JAGS

[Fruit Cove]

just beat indy 27-24!!!! great game!

[wolfdawg54]

Great game is an understatement! Leftwich, Taylor, and Smith all had their best games of the season. Just a tremendous performance!

[Fruit Cove]

off topic but still football. firing of zook, good or bad for the gators. i think it was good but midseason, you think they should of waited until the season over. i found that a tad ridiculous. your thoughts?

[bobliocatt]

Everybody kind of knew Zook was going to get fired. However, I don't understand why he is still there. If I were him, I'd quit and leave now, since I already been fired. It should be interesting to see who they end up with. I wonder can they talk Spurrier into coming back.

Although, I didn't get to see the game, Sunday's victory was a big one for the Jags. The remainder of their schedule is a little easier from here on out, so they have an inside track to winning their division, if they stay focused.

[wolfdawg54]

Zook loves his players way to much to leave in mid-season. I think tha staying there is really classy! Maybe being too nice was his fatal flaw...

[scongro]

Someone needs to tell this Kansas City Reporter that his article is crap:

1. The fact that Jacksonville doesn't sell out every game has nothing to do with the city's ability to host a Super Bowl. The Dolphins never sell out (especially not this year). I guess Miami is not cut out to host the Super Bowl?

2. Many cities hosting big events use cruise ships as floating hotels; it just has never been used for a Super Bowl. Sidney and Athens for the recent Olympics are two examples

3. The reason that we don't sell out every game is simply because the stadium is too big for the market. Only a handful of teams have a stadium larger than Jacksonville's, and one of them is not Green Bay (the only market smaller than Jacksonville in the NFL)

Honestly, I expect good press from the National Media; it's the local guys that are going to rip the city (every city has their idiots).

[wolfdawg54]

I agree with you 100%. The city and the NFL are ready to try something, I think. The KC reporter maybe has never been here. He should visit before making assumptions.

[Fruit Cove]

no one noted the houston loss. 6-20...we are 5-3 for the season and first place in the afc south, with indy and houston both at 4-3 at our heels. thought id post results of all of the games so far so here it goes.

Sep 12 @Buffalo Won 13-10

Sep 19 Denver Won 7-6

Sep 26 @Tennessee Won 15-12

Oct 3 Indianapolis Lost 17-24

Oct 10 @San Diego Lost 21-34

Oct 17 Kansas City Won 22-16

Oct 24 @Indianapolis Won 27-24

Oct 31 @Houston Lost 6-20

this week is a BYE then detroit at home.

[scongro]

Since we are talking Football, here are my Predictions for the AFC playoff spots:

In the AFC East, New England will win the division.

In the AFC North, Pittsburgh will win the division.

In the AFC South, Jacksonville will win the divison , and

In the AFC West, Denver and San Diego will both make the playoffs, but I'm not guessing a Division Winner (they both have a fairly easy last four weeks).

That leaves Indianapolis, Houston, New York (Jets), and Baltimore vying for the last playoff spot:

The Jets and Colts will both MISS the playoffs. First, the Jets have looked mortal recently, and they could go 0-4 to end the season (@Pittsburgh, Seattle, New England, @St. Louis). The Colts don't have as tough of a schedule on paper (@Houston, Baltimore, San Diego, @Denver), but all of these teams will be hungry, particularly the last two: San Diego and Denver (see above) may have locked up a playoff spot by that time, but the Division title and and a home playoff game will be on the line. The last spot will be very close, but I'm going to give it to the Ravens for two reasons (1-The core of the team has played in pressure games before, and 2-Houston has a slightly tougher 2nd half schedule)

As far as the playoffs go, I'm going to go out on a limb here: The winner of the December 5th Jags-Steelers game will go to the Super Bowl.

Any thoughts??

[wolfdawg54]

That could be the case but the AFC South is going to be a footrace with Indy and Houston for Jacksonville. It will be neat to see.

[Fruit Cove]

yea i think its too early to call the afc south. who thinks that garrard will prove better than leftwitch in the next games while hes out on injury. i hope, garrard can run unlike someone.

[Fruit Cove]

While im at it:

Leftwich expected back Nov. 28

By BART HUBBUCH, The Times-Union

The Jaguars received good news today when a re-examination of quarterback Byron Leftwich's left knee showed he will not need surgery and likely will miss just two games, coach Jack Del Rio said.

Del Rio added that Leftwich could return in time for the Jaguars' Nov. 28 trip to Minnesota. David Garrard will take over as the Jaguars' starter this Sunday at home against Detroit.

Garrard has thrown just 60 passes in his three-year NFL career and will be making his first regular-season start since the 2002 finale.

Leftwich sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his knee in the second quarter of the Jaguars' 20-6 loss to Houston on Oct. 31. He was re-examined by Jaguars team physician Carlos Tandron this morning.

Team physician Carlos Tandron (left) and head athletic trainer Michael Ryan (top) look at the left knee of the Jaguars' Byron Leftwich after the quarterback's injury in Houston.

RICK WILSON/The Times-Union

[wolfdawg54]

They are two different types of quarterbacks. They are almost uncomparable because Leftwich has an amzing arm and is not very mobile. Gerrard likes to be able to run the football and relies more on short passes to his receivers. it is almost too difficult to tell.

[zed]

I think it will be interesting to see Garrard at QB. With Leftwich in there they run too many plays out of shotgun and tend to have a weak running game. Hopefully they can put Garrard under center and start running the ball more, hopefully offsetting any loss in passing offense. Of course, Fred Taylor seems a little banged up so that might hamper such plans..

With Garrard's contract coming up he's basically auditioning for a chance to start somewhere (probably not Jax) next year. Hopefully he will make the most of it!

[wolfdawg54]

I think the running game is developing. Fred Taylor is an extremely tough, talented back. What is the issue is the offensive line that is really banged up. They are the ones that carry Taylor's running game. Today, they need to focus on opening the holes for Mr. Taylor.

[bobliocatt]

I didn't get a chance to see the game today, but it sounds like Garrard had a very good game for his first start......2TDs, 0 INTs!

[Fruit Cove]

23-17 win. our special teams needs serious improvement. they let 2 touchdowns be scored on punt returns by the same guy.

[wolfdawg54]

Fire the punt coverage team. All other aspects of the game were very impressive. The Defense allowed less than 200 total yards against them and the offense speaks for itself. The punt team was the flaw.

[Fruit Cove]

jimmy smith article, its alright.

Jags WR stats call for hall?

Smith has been hot, but likely needs more catches, Super Bowl trip to join list of NFL's finest.

By VITO STELLINO, The Times-Union

For Jimmy Smith, the numbers are more eye-popping with every game.

With his seven-catch performance Sunday against the Detroit Lions, the Jaguars' veteran wide receiver passed James Lofton's total of 764 catches and now has caught more passes than any receiver in the Hall of Fame except Steve Largent.

Smith is at 767. Largent finished his career with 819 receptions so, barring injuries, Smith should have no trouble catching him.

That means Smith, whose 38-yard game-winning catch last Sunday was nominated for NFL play-of-the-week honors, will be in the debate five years after he retires when it comes time to judge whether he had a Hall of Fame career.

Despite his gaudy statistics, Smith probably needs three or four more big years -- and at least a 1,000 catches and maybe a Super Bowl appearance -- if he's to get serious consideration.

That's because the bar has been raised in recent years.

For example, three receivers, Jerry Rice (1,528), Cris Carter (1,101) and Tim Brown (1,090), have passed the 1,000-catch mark.

Andre Reed, who retired in 2000 with 951 catches, and Art Monk, who retired in 1995 with 940, have been rejected by the voters up to this point.

A poll of five members of the 38-voter panel shows that only one, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, appears to be leaning toward Smith.

"I may vote for him,'' King said. "I certainly will consider him strongly with he comes up. He has very good hands, good toughness, excellent route-running and he's a consistent playmaker.''

But King, who said he doubts he'll vote for Reed, said numbers are no longer the main criteria.

"I think [Reed] belongs in the Hall of Very Good, but I'm not sure he belongs in the Hall of Fame," King said. "In 10 years, I bet there will be 10 guys with 950 or 1,000 catches. What do we do? Put them all in? I don't think we can. I think we have to look for receivers who had special qualities or who contributed indelibly to championship teams.''

One of Smith's problems is that he hasn't played in a Super Bowl. Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said, "There's no Super Bowls and nothing sticks out as a signature Jimmy Smith play.''

Grossi said he has an open mind on Smith, although he'd have to be persuaded.

Three voters, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com and Ira Miller of the San Francisco Chronicle, don't appear to be ready to consider Smith at this time.

"Right now, he's not on my radar screen,'' Bouchette said.

"My initial reaction would be no," Pasquarelli said "I don't know where we're going to set the bar for wide receivers.''

Miller said he wouldn't vote for Smith.

"Every selection meeting for the last several years, we've been discussing wide receivers, and you can't be mesmerized by stats," Miller said. "If you just went by the stats, you wouldn't have to vote.''

Smith conceded the fact he hasn't played in a Super Bowl is a problem.

"The Hall of Fame is kind of political," Smith said. "The guys who win a lot of Super Bowls, those are the guys who get the first bids. Guys who have a lot of stats but not a lot of Super Bowl experience are guys on the second and third ballots."

Michael Irvin had 750 catches in Dallas but probably has a better shot than Smith because he won three Super Bowl rings.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said Smith shouldn't be judged until his entire body of work is in the record books.

"I know this: He's playing absolutely lights out for us right now,'' Del Rio said.

If Smith leads the Jaguars to a Super Bowl or gets 1,000 catches, his chances will be enhanced.

At 35, Smith shows no signs of slowing down and said, "I'll play for a long time.''

Smith said he's not likely to play past 40, the way Rice has done, because he wants to spend more time with his family.

"My kids are growing up right before my eyes,'' Smith said.

Smith is 12th on the all-time reception list and 14th on the yardage list with 10,904 yards.

"I just think it's an honor to look up and say, 'Hey I'm ranked among the best who ever played this game,'" he said.

And Smith said he isn't focused on the Hall of Fame.

"It doesn't matter to me right now," Smith said. "I'm just happy to be out there with these guys in this locker room. The Hall of Fame is a great honor, but right now, I'm not thinking about that. I'm trying to focus on this season and trying to make it to the ultimate show. That's the Super Bowl."

Smith also said he appreciates playing because he was cut early in his career by the Cowboys.

"I've been through a lot," Smith said. "I've had my lows. I was cut sitting at home just wishing I could get back out there. That's something that really stuck with me. I've got a book to write."

First, he hopes he still has a lot of football to play.

vito.stellinojacksonville.com, (904) 359-4279

Jaguars receiver Jimmy Smith (82) catches his breath as he celebrates with mascot Jaxson de Ville and teammate Ernest Wilford (19) after Smith's game-winning TD against Detroit.

RICK WILSON/The Times-Union

[wolfdawg54]

Let's see how we do against a scary Tennessee team. They are a dangerous team because of the position they are in. Since their post-season is a longshot, they are looking to upset teams.

[93sportie]

well,we stunk it up today.We apparently play,only, to the level of thec opponent.Ohhh. I am PO'ed.

[wolfdawg54]

Tennessee is a very dangerous team and they proved it today. The Jaguars did not bring their A game. No aspect of the game looked good at all. All three areas had the chance to take it from the Titans but never did. It is a shame. And what about Peyton Manning...

[Dale]

Yeah, and they have to play the Vikes nxt Sunday, right ?

[wolfdawg54]

I believe so and also Pittsburgh is coming soon.

[Fruit Cove]

well season over, 9-7. not too bad, its unforunate we didnt end up in the playoffs. but it looks as if another new era is about to occur with the firing of our offensive coordinator. its about time, i read somewhere we only averaged about 16 points a game. pathetic. anyway i couldnt do better so i guess its all good. i look forward to camp del rio in the summer.