NFL Sleeper Teams that May Shock the World

The Colts had just lost 44-17 to the Jaguars and had possibly the worst rush defense performance in NFL history. 

The Cardinals had just lost 47-7 against a New England team that didn’t even have Tom Brady as the starting quarterback.

The Giants started the season 0-2 and lost to the Vikings 41-17 and were even considered to be having a rebuilding season.

All three teams went to the Super Bowl in their respective seasons—and two won.

In the 2009 season, many people will give you a prediction of a Super Bowl to be a game with the Colts or Patriots vs. the Vikings or Saints, and many will even put money on it.

But I’d like to offer a different perspective on the game. I know it’s a bit early to be talking Super Bowl, but I’d like to offer the thought that many of the Super Bowl-winning teams are not who we expected them to be in Week 10.

In most cases it’s the team that we least expect who carries the Lombardi trophy or at least reaches the game, not the more obvious of the predictables.

In most cases this team comes off a hot streak and continues to win, like the Cardinals of last year, or also in the Cardinals’ case, a team who suddenly starts playing to a whole new level come playoff time, like the Giants in ’07.

The team also has to be at least semi-decent and has to have a good number of players who, if they step up, could potentially be key in a turnaround of a team from good to very good.

They also have to have at least one area that they are dominant in, like the passing games of the Colts and Cardinals or the pass rush of the Giants.

They need a player who, in essence, elevates their games to perform at star-like status, like Edgerrin James of the Cardinals last year or Eli Manning of the Giants.

Here are some of the teams who could fit this description.

 

AFC

1. Jacksonville

The Jaguars almost fit this criteria perfectly. For one, they have the star player in Maurice Jones-Drew, and also have a player who is very off and on in quarterback David Garrard. If he plays very well, then the Jags offense will be hard to stop.

They also follow a similar pattern to the three teams listed at the beginning of the article; they’ve lost 41-0 to the Seahawks and have had some problems with their defense.

Yet the Jaguars are certainly in the hunt, as they have the top wild-card spot as of Week 11. Not only this, with games against Miami, Houston, Indy, and New England, the Jaguars could enter the playoffs on a hot streak and shock the world.

 

2. Tennessee

The Titans also fit this mold with a star in Chris Johnson and a developing player in Vince Young. They also have had their share of blowout losses, but with wins over Jacksonville and Houston have shown they have enormous potential.

However, the Titans will likely have to win out to reach the playoffs, and with games against Indy and San Diego, to name two, they will need a near-perfect performance to reach the playoffs. Then again, if they do…

 

3. Baltimore

The Ravens possess a team that are points away from being one of the top teams in the league with maybe even a unblemished record. The Ravens have a good number of defensive stars, and the quarterback, Joe Flacco, is developing very nicely.

Once again, the Ravens are in a very tight spot at 5-5 and once again will likely have to have a near-perfect performance to reach the playoffs. With two games against the Steelers, along with the Packers and Bears, and a knack for losing games at the last minute, the Ravens may be sitting at home without a ticket to the playoffs.

 

4. Houston

The Texans face a similar dilemma to the Ravens. The Texans offense is one of the best in the league, and their defense has been improving. If the Texans were to make the playoffs, they fit as an ideal candidate because if the defense was to turn it up another notch, the Texans would be one of the best teams in the league.

Yet once again, the Texans have a knack for losing games, and with games against Indy, Jacksonville, the Dolphins, and the Patriots, the margin for error is very small.

 

THE MORE OBVIOUS CHOICE

5. Bengals

Sure, they are a much more obvious choice, but no one seems to give the Bengals the respect they deserve. A much more safe bet to make the playoffs, the Bengals have a solid offense and defense, yet no one picks them to reach the Super Bowl. If this Bengals team gets hot, watch out, because they certainly have the talent and have already pulled off end-of-game wins.

 

NFC

1. Eagles

The Eagles also have the talent but have suffered some more embarrassing losses as of late. We know that they have the experience of reaching deep into the playoffs, and with the maturation of young wide receivers and the returned health of Brian Westbrook, this Eagles team could soar into a playoff run.

Let’s also not forget that the defense, which has not been the typical Eagles defense, could potentially soar out of their mediocrity and become great with the growth of their new defensive coordinator. If all the pieces come together, the Eagles could finally win one for Andy Reid.

 

2. Green Bay

The Packers have the tradition, and they have a gunslinging offense directed by a quarterback not named Brett Favre. Considering that the Packers offense tore up a pretty solid 49ers defense, the Packers offense, when hot, is one to be reckoned with.

Now, if they go on a hot streak as a team, maybe they can have Favre have one of his playoff blowups against them this time and strut into the Super Bowl singing, “Take that, Favre.”

 

3. Panthers

This is a bit of a long shot, especially with the Panthers’ record at 4-6, but the Panthers also share the talent and experience that could possibly lead to a Super Bowl appearance. If Jake Delhomme plays like a good Jake Delhomme, along with the defense stepping up, the Panthers could go on a bit of a run to end out the season.

More importantly, if the Panthers were to reach the playoffs, they’d be the hottest team in football, probably winning at least five of their last six.

 

4. Giants

The emergence of targets for Eli Manning has to be a good sign for the Giants. Even after dropping four straight they still sit on the cusp of playoff contention. The Giants have the veteran leadership, the defense, and the talent to make a run at the Super Bowl. You never know—maybe they’ll upset another undefeated team along the way…

 

THE MORE OBVIOUS CHOICE

5. Cardinals

The Cardinals, in the worst division in football (rivaled only by the AFC West), are almost a sure shot to reach the playoffs barring a disaster or a 49ers reemergence. They have a great veteran quarterback in Kurt Warner and two amazing wide receivers in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, not to mention a resurgent defense and a developing Beanie Wells. Watch out for a Cardinals repeat…

 

There are plenty of teams that could easily go win the Super Bowl, and that’s what makes the NFL special. In a sense, the playoffs are like a whole new season, and in most cases, it’s the Cinderella who walks away happy.

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Jaguars Win a Thriller in The Meadowlands: The Dream Is Still Alive

On Super Bowl Nations Jets web page, or Gang Green Nation, said it best after the Jaguars sensational victory over the Jets:

“All Hail MJD.”

It is truly the little 5 foot 7 monster from UCLA, who may be single handily resurrecting the Jaguars franchise.  Twelve touchdowns this year, and a smart play by downing the ball to let time go down. 

NOTE: I don’t agree with the Jaguars kneeing the football, but I do believe that MJD taking a knee was the right thing to do because it wasted time.

The Jaguars had a nearly perfect first half, and won another close game, and now stand at 5-4 and as mentioned in my preview for the game, enter into a metaphorical wardrobe to Narnia, or in this case, playoff contention.

But more important then this was the fact that the Jaguars have already matched there win total from last year, and still have seven more games to go. 

Here is my top ten shout outs from this game:

1. MJD, how could it not be MJD, he was a beast against the number two rush defense in the leauge and was the first player to go over 100 yards against the Jets, and that would include Chirs Johnson.

2. Marcedess Lewis.  Sorry David Garrard but Marcedes Lewis looked like the tight end he was drafted to be, all over the field making two HUGE catches in the game, and had a pancake on David Garrard’s touchdown run, taking out TWO defenders.

3. David Garrard.  Did what David was supposed to.  This is the Jaguars team that could go to the playoffs.  The one in which MJD dominates and Garrard simply has to manage the game.  But a great end of the game drive to win the game.

4. Rookie Wide Receivers.  Mike Thomas made a couple sensational catches, including a CLUTCH fourth down conversion (the first against the Jets all year).  Jarret Dillard will be very good in a year, however, sadly he is out for the season.

5. Sorry Mike Sims-Walker I have to give my last shout out to the defense.  They did a fantastic job forcing three turnovers, and this game really should have been 31-22 but alas Groves, you tripped.

My top five Thoughts on the Game:

1. Although I am very sad to see Jarret Dillard injured and out for the season, he is starting to be a force in the wide receiver with his departure, Nate Hughes should be back in a Jaguars uniform and have a shot at redemption. 

2. Mike Thomas and Jarrett Dillard were worth their draft picks, and possibly more.  Especially Thomas, who is having a fantastic rookie season.  So what have we learned? Gene Smith can draft receivers.

3. David Garrard is the answer; for now.  I think Garrard can last as Jaguars quarterback, HOWEVER, we should definitely grab another quarterback in the draft to develop for when Garrard gets too old. Suggestions: Riley Skinner (from Jacksonville, shouldn’t go very high) Wake Forest, Jake Lockear (Washington), and I really like Jimmy Clausen but he will probably be gone before we get a chance to grab him

4. Even with a poor game the Jaguars should be able to be 6-4.  MJD has proven consistency and should run all over the Bills defense.

5. Jaguars fans, lets have NO more blackouts until the Jaguars give us reason to. 

The Jaguars are in the playoff hunt with four of the next five at home.  Lets rekindle Jaguars Pride and cancel a blackout for the Buffalo game.  I bet the Jaguars play better if the fans show up, and against Buffalo it should be a very entertaining game, especially with MJD.

 

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The Wardrobe To Narnia: Jaguars vs. Jets—Winner Enters a Whole New World

First, I’d like to congradulate Rashad Jennings for his first NFL rushing touchdown, and honor him with the picture on this week’s preview article.

Next, I’d like to make clear that this is not the game of the year for the Jaguars.  If they win of course. 

IF the Jaguars were to win this game, a far shot from a sure thing, this would be a game that would push them into a whole new world that begins with the letter “P”. 

The playoff world.

A loss would send them into the mist of teams longing to find there place in the world.  And with a loss, and a Tennessee win, the Titans would draw one game away from the Jaguars. 

A loss would send this team, once again to under .500, and would once again start the Jaguars suck, Jack Del Rio needs to be fired, David Garrard isn’t the real deal for a quarterback talk that we all know will come. 

Yet what do we expect from the Jaguars this week?  A great performance or a flat out embarrassing one? 

Many people are aware of the fact that David Garrard has yet to throw a touchdown pass on the road.  And get this: The Jaguars have scored 101 points at home and only 56 on the road.  

That leads to an average of 25 points a game at home, with only 14 points a game on the road.  Ten points can mean a lot in a football game.  Ten points would’ve given the Jaguars a win over the Colts, and made them 5-3 at this point.

The defense is slightly more consistent, giving up 22 points at home and 27 away.  So at home, the Jaguars usually win by three points, which has been the case twice, and away they usually lose by 17 which has happened once.  

Yet, my friends I would like to bring up a much different point here. 

Week One: Indianapolis: Big Game of course, Jags expected to lose, and the Jaguars played extremely well considering they held the Colts to 14 points.  We now see how good they actually did.  Well defensively at least.

Week Two:  Arizona: Many people think that the Jaguars are back, and the Cardinals aren’t a east coast team.  I mean look at last season.  Jaguars are smothered. 

Week Three: Houston: Battle Red day: Big game, against the just come off impressive win against Tennessee (we thought it was impressive then).  Jaguars come out and have their best game of the season, hands down.

Week  Four: Tennessee: Big Game, considering people thought the Titans were actually still good, and people respected them.  The Jaguars may actually have had there best performance here, but then again, it was the “old” Titans. 

Week Five: Seattle:  Many people think that the Jaguars are ready to go 3-2, as the Seahawks are injury depleted and the Jaguars are playing their best football.  Yikes, Jaguars, uh, lose.

Week Six: Rams: They just aren’t very good.  But the Jaguars still had to have a comeback performance.  Didn’t play especially well, because not a big game.

Week Eight: Tennessee: Apparently MJD was the only one who thought it was a big game.  Well, the Jaguars well you know what happens.

Week Nine:  Once again Kansas City just flat out is bad.  But the Jaguars came to play for the first 58 minutes, because they knew it was for Jack Del Rio’s job.

See the pattern?

In games that the Jaguars were not favored to win, they played very well and in most cases won.  In games were they were not, they either squeaked by a terrible team, or were just embarrarssed.

So this week against the Jets, do the Jaguars usher a A+ performance?

Lets breakdown the matchups:

TOP MATCHUP OF THE GAME:

1. MJD Vs Jets Defense:

I still believe that the Jaguars need to maintain a semi balanced attack, but lets be real, MJD is the best player hands down.  MSW is catching up, but for now, MJD is far above the rest.  And without a running game, we know the Jaguars will just play bad.  Because this Jets defense is very good against the pass.

TOP THING TO LOOK FOR:

1. Who starts faster:

Neither team is designed to come from behind in games.  So if one team jumps out to a 10-0 or 14-0 lead, the game is going to shift in their direction big time.  The Jaguars also need to stay with the run, and if they fall behind, David Garrard will have to try and be a hero, which he can be, but there’s not a good chance he will be.

TOP SLEEPER OF THE GAME:

1. Torry Holt and Mike Thomas:

I had to go with both of these guys because of one reason, the two are set to have a much better day the Mike Sims-Walker, who will probably be faced off against Derrelle Revis, one of the top-five corners in the game.  Torry Holt will be matched up against a coming back player in Lito Sheppard, who hasn’t played in a while and might be a bit rusty.   Torry is a HOF receiver, and especially on third downs, could get a lot of reps.  

Mike Thomas is also going to be big in the game as well.  He has big play capability, and I just got a feeling that he could break one this week, because hes been close before.  A return in this game could be HUGE, and the end around sweeps could be another thing that really works, considering that the Jets struggled against the Wildcat.

INTERESTING THOUGHT OF THE WEEK:

What if the Jaguars were to finish 8-8 and continued win-loss-win-loss pattern?  It’s actually rather funny because of the possibility is so real.  Let’s look.

JETS: Definitely could be a loss

BILLS: The Jaguars would be facing a rather porous run defense, so win.

49ers: Jaguars have yet to beat an NFC West Team. Loss

Texans: It would be fun to ruin their season, like they ruined ours a couple seasons ago.

Dolphins: Once again, this could be a loss if the Jaguars don’t show up, or if Garrard gets hit like a rag doll. Loss

Colts: The Jaguars just have a thing for being able to beat them.  And I think it will be the first non-blackout of the season, because the city of Jacksonville will come out because its a primetime game.  Win

Pats: How much I hate them I don’t know.  But the Patriots have a thing for the Jaguars. Loss

Browns: Wow, they are just bad. Win

So a win loss win loss format is very possible.  However, I expect a 9-7 record as the Jaguars finish 5-3 in the second half, and watch the playoffs hungry for next year.

Final Verdict:

I’d love to see the Jaguars win, but I really don’t see it happening.  Unless the defense can really step up, and MJD has a huge game, or Garrard has the performance of a lifetime, I just don’t see the Jets losing again. 

FINAL SCORE: A respectable 24-20 game.  Jaguars earn a semi moral victory, but a defeat none the less knocks them out of playoff hype.  That is unless they can win out besides one game ( weirder things have happened).

 

 

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Redemption Time: Going Out with a Good Taste

Redemption should be the only thing on Mike Sims-Walker’s mind when he steps out of the tunnel on Sunday against the Rams.

Why? Possibly because he may have singlehandedly ruined the Jaguars for their game against Seattle. 

A stretch? Yes, quite possibly, but it may also be the truth. 

The first truth is that without Mike Sims-Walker the passing game was limited, as Garrard really had no one to throw to barring Torry Holt who had a semi-decent first half.  No offense to Mike Thomas, but the rookie is more of a playmaking slot wide receiver, and I think he could excel there, but not a second or first wide receiver.

The second truth is that without Mike Sims-Walker, Mike Thomas could not come on the reverse, taking away some of the confusion for the Seattle defense.  This severely limited the playbook and destroyed the offensive production.

Finally, the last truth is that the Jaguars defense did not play terribly until the offense finally rolled over to play dead. 

The defense was actually holding Seattle’s offense for a good portion of the first quarter and beginning of the second.  Then the offense failed to generate anything and the Jaguars defense simply gave up.

And Mike Sims-Walker is fully aware of this fact.

According to the Florida Times-Union article on the benching of Mike Sims-Walker, Sims-Walker stated that his teammates, “saw before the game how sick I was. I couldn’t look anybody in the eyes. I knew it was my fault. I put them in a bad situation. I’ve never been a character-issue guy or been in the media for the wrong reasons.”

This statement made by Sims-Walker seems sincere, and if it is we could see a breakout day from him this week.

Especially since the Jaguars are playing the Rams, a team that is ranked 25th in pass defense. 

That’s just slightly worse then their rush defense, which is 23rd.

Which brings us to our next breakout player, MJD. 

We all know that Maurice Jones-Drew is much much better then he has been in the past two games, and he voiced his opinion on the issue throughout the week calling out his coaches and his team.

Football is a game of emotion, I’ve played it for 10 years now, and when you play football, or any sport angry you tend to play with a fiery passion. 

And MJD already plays with that passion, it may be at a whole new level this weekend.  He should get a good number of carries considering that his offensive coordinator will probably listen to the upset star of the team.

Watch out St. Louis.

Both MSW and MJD will be starting in my fantasy team this week.  And in a game in which the Jaguars’ entire team will look to rebound, it seems like the perfect opportunity for the pair of hyphenated names to shine like stars.

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Humiliation Comes with a Price: Jack Del Rio’s Hot Seat Gets Hotter

I don’t want to talk about the embarrassment that occurred this Sunday. I really don’t. 

I don’t want to admit that maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars are not as good as we thought. I really don’t.

I don’t want to say that our playoff chances our over. I really don’t.

I don’t want to say that Jack Del Rio needs to go. I really don’t.

Del Rio has had a decent stay here with the Jaguars, sure, but at this point it is getting rather old.

The Jack Del Rio team never plays well against teams it should beat. It doesn’t play well when it wins two games in a row. And it doesn’t play well when a coach benches a player for no reason.

Or cancels his radio show.

Let’s face it, Del Rio is strengthening this team’s chemistry. But it’s to the point where the players will rebel against him, the head, just to prove a point.

The Jaguars are not this bad, folks. They aren’t. Sure, the Seahawks may be a better team, but at the least that game should have been a close matchup.

So why do they lose by a 41-0 drubbing?

There is massive speculation by many reporters that the Jacksonville team is trying for mutiny of the bounty, trying to get Del Rio to at least reform or, at worst, leave forever.  

Sure, they played fantastically last week after David Garrard’s radio show, but the suspension of Mike Sims-Walker almost put me over the edge.

This is PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL, not pee-wee or high school, where, if a player breaks a certain rule, they should be held out of a quarter or half.

No, Sims-Walker was held out of an ENTIRE GAME. You don’t hold one of your best players out for an entire game unless something major happened. I would have been perfectly fine with holding him out for a quarter or even a half. But not the WHOLE GAME. And for what? A violation of team rules. 

Let’s be real, people. Why do you think the Jaguars wouldn’t reveal the rule broken by Sims-Walker?

Probably because it was a stupid, non-important rule, and Del Rio, trying to assert himself over a rookie team, suspended Walker.

And look at the result. Sims-Walker is no Maurice Jones-Drew, but he is probably the second best offensive player on the team. 

Without Sims-Walker, Garrard couldn’t do anything with the ball.

Lets also think here:

Didn’t it seem funny that instead of trying to go score the touchdown early in the game, Garrard threw it away?

Didn’t it seem funny his passes just always seemed to miss?

Didn’t it seem funny Rashean Mathis had his worst game of his career?

Didn’t it seem funny that MJD didn’t have a great game against a mediocre defense, which also includes the offensive line?

Didn’t it seem funny that a team that valiantly fought back against the Cardinals gave up so quickly against Seattle?

Hmmm…

Coincidence?

I’ll leave that up to you.

So what does that mean we should do to Del Rio?

I have always been a Jack Del Rio fan, and I respected him for holding out Mike Peterson and yelling at Henderson for not stepping it up. I really thought he was not too bad of a coach. But I think that the line just snapped.

Not only is he hurting the team, he’s hurting the business of the team.

I personally guarantee that the next Jaguars game will be blacked out.

And if the Jaguars had won the game, then I don’t think it that would be the case.

It’s that simple.

Not only does he need to leave, there are a number of great coaches out there that would be PERFECT for the Jaguars.

Bill Cower: Run-heavy football team, solid defense. This Jaguars team could benefit largely from this, and it might finally fix the pass rush.

Marty Schottenheimer: Look, I know he fails in the playoffs, but at this point, I want to see a team win some games. And his pound-the-rock philosophy would be perfect for the Jaguars.

Not to mention Mike Shanahan, Tony Dungy, Mike Holmgren, or even Brian Billick.

For Del Rio, the hot seat just got really, really hot.

He better hope a different team shows up in St. Louis next week.

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The Business of Football: Can The Jaguars Ticket Sales Increase?

The emergence of the Jaguars offense, and defense for that matter, in the past two weeks has ushered in the question of how good this team is, and the question that everyone wants to know, are they a playoff caliber team? Or will they make the playoffs?

And here is were the speculation begins.  But lost in the feelings of reemergance as a solid, confident team, is the positive business acts that have occured for the Jaguars in the recent weeks. 

Sure, the Jaguars ticket sales may be down at an all time low, causing people to fear rellocation, and the loss of the team in Jacksonville.  But the point is, there is signs of change in the air.

I was visiting NFL.com, a site not often known for its Jaguar advertisements.  I was looking at Rookie of the Year tape interested in whether Derek Cox, the young rookie corner who leads all rookies in intercpetions, was mentioned as a candidate.

Shockingly, as the preivew for the rookie of the year program was being played before the actual segement, I saw another Jaguar at the podium.

It was not Maurice Jones-Drew, who seems to have made NFL Network his second home.

It was a Jaguars rookie not drafted in the first or second round.  It was the rookie of the year trophy advertisment and Mike Thomas, the Jaguars third round pick was the begining and ending of the segement.

And then on the episode of Playbook I heard the Mike Thomas name again, from Solomon Wilcox who stated that he really liked the rookie Thomas.

Not to mention another Mike, Mike Sims-Walker, who seems to be on every fantasy sleeper/riser board on every single website.  His presence is undeniable on the field, and on these websites.

Oh and did we mention Marcedes Lewis and David Garrard rising up on fantasy websites?

The bottom line is the Jacksonville Jaguars are gaining a state of publicity that they havent had for years.  A team that is enjoyable fun and lively.  A team that doesnt win games 9-0 but 37-17.

The bottom line is that teams that win sell tickets.  In 2007, none of the Jaguars home games were blacked out. Why?  Becuase they won football games.

And this year, the Jaguars look to be regaining the winning tradition.  

This is what should fix the ticket problems in Jacksonville.  And it should happen with fire because two things will happen at once.

To stay as far away from politics as I can, the economy should begin to climb back in the positive direction, and as for the Jaguars, the most certainly will climb in the positive direction.

 

 

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The Business of Football: Can the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Ticket Sales Increase?

The emergence of the Jaguars offense, and defense for that matter, in the past two weeks has ushered in the question of how good this team is, and the question that everyone wants to know, are they a playoff caliber team? Or will they make the playoffs?

And here is were the speculation begins.  But lost in the feelings of reemergence as a solid, confident team, is the positive business acts that have occurred for the Jaguars in the recent weeks. 

Sure, the Jaguars’ ticket sales may be down at an all-time low, causing people to fear re-location, and the loss of the team in Jacksonville.  But the point is, there are signs of change in the air.

I was visiting nfl.com, a site not often known for its Jaguar advertisements.  I was looking at Rookie of the Year tape interested in whether Derek Cox, the young rookie corner who leads all rookies in interceptions, was mentioned as a candidate.

Shockingly, as the preview for the rookie of the year program was being played before the actual segment, I saw another Jaguar at the podium.

It was not Maurice Jones-Drew, who seems to have made NFL Network his second home.

It was a Jaguars rookie not drafted in the first or second round.  It was the rookie of the year trophy advertisement and Mike Thomas, the Jaguars third-round pick was the beginning and ending of the segment.

And then on the episode of Playbook, I heard the Mike Thomas name again, from Solomon Wilcox, who stated that he really liked the rookie Thomas.

Not to mention another Mike, Mike Sims-Walker, who seems to be on every fantasy sleeper/riser board on every single website.  His presence is undeniable on the field, and on these websites.

Oh and did we mention Marcedes Lewis and David Garrard rising up on fantasy web sites?

The bottom line is the Jacksonville Jaguars are gaining a state of publicity that they haven’t had for years.  A team that is enjoyable fun and lively.  A team that doesn’t win games 9-0 but 37-17.

The bottom line is that teams that win sell tickets.  In 2007, none of the Jaguars home games were blacked out. Why?  Because they won football games.

And this year, the Jaguars look to be regaining the winning tradition.  

This is what should fix the ticket problems in Jacksonville.  And it should happen with fire because two things will happen at once.

To stay as far away from politics as I can, the economy should begin to climb back in the positive direction, and as for the Jaguars, the most certainly will climb in the positive direction.

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Tale of Two Cities: Who Comes to Play Today?

The Tennessee Titans may be 0-3, but they are certainly not out of it.  Let’s put this in perspective:

If the Titans beat the Jaguars, they would become 1-3, and eclipse the Jaguars in the divisional race.  They would only move up to third place, but would trail the Texans by either half a game, or a game and a half.

However, lets look at this from a Jacksonville perspective.  A win not only destroys the Titans hope at a post-season berth, but secures the place in second in the division.

And with a Colts loss, which would not seem too likely, but just in case, the Jaguars would be within a game and a half of the Colts.

Either way, its a must-win for both teams.

And that’s why I think the Titans will win this game.

Yes I can’t believe I’m writing this down on paper, but it is what I expect to occur.

It seems like the typical Jaguars, the team who looks so good one week, and so bad the next.

Its the team that held the Colts to 14 points but then followed up the effort surrendering 31 points.

Its the team that played pitifully through the air in the first 6 quarters, then followed it up with a stellar offensive performance in the last 6 quarters.

Its the team that crashes our hopes and begins to ring the Tebow bell, then one week later has us talking playoffs.

So now that were in playoff mode, the Jaguars should disappoint us.

Or will they?

This is the true test of Jack Del Rio.  This is the true test for Gene Smith.  This is the true test for this team. 

Last years nightmare began the same way.  A win over the Colts in week three suddenly bolster us to the top of the world.  Only to fall quickly back down.

But this team is different.  There’s no question about that.  Or is there?

We shall see tomorrow at 1 o’clock Eastern.

 

Breakdown

Jaguars Offense vs. Titans Defense:

The Jaguars offense has clicked offensively in the past six quarters.  Logic would suggest that it should continue, but then again, the Jaguars are facing the number two rush defense in the league.  And this is what makes things interesting. 

Which strength will break?  Or is that really the question?  No my friends, the question is which team’s weakness will play better? My opinion is the Jaguars passing game will thrive. 

Garrard is beginning to get away from throwing to just MJD, and more importantly No. 11 is finally beginning to emerge.  Yes, Mike Sims-Walker is beginning to look like the guy that we all swore would be the next Jimmy Smith. 

And I believe Garrard gets it done and keeps the Jaguars in the game.  Maybe for once, the passing game will set up the run.

Titans Offense vs. Jaguars Defense:

Though the Titans offense has not been hitting on all cylinders, they still are a team that is very dangerous.  Well, in the running game at least.  Chris Johnson is better than I thought he would be.

Correction, Chris Johnson is better at getting big gains then I thought he would be.  Johnson can be stopped, but you must contain him. 

The question is can the Jaguars do that?  Depends on which defense shows up to play. 

Many experts think that it will be Collins day to shine, considering the fact that the Jaguars are ranked last in pass defense.

But when you look at who they’ve played, it seems obvious to me why they are, any defense would give up numbers against Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Reggie Wayne (and Anquan Boldin). 

The Titans are a major downgrade offensively (through the air at least) from the previous teams the Jaguars have played.

Other Notes:

The Jaguars have been good this year at forcing turnovers and not giving up turnovers, at +2, I believe.  The Titans are quite the opposite as two special teams fumbles cost them in the game against the Jets.

Pick:

I hate to say this, but my gut says the Titans dominate the second half and win 28-17.

Sleeper Pick:

Mike Sims-Walker: Look for Sims-Walker to do well against a Titans defense who is also starting rookie corners

Stat of The Day: 

David Garrard 23-39 255 yards 2 TDS 1 INT

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Optimism Vs Pessimism: Which is a Jaguars Fan to Choose?

Listening to the Jaguars play-by-play, I was getting frustrated. Finally, around the third quarter, I gave up. I walked away, threw my jersey off, and took a deep breath. Shaking my head, I thought about my high hopes for the season.

Then I pulled up the Internet. I went to nfl.com and saw the Jaguars had finally scored a touchdown. I turned the radio back on, and listened to the Jaguars force a comeback.

Yet on fourth down, Nate Hughes dropped the ball on a sure touchdown. 

And what would have been one of the greatest comebacks in the NFL this season disappeared, just like that.

And so did the Jaguars’ season. 

Of course, the season is far from over—in fact, it is only week two, and there are 17 weeks of football (14 games) left to be played.

Only around 13 percent of teams who start 0-2 make the playoffs.

But was the Jaguars’ objective this season to make the playoffs, or to just show improvement?

Of course, the goal for every season should be the playoffs.

And thus begins the debate. Optimism or Pessimism?

What should we see from the Jaguars? Should we see a team that doesn’t give up, a team that exploded through the air in the second half, MJD playing like he was supposed to, and the possible emergance of Mike Sims-Walker?

Or should we see a team who let Kurt Warner throw for hundreds of yards and break the percentage-completion-in-a-game record, a team that may have been able to move the ball in the second half because the game was already seemingly over, a team who couldn’t maintain drives?

Personally, I have been leaning toward the optimistic side for the first part of the season. Yet the 31-17 score of last weekend’s game brings down the postives that were established.

It’s all perspective, my friends, and this persepective is what defines the Jaguars’ success or failure so far this season.

Take the loss to the Cardinals.

If the refs had called the pass interference, or if the field goal hadn’t been blocked, does anyone realize that the game would have been at least 24-20? The Jaguars would not be heralded as the terrible failure that people see now. 

Or what if Nate Hughes catches the touchdown? The Jaguars could have pulled off one of the greatest combacks in NFL history. 

Yet it is the bad play of the first half that reminds people of the Vikings game a year ago. 

So which perspective will the Jaguars bring out on Sunday afternoon against the Texans?

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…

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Garrard’s Time to Shine: Jagaurs-Cardinals Week Two Preview

The perception in Jacksonville is that David Garrard did not have a good game against the Colts. Correction: He did not have a good second half. 

If the game had been just the first quarter, David Garrard was playing well.

So what changed?

Well first, Garrard had two rookie tackles guarding him. He had Dwight Freeny constantly beating Monroe on the outside. He had receivers slipping.

Second, ever think it takes a little adjustment to transtition from preseason to the regular season?

Think about it this way: even though Garrard did not throw a touchdown or lead the team on the game-winning drive, he did not throw an interception. He had a so-so game, not a terrible or even bad game. He was not Jake Delhomme out there.

Yet then agian, some people ask if the excuses will ever stop for Garrard. So here is my verdict: Let’s see him play against the Cardinals, when he has pressure to perform. 

Del Rio has even put pressure on the quarterback to perform.

It’s time for Garrard to make or break. Thats the main storyline of the game.

 

Here are my ratings for last week’s game:

David Garrard: Not bad, but could be alot better. GRADE: B

MJD: Great running, but if he hadn’t had dropped that pass… GRADE: A-

O-Line: Britton looked liked the first rounded not Monroe.  But the interior line did a great job: GRADE: B-/C+ (79 percent-ish)

WR: Torry Holt looks like he was worth the money…but who else was there? GRADE: C

Secondary: Derek Cox had a great game, I don’t care what anyone says. A rookie picking off Peyton and sure he may have gotten beat for the winning touchdown,  but Peyton to Reggie is Peyton to Reggie. Cox will be good. Next year the Jaguars will be deadly at Corner. Grade: B

Defense: Odd that when the Jags switched to a 4-3 they started stopping the Colts. All I’m going to say. Mel Tucker, please watch the film and realize that our 4-3 is much better then our 3-4. Grade B

Overall: A loss, but a semi-good loss in the end. The Jaguars will not be 5-11.

 

GAME PREVIEW:

David Garrard vs. Cardinals Defense: Against the Cardinals, David Garrard has the opportunity to play under pressure now with the staff breathing down his neck. I think he capitalizes. Let’s take a trip back to his first year when he was under heavy pressure to perform. He performed brilliantly. So maybe the renewed pressure will jump-start this team. Just a hunch that Garrard will do well.

ADVANTAGE: Garrard

 

MJD vs. Cards defense:  This matchup is the most concerning. The Jaguars need to establish the running game against a team that allowed only 21 yards rushing last game. This could be concerning for the Jaguars. Look for the Jaguars to run a good number of swing passes to MJD to keep him going in the game.

ADVANTAGE: Cardinals

 

WR vs Cardinals secondary: The Cardinals secondary did not play exceptionally well in there week one loss to the 49ers but then again neither did the Jaguars. However, we should see more action from Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas. 

ADVANTAGE: Even

 

Kurt Warner vs. Jags Secondary: This matchup scares many Jags fans, but it doesn’t scare me as much. Both Steve Breston and Anquan Boldin are hurt and listed as questionable, and are central to the Cards performance. Larry Fitzgerald is a monster, so he will be open no matter who covers him. However, without Boldin and Breston, I see the Jags with the advantage. With one or both, it’s a Cardinals advantage.

ADVANTAGE: Questionable

 

Cardinals running backs vs Jags Defense: Jaguars are reestablishing themselves as a good run defense, and it should be expected to continue against Arizonia. Plus, Arizonia is much more of a throwing team, so I would expect at max 80 yards from the Arizonia backs.

ADVANTAGE: Jaguars

 

Cardinals WR vs Jags Secondary: Larry Fitzgerald is uncoverable. Even when you do cover him he can get the ball over everyone. However, the Jaguars could at least slow him down with Mathis, but if Boldins back the Jags could be in some trouble:

ADVANTAGE: Cardinals

 

Intagibles: Well, it’s in Jacksonville.  If the Cardinals east coast trip slump continues then the Jaguars could pull off a big win in front of the fans.

Final Score:

Cardinals 23, Jaguars 24

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