the air in front of Rams defensive end Leonard Little, an indictment of the tunnel-vision that critics have cited in deriding Garrard as a subpar signal-caller. As Little raced toward the end zone and a 17-13 lead for St. Louis, Garrard had—for the moment—blown the game.

Having already turned the ball over twice inside the Rams’ 20-yard line, the Jaguars’ meager advantage had been mostly a product of their suffocating defense.

After allowing a touchdown on St. Louis’ first drive, Jacksonville had forced five three-and-outs and limited the Rams to a field goal. Handed the ball and a lead, the offense needed only to kill clock to escape with an ugly win.

Then came the pick that turned the tables.

Chasing futilely after Little, Garrard probably wasn’t thinking about his 16th career start , back in 2006, when his four turnovers gave the Tennessee Titans a game in which their offense managed only three points.

Jaguars fans, though, were likely bemoaning a flashback performance from their “game manager” as St. Louis kicked off. Many of the 38,425 present at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium headed for the exits.

Meanwhile, Garrard was readying his teammates for one last effort.

“I said, ‘Let’s get back out there and go down and score,'” he told reporters after the game.

After a first down incompletion, Garrard took that task into his own hands.

Under pressure on the next play, he escaped through a hole between blockers and turned up field. Rather than sliding down safely, Garrard cut back into the defense and evaded a tackle before stepping out of bounds after 13 yards.

More than a fortuitous gain, the run was a sharp statement against the lazy play that had ended the Jaguars’ last drive. Shoulders squared, Garrard’s body language showed both his frustration and determination.

Needing nothing less than a touchdown against a defense on its heels, Garrard found receiver Mike Sims-Walker downfield for for a 26-yard completion two plays later to break into the red zone. After a check-down to running back Maurice Jones-Drew for 13 yards and three grinding runs, Jacksonville regained the lead.

“David made some big throws,” coach Jack Del Rio said of the drive. “I thought we collected ourselves and the offense went out and played ball.”

St. Louis pulled even with a field goal at the end of regulation, but Garrard gave them more of the same in the only drive of overtime. With 39 yards on six passes—including a 17-yarder to rookie receiver Mike Thomas to convert on 3rd-and-6 and cross midfield—he marched the Jaguars downfield to Josh Scobee’s game-winning kick.

As Jacksonville moved slowly but surely against the Rams’ defense, taking underneath routes and short runs before gashing St. Louis on Thomas’ catch, all trace of Garrard’s deer-in-headlights interception had vanished.

In its place, his steely, focused performance injected killer instinct into his teammates and an offense that had finished poorly through three quarters against one of the NFL’s worst defenses.

“[They needed] to be able to see me keep my head, even after a tough play like that,” Garrard said.

Rallying behind Garrard, the Jaguars’ rookie starters keyed in on those two crunch-time series. Tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton helped give him time to throw in the face of several all-out blitzes by the Rams, and Thomas’ drive-extending catch kept St. Louis’ offense off the field in overtime.

“For Mike Thomas to make a great catch there on third down—a play that we needed—[was important,]” Garrard remarked after the game.

It wasn’t the playoffs, or even for a playoff berth, and an overtime nail-biter against the winless Rams is hardly fit for a signature win. Without Garrard’s turnover, arguably, Jacksonville could have closed out the game in less-dramatic fashion.

But after putting his team in a hole, Garrard had to prove himself capable of dragging them back out.

It’s a brick in building of a reputation as a leader—instead of a “manager”—if nothing else.

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Jacksonville Jaguars’ Eugene Monroe Must Start, Despite Recent Struggles

To say that the past two weeks have been an “unkind” stretch for rookie left tackle Eugene Monroe would be quite the understatement.

Coming off an impressive performance against the Houston Texans, where he held All-Pro defensive end Mario Williams without a sack, Monroe was one of three Jaguars to catch the flu in the week leading up to Jacksonville’s home win over the Tennessee Titans.

The illness caused him to lose 14 pounds as he missed a start against Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, whom Tra Thomas handled effectively in Monroe’s absence.

Then, having worked himself back into shape enough to start this past Sunday, Monroe turned in the worst performance of his young career against the Seattle Seahawks.

Statistically, he was responsible for as many sacks (three) as he’d been in his first three starts combined.

In those games, though, Monroe was facing top-caliber ends: Houston’s Williams, Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney, and Arizona’s Bertrand Berry—two All-Pros and a Pro Bowler, all seasoned veterans. Against the Seahawks, he was beaten just as badly by rotation lineman Darryl Tapp and rookie Nick Reed.

Monroe’s health, only a week removed from the flu, was likely part of the problem. That the Jaguars, trailing early, were forced into a pass-heavy offense didn’t help his cause against Seattle’s aggressive defensive front, either.

