I don't know whether it's Jacksonville's disappointing start or the thick of a school year underway, but it's been a while since I've written.
After a brutal six-game stretch that included the Colts, Broncos, Titans, Steelers, and a first-place Bills team, the Jaguars actually sit in decent shape with their next three games consisting of 2-4 Cleveland, 0-7 Cincinnati, and 0-6 Detroit (not a bad time for a bye week and the soft part of the schedule, eh?) before hosting a rematch with Division leader, the Tennessee Titans, which already sounds like the type of game that could change a season if everything goes well.
Coming off what was probably the Jags' best win of the season (24-17 over a sliding Broncos team), the Jags passing game remains quite solid, despite their lack of a big-play threat at receiver. The running game has been spotty, but steadily improving. With RBs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew splitting time flanking QB David Garrard, one has to think the offensive line is as much responsible with the way the running game goes as the running backs are. If no other question has been answered, it does seem that Garrard is a mainstay as a quality starting QB in the league. The defense seems to be a "bend-but-not-break" type unit, often giving up touchdowns that look easy early in a game, but somehow coming up with enough key stops to make the game winnable in the end. Kicker Josh Scobee is as good as it gets in the NFL it seems, and the rest of the special teams have been adequate.
None of these characteristics are exactly the Super Bowl-winning formula, but with a few breaks and injury avoidances, the Jags could ride into the late season playing in stride the way they did a year ago. And everyone knows, after making the playoffs, anything can happen. Now, talking playoffs at 3-3 is a bit of a stretch (Jim Mora's "Playoffs?! rampage comes to mind)," but things certainly look more hopeful than they did a couple weeks ago after the home loss to Pittsburgh.
A home win against the Browns is to be expected, but the way this year has been going (Rams anyone?!!), nothing is to be taken for granted. The margin of error is still small for the Jags, and there is no reason they should come away from the next three match-ups with anything less than three "W's."
I guess we'll see.
Keywords: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, David Garrard, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Fred Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jim Mora, Josh Scobee, Maurice Jones-Drew, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans
