Jaguars "Rebuilding" posted by Kevin James

           The word of the day is rebuilding. rebuilding is when a team, in a sense, starts with a clean slate. it is most often characterized by releasing players, acquiring new, mostly younger, players and often involves coaching changes. several sources include members of the jaguars staff, bloggers, and even nfl.com have implied or directly stated that the jags are in a rebuilding stage. this is supported by the fact that some keys veterans have been cut (i.e fred taylor, paul spicer) and that younger players are being added to the roster. this means that as fans we must remain patient as our players begin to grow and develop into a team in title contension. that is great news but i don't really like the concept of a team trying to rebuild. when a team states that they're rebuilding, they're telling the world that they are lowering their standards for the next couple of years. they're saying that they will be satisfied with a 9-7 year and maybe  make  the playoffs only to be eliminated in the first round. i'm not saying that i wont be satisfied with that. it's better than last year. what i'm saying is that we can't aim that low. if Jack Del Rio was in an interview or at a press conference it would be better for him to say that they "...are trying a new approach" then saying that they're rebuilding. but all in all i'm excited for a new year and another chance for the cats to bring home the lombardi. maybe thats just me.

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Being a Jacksonville Jaguars fan posted by Kevin James

The word of the day is fanship. Fanship is the act or state of being a fan. I participate in fanship. You participate in fanship. We all participate in it. Personally, I participate in it in relation to different teams in different leagues. Among these are the Jacksonville Jaguars. I live in Jacksonville. There is much pride for the Big Cats and much scrutiny of them in this city. You’d be hard-pressed to hear me scrutinizing the jags. The jags will always be held dear to me. In fact I was a jaguars fan before I liked football. I began playing football in the 6th grade and was a fan since the 2nd. I remember people talking bad about the jags right before they fired Tom Coughlin. I stood up for the jaguars. I remember the hype about the new coaching change and the negative opinions of Del Rio. I stood up for him. I told them he would do a good job. And now even as I have grown, I carry the same mentality. When I’m at the mall, I can hear a stranger standing thirty feet away say something bad about the jaguars as he passes Football Fanatics and I will began to ball my fists up. Or when I’m at school and I see a Titans shirt, I began to grind my teeth. In fact, if you were to ask my friends, they’d say I tell non-jaguar fans to move out of Jacksonville. This is because I am a fan. If you’ve ever been a fan of anything in your life, you know this feeling. That is fanship.

Now that you’ve learned the meaning of fanship, it’s time for to let you know more about my feelings about the jags, feelings that can only be expressed through ALL CAPITAL LETTERS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS BABY!!!!!! GO JAGS!!! WHOO!!! 19-0 THIS YEAR!!! F*** PEYTON MANNING, MARVIN HARRISON, ANTHONY GONZALEZ, DALLAS CLARK, BOB SANDERS, DWIGHT FREENEY, ANDRE JOHNSON, STEVE SLATON, MATT SCHAUB, KERRY COLLINS, VINCE YOUNG, AND KEITH BULLUCK!!!! JAGS BABY!!!!

Patriots Fans Embrace the Hate! posted by Mike Dussault

Part of me thought that Commissioner Goodell coming out today and answering a bunch of direct questions about "Spygate" would do something to cool off the conspiracy theorists. But alas it has not. I shouldn't be surprised. It is in our roots to want to take down the guy on top. It just so happens that my favorite team is on top right now and thus Spygate will never die. The facts are out there and the New England Patriots received a significant punishment, fans can believe what they want to.
I had assumed that the tapes went back to the start of the Belichick era in New England, but they actually only went back to late in the 2006 season. I guess there were notes collected as well that went further back that were destroyed as well, Goodell didn't elaborate on those but seemed satisfied that they had all been accounted for. He stated unequivically that none of the Super Bowls were in question. I can live with that. The fact that a Jets coach waves directly to camera on one of the tapes says a lot. There was no secret that this was going on and that had to limit how much help stealing signals actually could be. 
Did every team in the NFL do this? Absolutely not. Did some besides the Patriots? Absolutely. When they got caught those who weren't doing it pounced. That's why we got so many statements from coaches like the Indianapolis Colts Tony Dungy denouncing it. Clearly Dungy had to know that some teams did it, and most likely had to take preventitive steps against it. It was probably a nuisance more than anything else. 
In the hyper-competitive NFL it's clear that no team is more competitive than the New England Patriots. Their success alone is evidence to that and clearly it runs through all aspects of the organization, to a level where they try to manipulate every single factor possible into their favor. Could what the Patriots did be truly classified as cheating? Sure. But not to a level where they had an kind of advanage over everyone else. Some want to paint a picture of the Pats knowing a team's plays before they ran them. That's lunacy. Not to mention if any Head Coach allowed them to do that they didn't belong in the NFL.
Continue reading "Patriots Fans Embrace the Hate!"