Still, with Thomas lurking behind him on the depth chart, Monroe’s hold on his starting job might seem tenuous.

Thomas, a 12-year veteran and former All-Pro, was one of Jacksonville’s few newsworthy summer signings. In limited action this year, he’s done nothing to suggest that his talents have diminished from when he started for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The prevailing sentiment in this type of situation is that the best player should play. Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio said as much before Jacksonville’s season opener.

Considering Monroe’s recent form, that would seem to support Thomas’ case to start.

One of the reasons Thomas might be considered a better player, though, is his versatility. The Jaguars have used him as a sixth lineman in several goal-line and short-yardage situations this season, and he’s physical enough to be an effective lead blocker at right tackle—a role where a technician like Monroe wouldn’t fit.

Contrary to the “best player” logic, that’s also a reason why Jacksonville should keep him behind Monroe. With rookie right tackle Eben Britton having already missed one game and the situation at right guard unsettled, Thomas provides solid depth at both tackle spots and a gritty presence as a fill-in.

That Monroe flashed big-time talent against Houston is equally important. After Freeney overwhelmed him with speed and technique and the Cardinals’ linemen bulled him back, Monroe used his footwork and leg strength to play aggressively against Williams, both in pass protection and on runs.

Abused though he was this past Sunday at Seattle, the Jaguars need look back no farther than two weeks ago for evidence that his game experience will pay dividends.

As Jacksonville’s long-term solution to the problem of protecting quarterback David Garrard’s blind side, Monroe will be a full-time starter sooner or later. Sitting and watching wouldn’t have prepared him for Williams, and it won’t help him going forward; the more he can learn on the job, the quicker he’ll catch on.

Right now, Tra Thomas might be the better player, but his play in spot duty makes for the Jaguars’ best line as Monroe learns the lessons he’ll need to be a standout.

[Photo courtesy of Jaguars.com’s gallery.]

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Where’s 91? Week 4: Jaguars’ Derrick Harvey Must Menace Wounded Seahawks

Matched up against one of the NFL’s best left tackles last week, Derrick Harvey’s production was understandably up-and-down.

Michael Roos, Tennessee’s All-Pro blind side bookend, was able to wall Harvey off on several successful runs in the first half—while the game hadn’t yet gotten out-of-hand on the scoreboard.

The Titans gained 37 of their 76 first-half rushing yards on eight carries around Harvey’s end. Like the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals before them, Tennessee looked to exploit his inconsistent ability to keep running backs from turning the corner.

This time, though, Harvey fought back with a pair of drive-smothering plays to help the Jaguars’ defense preserve an early lead.

On the Titans’ third drive, after Jacksonville went up 10-3 on a Maurice Jones-Drew touchdown run, Harvey separated from Roos on first down to wrap up running back Chris Johnson at the line. Needing nine yards in two plays, Tennessee abandoned their trademark ground game for two incomplete passes and had to punt.

After the Jaguars’ next score put them ahead 17-3, Harvey once again stalled the Titans’ attempt to answer.

Facing 3rd-and-1, Tennessee quarterback Kerry Collins attempted a dink to tight end Bo Scaife for the first down. Harvey got a hand up, the ball flopped harmlessly to the turf, and the Titans were once again forced to punt.

Against All-Pro competition, a tackle and a pass defensed were points of marked success for Harvey. Stalled at the line for much of the first half, he was still able to use his athleticism and grit to affect the game.

In tomorrow’s game against the injury-plagued Seattle Seahawks, though, Harvey will be in a position to dominate like he did against Titans guard Eugene Amano in last week’s second half.

Playing face-up on Amano as a defensive tackle, Harvey pressured Collins into several poor throws as Tennessee played catch-up.

With the Seahawks missing tackles Walter Jones and Sean Locklear this week due to injuries, Harvey will be lining up across from backup Brandon Frye. In Seattle’s 34-17 loss to Indianapolis last week, Colts defensive end Robert Mathis whipped Frye to the tune of 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

If and when Frye gets help with Harvey, it’ll come from either a tight end, a back, or backup left guard Mansfield Wrotto. As much as the Seahawks might scheme to get the best out of their blocking, no one near Roos’ caliber will be in Harvey’s way.

Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio seemed pleased with Harvey’s level of play against the Titans.

“I think he [Harvey] played very well last week,” Del Rio told reporters Wednesday. “I’ll take that effort every week.”

Facing backups thrust into starting roles, and with hurting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck returning for Seattle, that same level of effort could translate into an eye-opening performance this Sunday.

As the Jaguars enter the mid-season grind, it’s time for Harvey to show his class.

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