Patriots Media Day Thoughts, News and Observations posted by Mike Dussault

Media Day at the Super Bowl is an absolute circus. Rich Eisen goes into great detail in his new book about exactly what goes down there. NFL.com is streaming the whole shebang live and it looks exactly like Eisen describes it. Some things that have stood out to me so far today...
- File this one in the "Just Happy to Be Here" files... the New York Giants getting off the plane with a majority of them holding video cameras recording it all for posterity. "This was the highlight of the Super Bowl for us, kids, getting off the plane". Most of them took Antonio Pierce's advice and wore all black suits. Did it not occur to them that it looked like they were arriving at their own funeral? I will point out many of the Patriots had cameras at Media Day, just not getting off of the plane. Still, I think it says something about the Giants.
- I've become a big fan Michael Strahan this week. Always respected him as a player but even moreso after hearing him talk so much this week. The guys tells it like it is and has a great sense of humor. I can't get enough of him.
- When asked who would play him and Randy Moss in a movie, New England Patriots quarterback said Mel Gibson then changed it to Tom Hanks for himself and Denzel Washington for Randy. Who's he kidding? Brady's such a pimp he would probably play himself. 
- Randy Moss said that he would like to finish his career as a Patriot. Now he just has to take a below market offer or put his money where his mouth is. I know there are a lot of teams out there (Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers) that would love to snag him.
Continue reading "Patriots Media Day Thoughts, News and Observations"

Tom Brady's High Ankle Sprain-Gate: The Perfect Non-Story to Keep Distractions Limited posted by Mike Dussault

Tom Jackson appeared almost upset today on ESPN's NFL Countdown. He was convinced that New England Patriots QB Tom Brady is not injured and the Pats are playing games with the media and trying to use  the leaked photos from last week to their advantage. I happen to agree with him. All year the Pats have been victims of weekly controversies. Rightly so on some weeks (Spygate - San Diego Chargers, Rodney Harrison HGH - New York Jets), not so much on others (Run Up the Score Gate - Washington Redskins , Randy Moss Hurt-My-Finger Gate - Jacksonville Jaguars). 
The point is that this week the Patriots are CONTROLLING the controversy, instead of playing the victim.  They kept Tom Brady completely isolated from the Press. We know for sure he didn't practice at all on Thursday and missed at least the first portion of practice on Friday. Brady's street clothes and white sneakers were laid out in front of his locker in an almost theatrical way. Then today, just as the controversy was starting to die down another report in the Boston Herald comes out saying Brady was seen "limping" around Boston earlier in the weekend. The fires are relit. Is it true? Maybe is Brady actually really injured? Every player seems 100% confident and completely unconcerned about Brady's chances of playing in the Super Bowl. But this is the controversy that won't die, and it's almost conveniently taken any kind of spotlight off of Randy Moss, (whose lawyer will be in Florida tomorrow for the hearing on "H-M-F Gate").
The Patriots have done a good job Continue reading "Tom Brady's High Ankle Sprain-Gate: ..."

Keys to Jag's crushing Pat's historic run posted by Pete Grein

Can the Jacksonville Jaguars disrupt the Patriots pursuit of perfection tomorrow night? The answer is Yes and here's how. BE PHYSICAL! It's gonna be cold up there in Foxborough...real cold, with the projected temp. at kickoff set around 34 degrees and expected to feel like 28! Therefore, the Jag's must own the running game. We know Garrard, although efficient (18 TDs/ 3 Ints), is not going to out-produce Brady and the receiving tandem of Williams and Northcutt is not that of Moss/ Welker; so, it MUST be first time Pro-bowler Fred Taylor and 2nd-year man Maurice Jones-Drew who come up big. The two combined to be the league's 2nd most prolific rushing duo, averaging 123 yds/gm, behind the Vikings Chester Taylor and record breaking rookie Adrian Peterson. So, they CAN do it! And, the Pat's 10th ranked rushing D has looked suspect, at times, towards the end of the season. If these two backs can get off, it will minimize the time that Brady and Moss have to exploit a defensive backfield that has been weak against the big play. 

Second, Jax has to dominate the line of scrimmage on D. This means disrupting the Brady/ Moss connection. DE Paul Spicer has to come up big to back up his post-"spy-gate" comments by pressuring Brady and limiting the time his big play receivers have to get open down field. Next, Rasheen Mathis has to press Moss not allowing him to get off the line clean and when he does catch the ball or come across the middle, hit him hard. Basically, they have to get in Moss's head and disrupt the timing of this historic combo in order to stop their historic run. 

NFL Divisional Playoffs posted by Jim Beviglia

Well, the Divisional playoffs are upoon us and I thought I'd tell you what will happen so you won't have to watch.

First up is Seattle and Green Bay, and a lot is being made about the weather being a big factor.  Well, I think it will be a factor for both teams, because, Ryan Grant's late season success notwithstanding, I think both teams will have to fling it.  I think Seattle has been playing well enough to habg close in here, and if you're looking for an upset this weekend, look no further.  (Don't let my Viking affiliation make you think I'm biased here.  Would it amuse me to see Mike Homgren getting the Gatorade shower in Lambeau?  OK, maybe just a little.)

Next up in the Saturday night game, it's the Pats-Jags.  Personally, I'll be taking in an 8:00 showing of Juno at the local cineplex, because I think this one is blowout city.  Am I the only one who isn't compelled by the Pats quest for an unbeaten season?  I think it's dull the way they're plowing through everyone.  But I can't see the Jags staying close, especially if the Pats score 21 quick ones in the first quarter.  (Full disclosure:  I have Tom Brady in my postseason Fantasy pool, so I've crossed over to the dark side.)

The Chargers-Colts game is the one I can't get a handle on.  Is Vegas trying to bait people into taking the Chargers with that big 9-point line.  After all, the Chargers beat the Colts only a few months back.  Everybody's talking about how the Chargers opassing game came to life against the Titnas, but it produced only 17 points.  If they only put up 17 against Indy, they'll get waxed.

We Now Have Proof Positive That Bear's Management is Nuts!! posted by Paul Novak

"Each one of them (Bears' quarterbacks) played good football at some point in time." That from Chicago Bear's General Manager Jerry Angelo a few days ago.

Yeah Jerr, Grossman threw for 4 TDs and 7 interceptions, Griese had 10 TDs and 12 interceptions, while Orton topped the TD to interception ratio with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions. And the highest rating among them? Griese with a - wait for it - 75.6!! Wow! Alright Jerr. Yeah, we can see what you're saying.

Yes, they each played some good football at one time or another. Unfortunately it was in high school! 

This is the big problem with Bear's management. They're so satisfied with mediocre, they don't know "Good", let alone "Excellent" anymore. How about if we could at least say that all of them played "Outstanding" football at one time or another, like most other NFL quarterbacks? And with ratings and TD to interception ratios like all three of them had, how could anyone possibly be satisfied?  

Angelo went on to say that they'd "like to have Grossman back in the mix" and that "we've got to get the (quarterback) position stabilized."  Why? to the first one, and "Duh" to the second! Well, thank goodness after only 18 years and 22 quarterbacks, good ol' Jerr is recognizing that they have to stabilize the quarterback position. And I'm sure you'll all give a big hurrah to the fact that us fans will have to deal with Griese, Orton and Grossman again next year!

Yes, I have to admit that Angelo held out a little hope for doing something in next year's draft to bolster the team. However, he didn't say what position. "We'll look at anything" is not exactly the specific type of statement you'd expect from a General Manager who's team has just gone 7-9. Do they not have some idea of what they need - besides an NFL quarterback? And how does that statement mix with the fact that they want all three existing QBs back? You mean we're going to have 4 quarterbacks next year? How about getting rid of a couple and use the money to actually, you know, get a good one??

Steeler Playoff Letdown posted by William Lindner

Every part of the team is somewhat to blame for the loss to the Jaguars. It is easy to point to certain areas - turnovers, penalties, play calling, etc. However, it really come down to poor execution on two key plays. First, the tackle missed a block on the Roethlisberger sweep on third down. Had he made the block and opened up a lane for Big ben, then we would be talking about how the Steelers would be trying to stop Tom Brady this week.

The second mistake, and in my opinion the worst error, happened on Garrad's long run which set up their game-winning field goal. One of the Steelers' defenders (I'm not sure who), missed a tackle on Garrard allowing him to run about 30 more yards. You can't totally miss a tackle like that. I mean, he totally whiffed; didn't lay one finger on Garrard. To me, it was the equivalent of a major-league baseball player dropping a popup. Had he made that tackle, then all the other mistakes from the game would have been forgotten and the Steelers would still be playing. 

Patriots/Jaguars Comes Down to This posted by Mike Dussault

The media is pretty much in agreement as to how the Jacksonville Jaguars can beat the New England Patriots this weekend. Star running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor must control the game, something that seems possible against New England's aging middle linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau who have at times appeared susceptible to the run this year. If the Jags can run the ball consistently, they will keep the Pats vaunted offense off the field and give themselves a solid chance to win. However history is not on their side.

Since the Patriots first Super Bowl run in 2001 New England has only given up an average of 93 rushing yards per playoff game. Only three times in fourteen games have they given up over 100 yards, against Pittsburgh in the 2004 AFC Championship (163), against San Diego in last years AFC Divisional game (156) and against Indianapolis in last years AFC Championship (125). Yet the Pats still won two of those three and probably should've won all three of them if not for the meltdown at Indy.

Traditionally New England's defense has buttoned up when January rolls around. Clearly winning playoff football begins with shutting down the run and the Pats have been able to do that. Though much has been made of the Pats linebackers being old and slow, very little is being said about their defensive line. Richard Seymour, Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork are all first round picks and more than capable of winning the battle in the trenches. This makes the job for Bruschi, Seau, Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas that much easier. Seymour is just starting to return to his Pro Bowl form after missing the first six games rehabbing off-season knee surgery. Wilfork is going to his first Pro Bowl. Warren came into his own last year and has had another solid year. Let's not forget about Jarvis Green either who did a great job filling in for Seymour at the start of the season and comes off the bench in pass rush situations, or if the Pats open up in a 4-3 defense which is always a possibility. Their D-line is young and powerful and the main building block from which Bill Belichick contructed this defense.

Jags trade WR Northcutt to Lions for S Alexander

The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded receiver Dennis Northcutt to the Detroit Lions for safety Gerald Alexander.The deal was finalized Tuesday after both players passed physicals.Northcutt gives the Lions a veteran receiver opposite rising star Calvin Johnson.Alexander, a second-round pick in 2007, gives Jacksonville depth in the secondary. He started 16 games as a rookie, but missed most of last year following a neck injury. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for NFL

Jaguars deal WR Northcutt to Lions (AP)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded receiver Dennis Northcutt to the Detroit Lions for safety Gerald Alexander. The deal was finalized Tuesday after both players passed physicals. Northcutt gives the Lions a veteran receiver opposite rising star Calvin Johnson. Alexander, a second-round pick in 2007, gives Jacksonville depth in the secondary. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Jaguars release CB James, TE Davis (AP)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have released veteran cornerback William James and first-year tight end Charles Davis. James is a third-round draft pick of the New York Giants in 2001. He was signed by the Jaguars as a veteran free agent on Sept. 1 and played in eight games with one start last season. Davis has spent parts of the last two seasonson the Jaguars' practice squad after signing on December... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Henderson says injury real, wants to play for Jags

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson wants to make it clear: He's not faking an injury, he's committed to the Jacksonville Jaguars and eager to return to form.Henderson missed his third consecutive practice Thursday because of a dislocated shoulder, an injury coach Jack Del Rio questioned earlier in the week.Henderson insisted the injury is legit and said he and Del Rio worked out their differences in a private meeting. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for NFL

Jaguars sign veteran S McCree (AP)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed veteran safety Marlon McCree, bringing him back to where he began his career. The Jaguars also waived defensive tackle Nader Abdallah and safety Kevin Patterson on Thursday. McCree likely will be the primary backup to starting safeties Reggie Nelson and Sean Considine this fall. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports