SB Nation - Gerald Alexander

Miami@Jacksonville The View from the Stadium

Tkopa — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:25:32 -0000

It was a good day at the stadium, Oh yea, we lost. Sorry. You know what? I am not that disappointed. This team played very hard right to the end. We didn't have all of our muscle in today and even if we did, Miami has a lot of muscle. Miami looks to be rounding out as a playoff caliber team. We are not quite there yet, but we aren't as far off as we were a few weeks ago. We could have won, we almost won. In fact, the defense took it to them hard. If we had one more play on offense our playoff hopes would be strongly alive. That's OK, the Jaguars are OK, so let's take a look at it. By the way, if you stare hard enough at this picture you can see Jonathan and Collin, but you have to look for a long time to see them.

The game didn't start out very well. Jaxson DeVille got hung up on his high-wire act and hung upside down for almost 10 minutes as they tried to figure out how to get him down. As Curtis Dvorak hung 100 feet up over a stadium in a mascot outfit, I wonder if this thought passed his mind "How did my life come to this?".

In the first quarter, the Jaguars were just as hung up. I think Miami had the ball for 12 minutes and the Jaguars got to run all of 6 plays. It was clear Miami was the better team coming out of the gate. One thing about Miami since Bill took over, they are physical. I think the beating Houston gave David took a toll as David did not look sharp. The Dolphins smelled blood.

By the middle of the second quarter the dominance was complete. Miami drove down again and scored on a Chad Henne roll-out. Chad would begin a streak of 17 straight completions that the Jaguars struggled to stop. Everything was open for Miami, runs up the middle, reverses and receivers. We were dead. It was a complete beat down in the making.

Then something began to happen. The offense woke up. The blocking got better and the running and passing began to happen. Maurice ripped off a nine yard run and then Jennings ripped off a ten yard run. Both up the middle. At the goal line we saw what might have been Greg Jones final important play. He held open the Miami defense just long enough to get MJD through.

The defense woke up at this point. Miami had 14 points and the defense said that was enough. They began to get to Chad Henne and rattle him. Hitting began to happen and the ball began to come out. Gerald Alexander forced a fumble and Anthony Smith recovered it. Both of those guys have been playing very well and we have the nucleus of a very good defense in the making. 14-7 Miami at halftime.

Third quarter was one of the most fun quarters of football to watch in the stadium this season. Derrick Harvey set the tone of the second half with a huge sack. He played really well again today.

With the defense beginning their shutdown, the offense had to pick it up. The field was soggy and Maurice slipped a lot. No excuse, Ricky Williams got his 100 yards, but Maurice couldn't do it. They had him running back punts today and nothing good happened. Then lighting struck. Torry Holt pulled a vanishing move and reappeared behind the defense. David scrambled to his right and launched a ball that seemed to move in slow motion. The tension was amazing as we watched the high arc and the ever so slow decent. Please Torry please!!!

Got it! If I blew up this photo you could see the size of his hands. They look like a bushel basket. Torry didn't score but another catch of his had the Jaguars on the 8 yard line. Since they had their quota of red zone touchdowns for the game, it was time for a field goal.

Miami punts, Jacksonville punts, Gerald Alexander forces another fumble and recovers. We are on the 35 yard line. Just get a field goal, please! We can't move the ball and punt. Scobee for 57 yards? I would have tried it.

Miami punts and then the Jaguars fail to convert on fourth down while on the Miami 45 yard line. All we wanted was a field goal, please! Miami ball, Derrick Cox intercepts! A beautiful interception by the 103 best corner back in the draft. Once again, the Jaguars can't move the ball and punt. The defense holds and forces Miami to punt. The Jaguars fail to convert on fourth down again.

The defense had given the offense the ball four times to get 2 field goals or one touchdown. There was no way it was going to happen. Why did it end this way? Maurice could not get it going. Could it be he doesn't have 16 game legs? Is it the offensive line that can't block for him? He seems tired, they seem tired. I don't know.

So why do I feel OK with this game? The defense fought hard without Rahean and Big John. In Miami's last six possessions, the Jaguar defense forced four punts and two turnovers. They adjusted beautifully at halftime and owned the Dolphins in the second half. Miami is a decent team and this defense got it together and almost won the game for us. It was a pleasure watching this defense come alive.

The offense is where things didn't go well today. David didn't play well. Mike Sims-Walker is hurt and Torry can't carry a game. There was no third receiver today. Maurice looks like he has tired legs and can't break tackles as well as earlier in the season. Sadly, Greg Jones suffered a close your eyes leg injury I caught on camera. I won't show it today. He couldn't put any weight on it as he left.

We were beat, but this team fought hard every minute of the game. We are not quite a powerful team yet. We knew this was a year of finding new guys and Gene has done just that. If this team goes 8-8, I am calling it a great success. It is the start of what can get better, much better. This is a good team that knows it can compete. It is a bit tired right now, the veterans, especially on the offensive line, are not holding up. On the other hand, the rookies, this year's rookies and last year's rookies are coming on. Russel Allen is a great run stopping linebacker. Give Gene another year. In the mean time, prayers for Greg, and get ready for the Colts. The last game in the stadium this year is four days away. It was fun in the stadium this year and I think this team deserves a standing ovation.

- Terry O'Brien

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 13

DrewsLions — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:22:39 -0000

More photos » by Tony Tribble - AP

11 days ago: Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz yells to his team during the first half of their NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

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Okay, so four games have gone by since my last post. Doesn't seem like that long, but it has been. I apologize for my lack of presence on the site lately, but when you take a two week vacation, you then have two weeks worth of work stacked up that you have to dig out of when you return. That sometimes makes vacations not worth taking. What a ridiculous world we live in. Absolutely zero work/life balance out there. Everyone is just work, work, work. Does no one care about their families anymore? Sorry, just venting a little. As you can tell, my initiation back into work the week after my vacation was less than pleasant. And forgive me for complaining, because I know that I am supremely blessed to even have a job in this unforgiving economy, let alone a good job. It's just that with all the happenings of this year that have shaped my life's current perspective, I wish to spend a little more time with my family and a little less time with the triviality of my company's finances... especially around the holidays. Whew... okay, I feel better. Let's say we talk a little football, eh?

Because I'm playing a little catch-up, this week's edition of MMM might be a little longer than usual. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail for any one of the past games, but more or less just sum up where we are as a team at this point in the season and talk about where we need to go from here. I'll finish it up with some specific thoughts about the Bengals game.

With only four weeks left, there are few surprises anymore. The Lions are what they are... a struggling team with lots of holes and a few bright spots to pin future hopes upon. They will most likely lose the remainder of their schedule and be back into familiar territory... competing with the bottom of the NFL's barrel for draft position. I see that the draft has once again become the popular topic of conversation here at POD. You'll have to forgive me for not joining in that one quite yet. For me, at least the regular season and bowl games need to be over before joining the cacophony of useless fun that is mock drafting. I'll say this much though, I believe that the Lions are very much in the running for the number two or three overall pick in the draft. That just might be enough to net us Suh. But back to the season at hand...

Through Week 13, the offense can pretty much be characterized as inconsistent and mostly ineffective. At times, they can take your breath away and at others, they make you scratch your head, wondering if we'll see another first down the entire game. To get in a little more detail, I'll break it down by area:

Quarterback: Well, Matt Stafford single-handedly created one of the most memorable games in Lions history and showed why he was drafted first overall against Cleveland. But that was against Cleveland. He has subsequently stunk it up two games running and showed that he still has a long way to go to become a great quarterback in this league. He has no doubt played hurt the last two weeks and I'm sure that's affected him somewhat, but his decision making has to get better if the Lions are to become contenders. I choose to look at it this way... he's a typical rookie. He's going to make good plays and he's going to make some really bone-headed plays. That's what you get with young players. We've seen it with them all... Pettigrew, Delmas, Levy... all of them. Stafford, as talented as he is, in not immune to the huge learning curve that all rookies who start in this league have to go through. Couple that with a poor offensive line, suspect receivers aside from Calvin and a struggling running game... well, you get the mish-mash performances we've seen from Stafford. Bottom Line: Matt will be fine. He's getting some great experience and if he's really "the one", we will see many of these mistakes start to go away over the course of the 2010 season.
Backs and Receivers: I think we've all learned an inconvenient truth about the Lions' receiving corps... it is once again an area of need heading into the off-season. With as much money as we've thrown at this position in the past, this is a true exercise in frustration. Without Calvin Johnson, the offense just dissolves. The reality is that Calvin gets hurt a little too much for comfort and we must have some reliable talent behind him. That means we have to yet again focus on this position in the draft and free agency. The good news is that, before the season ending injury, Pettigrew really started to blossom. That is one position that appears to be solidified (unless this injury lingers into the 2010 season). I also disagree with all of the fans clamoring for the Lions to use a draft pick on a running back. Kevin Smith has not been great this year, but as shown by his efforts in yesterday's game, he is a hard runner and when given adequate blocking, is shifty enough to be a more than serviceable back in this league. Both Brown and Morris are valuable back-ups and add to the offensive versatility. Bottom Line: One of the more important acquisitions for the coming off-season is a complementary wideout opposite Calvin. They must find this player next year, both for the development of Calvin and Matt and for the progress of the offense as a whole. With better blocking, the running backs in our stable should be more than sufficient.

Offensive Line: The most disappointing and biggest problem on our offensive line right now is Gosder Cherilus. We all know that the Lions need a big-time upgrade at left guard... that's a given. In my mind, at some point between the second and fourth round, the Lions must take an offensive lineman. The problem is that Cherilus' poor play throws a massive wrench in the gears of the Lions' long term strategy here. Do the Lions take a guard or will they have to take a tackle to replace Cherilus? Can they move Cherilus to left guard and draft a good young right tackle? If so, how will his play translate to guard and will he simply be the next useless player in the revolving door at that position? See... he creates a pickle for the front office. We were supposed to be able to forget about the right tackle position for the next twelve years, yet here we are once again... questioning the ability of a Millen-drafted first round pick. Forget about even attempting to replace Backus or Raiola. We NEED them. How's that for a cold prickly? Bottom Line: The coaching staff needs to determine if Cherilus still has enough potential to waste time with him at right tackle. He is so inconsistent - will it end at some point... who knows? At the very least, the Lions' need to draft a guard. But is that enough? In my opinion, they need another tackle. I'd try Cherilus at left guard and draft a new right tackle that has the ability to move to left in a few years to replace Backus. Anyway you slice it, the line has not played well consistently and something has to be done. Finding a working combination of players will be the biggest off-season challenge for the front office offensively.

As weak as this defense is roster-wise, I think they've played surprisingly well at times. There just isn't enough talent to fend off opposing offenses if our own offense can't score a lot of points. This gives me hope that with sufficient talent, Schwartz and Cunningham can put together a defense worth fearing. I'll break the defense down by area as well:

Defensive Line: One word... ineffective. Much more so against the pass than the rush, but we cannot expect to get pressure against any team in the league with any combination of four players on our current roster. There's simply not enough talent. I wish there was an elite pass rusher at the top of the draft this year. I know we are all salivating over Suh and there is no doubt he would be a valuable addition to the Lions, but an elite pass rusher is probably the biggest need on the entire roster. It would fix so many problems. The defensive line and secondary have a cause and effect relationship. The defensive line pressure, or lack thereof, causes the quarterback to either be rushed or to have time. That effects the play of the secondary and how much time they are asked to cover. Our line gives the quarterback all day, which causes the virtually talent-less secondary to have to cover much longer than they are capable. Bottom Line: This year can be scrapped for our defensive line. No one capable of coming close to double-digit sacks is on this roster. Unless they can find that guy in the later rounds of the draft, I'm not sure where the upgrade is going to come from next year. Maybe free agency... ala, Aaron Kampman or someone like that? Either way, this has me very nervous.
Linebackers: I think most of us agreed before the season that this was going to easily be the strength of the entire team and we were right. Really, we have five good linebackers on this team. Foote and Peterson are solid, not spectacular players that have been one of the big reasons why the defense has played well at times. Regardless of ranking last in a lot of defensive passing categories, there is no denying that this group has played better this year than last. We've had many more stops on third downs, tackling has been good at times and play against the run has definitely improved. Now, this is all relative to what the Lions were a year ago, but progress is progress. The key decision heading into the off-season will be what to do with Ernie Sims. It should be a no-brainer to try to resign both Foote and Peterson in my opinion. I think it would be a step backwards not to try. For once, there is an area of our team that we shouldn't have to worry about going into next year. Bottom Line: Although Peterson and Levy started slow, both have joined Foote as quality additions to our defense. I believe that we should hold on to all five linebackers next year (Peterson, Foote, Sims, Levy and Dizon) and allow the front office to focus elsewhere. Even though they can't be considered the best corps in the league, they are a vast improvement over what we've had in the recent past. Paris Lenon anyone?
Defensive Secondary: Ugh... where to start? Well, Delmas was a home run hit in the second round for Mayhew. Anyone want to argue that? Didn't think so. Beyond that? Nothing. Not sure if there is anyone even worth keeping for next year besides Ko Simpson. James? Maybe as a nickel. Buchanon? Played well sporadically, but we know that he is nowhere close to a great player. Henry? Even the interception yesterday doesn't help mask the fact that he's pretty much washed up. We know by this point in the season what our secondary is... the worst in the league. It's going to be hard to find a good starting corner in the upcoming draft, too. That is disheartening. Hopefully, Mayhew can work his magic and find a late round gem. This is a passing league and if we can't cover or get pressure, we can't compete. The front office has its work cut out trying to piece together a foundation that will be able to dramatically increase production in the secondary next year. Bottom Line: Aside from Delmas and Simpson, they will basically have to start over in the secondary. Our foundation should have been on guys like Keith Smith, A.J. Davis, Gerald Alexander, Daniel Bullocks and Stanley Wilson. What a shame. It's just too much to do in a year. The more I look at it, the more it looks like it might take two more drafts to put this secondary together.

Quick note on Special Teams: I don't believe I've ever written anything negative about Jason Hanson, but I'm about to. His kickoffs are getting shorter and shorter each game. With poor special teams play to begin with, the opponent's returner fielding the ball between the 10 and 20 is not acceptable. For the first time, I believe his age is showing and affecting his kicking power and subsequently, his distance. As for Nick Harris... I believe he's having one of his most inconsistent seasons. For every two good punts, it seems like he's having a horrible one. That's not good. We might have to replace both of these iconic players soon if these trends continue. How do you guys feel about this?

Thoughts About the Bengals Game:

As usual, I'll start with Stafford's performance. In a nutshell, it was another sketchy outing by the rookie. The big TD pass to Johnson was a thing of beauty, but that's where the love affair ends. He seemed okay at the start of the game, but during one of the many hits he took, he re-aggravated that shoulder and it seemed to affect him the remainder of the game. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but it might be time to sit him for a game and let that shoulder recuperate. I want him to have as many opportunities as possible to get valuable experience, but if that experience is hampered by injury, then it's time to sit him down.
Kevin Smith had a fantastic game yesterday. Yeah, maybe the numbers don't say "fantastic", but in my opinion, it was his best performance of the year. He ran hard and with purpose. He showed his ability to be shifty, nimble and powerful at the same time. He made quicker decisions and made a few cuts that gave me goosebumps. He needed that game, because he's a good back and has taken a lot of heat for the ineffective play of the line.
Speaking of offensive line... Gosder had another horrible game yesterday. I forgot to DVR it, so I can't watch it back to see how bad it really was, but I spent a fair amount of time cursing his play yesterday. I thought that the interior, with Gandy and Ramirez, held up fairly well... especially against the run. The blitzing is where the Lions fell apart and part of that was on Stafford to get the ball out quicker. All-in-all, not the worst day for the Lions' O-line... which still isn't saying much.
Defensively, it was a decent performance. The Bengals by no means blew out Detroit. We stopped them on several key third downs, forced turnovers and pretty much kept them in check for most of the game. The offense was the real problem yesterday. I think Cunningham and Schwartz have really made the best of this unit. I think the scheme is sound, but the talent is what is missing. Like I've said before, I believe wholeheartedly that once the talent is in place, Schwartz will give Detroit an outstanding defense.

So, there's four games left in the season. Any winnable? Maybe the Bears game at home. Does it matter? Not really. We will have another 10+ loss season written down in the annuls of Lions history and another top 5 draft pick on the way to further destroy our salary cap. For me, this season is and continues to be about the progression of the young talent. More and more, it looks like - realistically - that we will be waiting until 2011 to really be able to compete in this league. There are simply too many holes to repair in the upcoming off-season. That's a discouraging thought, but the front office does appear to have a plan in place and another two drafts like 2009 and we will be an up-and-coming powerhouse in this league. Unfortunately when you are building a team, the last thing to come is the wins.

Go Lions!

Jaguars defeat Texans 23-18 in a mistake filled game

Jonathan Loesche — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:16:15 -0000

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

Play of the game right here.

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Some games simply defy logic, and this game would be one of them. The Jaguars defeated the Texans in a game seemingly neither wanted to win, based on the bizarre mix of miscues and turnovers. However, all that matters is that the Jaguars are 7-5 and still in control of their destiny in the AFC's Wild Card race.

The play of the game was undoubtably Derrick Harvey sacking Houston QB Matt Schaub on Houston's first offensive play. The play resulted in Schaub seperating his shoulder and missing the majority of the first half. Backup QB Rex Grossman came in and lead the Texans offense straight into the gutter, posting a 5.6 QB rating in the process.

The Jaguars used this to their advantage and managed to build a 17-0 lead before Schaub managed to return. However, the Jaguars had their own fair share of issues. Maurice Jones-Drew was stuffed on consecutive runs at the goal line that cost the Jaguars seven points.

When Matt Schaub return to the game, the Texans offense went into high gear. He led the Texans quickly downfield and got them within 17-7 to end the half.

The second half was where the game began to turn into the surreal. Maurice Jones-Drew slipped in the Jaguars end zone resulting in a safety, and then the usually sure handed Mike Thomas fumbled a punt inside the Jaguars 20.

However, the Jaguars defense played perhaps it's best sixty minutes of the season, without Rashean Mathis no less. The Jaguars held following the Thomas fumble and forced the Texans to settle for three points. Gerald Alexander gets a game ball for playing perhaps the best game any player has had in the secondary.

The moment of the game that will be the most talked about had yet to come, though. Half way through the 4th quarter the Texans had a 1st and goal on the Jaguars four yard line. Coach Gary Kubiak decided to throw a half back pass that would be intercepted by Gerald Alexander.

Simply put, I can't explain how or why that play happened other than it's the Houston Texans. Despite the Texans getting a late touchdown, it was clear the game was over after the interception.

With the Oakland Raiders beating the Steelers, the Jaguars have a major lead over most of their other playoff competitors. This sets up a major game next week against the Miami Dolphins. A win over the Dolphins, along with a very winnable game against Cleveland to end the year, would mean at worst the Jaguars would have a winning record in 2009.

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Run Defense

John B — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:24:04 -0000

by Peter Morgan - AP

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The Jaguars have one of the worst statistical run defenses in football. The Chiefs did little to try and exploit it last week, running only 12 times. Part of this was due to them playing from behind. The Jets are going to test Jacksonville's new 4-3 base defense much more up front.

Jacksonville hopes its strength will come from up the middle and tackles John Henderson and Terrance Knighton. Henderson is a multi time Pro Bowler. Knighton is a rookie space eater. He's been pretty good defending the run, although he's less likely to beat his man and penetrate. He's more of a Sione Pouha type. Atiyyah Ellison will rotate in with them, a guy who doesn't do anything poorly but also doesn't do anything particularly well.

Derrick Harvey will line up at one end. He weighs in at 281 pounds, big for a 4-3 end. His play against the run seems to have improved a bit with the move to the 4-3. On the other side, the Jaguars will play a pair of smallish ends, Quentin Groves, a small speedy guy who is something of a liability in the run game and Bryan Smith, an even smaller player. They are in there to provide the pass rush. Jacksonville hopes the Jets run away from them, which they might if they are lined up against D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and Gang Green is best running it right.

Daryl Smith is Jacksonville's best linebacker against the run. Smith does everything well. For my money, he's one of the most overlooked players in football. He's had success at both middle and outside linebacker during his career. He'll start outside on the weak side. Justin Durant, who starts in the middle does a decent job against the run. Jacksonville wants the tackles to keep him clean. Strong side backer Clint Ingram is the weakest defending the run. I would expect the Jets to target him.

As always, Jacksonville will probably stick 8 in the box against the rookie quarterback, but neither safety Reggie Nelson nor Gerald Alexander has provided Jacksonville much in run support this year, which is stark considering how much their 3-4 base struggled against the run until they switched their scheme last week.

What are the keys? Knighton played nose in the 3-4 so he'll likely line up against Nick Mangold. Mangold has to control him on his own. The idea for any nose tackle is to occupy a pair of blockers. Nick has been great controlling his assignments to this point against more decorated linemen. The strength at the center position springs the run game because the Jets have an extra blocker who does not need to dedicate himself to blocking the nose. The Jets will. Knighton lined up on the left side against the Chiefs. If he does again, that will leave Brandon Moore, Damien Woody, and Tony Richardson to take on an end and linebacker. This looks like it could be a favorable matchup for the Jets.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Pass Defense

John B — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:39 -0000

by Peter Morgan - AP

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Jacksonville's defense looked transformed against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. The unit had struggled all season long to generate pressure against opposing quarterbacks all year, 5 in the first 7 games, but registed 3 last Sunday and applied constant pressure. Playing against a suspect offensive line and a quarterback who holds the ball too long had a lot to do with it, but the Jags also changed their scheme. After running a 3-4 defense, a poorly thought out Mangini style scheme change, Jacksonville reverted to using the 4-3 as their base. The Jaguars did display some 3-4 against the Chiefs and zone blitzed a lot to try and confuse the protection. Against a rookie quarterback, expect a lot more of this. Also expect the four first round picks and Brandon Moore on the offensive line to do a lot better against the Jaguars.

Jacksonville's 4-3 has strength built up the middle. John Henderson is still playing at a high level. He registered a sack, a hit, and 5 pressures against the Chiefs. He's joined by Terrence Knighton, a 325 rookie from Temple who does not have a great burst to get to the quarterback but freqently occupies a pair of tacklers to open things up for others. 2008 first round pick Derrick Harvey played inspired football against Kansas City, displaying good power moves and athleticism against Brandon Albert, the talented young left tackle from Virginia. He'll look to duplicate his performance against another young talented left tackle from Virginia, D'Brickashaw Ferguson. The way D'Brickashaw and Nick Mangold are playing, I feel comfortable with the Jets' ability to hold Henderson and Harvey in check.

Bryan Smith will start at left end in place of another 2008 pass rushing draftee Quentin Groves. Groves is raw but has a lot of athletic ability. He can get to the quarterback but it really best served as a situational pass rusher. The Jags will probably use him as a rusher both with his hand on and off the ground. Aside from then, his playing time could be limited because he struggles against the run and is giving up over 60 pounds to Damien Woody. Can you say mismatch? Smith is even smaller than Groves. It will be important for him to get off the line quickly and use his speed against Woody because unless he gets on top of Damien quickly, he will be overpowered.

Daryl Smith is going to play a key role for Jacksonville. The outside linebacker is excellent in pass coverage and will probably draw Dustin Keller frequently. The Jets made Keller Mark Sanchez's primary read against Miami to try and keep things simple and safe. Keller responded with his best game of the year. Keller is going to give Smith all he can handle (as well as linebackers Justin Durant, who is solid in pass coverage and Clint Ingram, who is something of a liability). Smith will also be used as a blitzer. He had 2 sacks and 3 pressures against the Chiefs.

On the outside, there will be plays to be made. The secondary of Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox at corner and Reggie Nelson and Gerald Alexander has been suspect all year, and you can only blame the pass rush to a certain extent. The Jags are giving up over 240 yards through the air. Alexander is nursing a shoulder injury. Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery have the edge here and will all day. Keller also will have a great chance to exploit the safeties in coverage. I'd also look for David Clowney to have an impact. The Jaguars will be aggressive, and the Chiefs burned them long on a safety blitz.

I think the Jets handle the pass rush well. They have a significantly better offensive line than Kansas City. If he has to, Brian Schottenheimer can leave in extra blockers as he frequently did against the Dolphins and give Mark Sanchez time to find the matchups that favor his receivers.

The Return of the 4-3 Defense, Series by Series: Second-Half

silencecs — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:08:57 -0000

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

GET 'EM!!!

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In case you missed it, here's the first-half breakdown of the defense, play-by-play.

So far the Jaguars defense has been dominant, allowing only 30 yards rushing by KC's backs. The also held KC on third downs, forcing 3 three-and-outs in the first-half. Today, we'll take a look at the second-half and see if the Jaguars were able to continue to impose their will on KC's offense.

KC's first possession of 3rd quarter - Big kick by Scobee, great hangtime and coverage by the special teams. KC is stopped short of the 20 yard-line.

1st down - KC in offset I-formation, RB goes in motion. Line includes Harvey, Groves, Hen, and Pot Roast to start the half. At the hike, Durant and Smith both blitz, Durant from the middle, and Smith from Groves' side. Harvey drops off the line into zone coverage. It appears the Jaguars are utilizing some of the schemes from a 3-4, but operating them out of a 4-3, and to a great deal of success thus far (albeit against weaker competition). Smith gets a big time sack, loss of 4 on the play.

2nd down and 14 - KC in the offset I-formation again, a single TE and two WR's. Reggie Nelson comes up into the box prior to the snap, creating an 8-man front. Reggie's responsibility is the TE, I'm ok with that. The pass to the FB behind the line of scrimmage, tackle made by Daryl Smith immediately. Our LB's are playing well. Loss of three on the play.

3rd down 17 - KC is in the shotgun formation, single-back set. Great protection for Cassel, but he still threw it early for only a short gain. He gave up on that play because he was scared of getting hit. That pass was thrown knowing it wouldn't convert. Cassel is intimidated. Tackle made again by... guess... Daryl Smith. Wow, that series was completely his.

Three-and-out number four of the ball game. They came out with intensity.

KC's Second possession of the half.

1st down at their own 20 yard-line.

Bryan Smith is in for Groves, Stanley is in for Knighton. Harvey and Hen remain in the game. KC in the offset I-formation, I really love their commitment to old school football, it's a shame their offensive line is so lackluster. Play-action is called, Harvey beats his man, and Cassel throws a hurried screen to the HB that obviously didn't have time to fully develop due to the pressure. Stanley was utterly fooled by the screen though, and had he been in position, he would've made the easy tackle, however, he showed great hustle to try to get back into position to make the tackle, although he was unable to do so. Clint Ingram comes up, but slips and misses the tackle. Bryan Smith got absolutely owned on the play, and was a total non-factor, being knocked significantly off the line of scrimmage. Harvey makes a great hussle play and comes from behind the RB to assist on the tackle after providing pressure to Cassel. Gain of 8 yards.

2nd down and two. KC in the pro-set (2 RB lined up parallel in the backfield), 1 TE and 2 WR's. Derek Cox is up on the LOS, and looks ready to blitz. AMAZING play design by KC, props on this one. At the snap, the QB fakes the hand off to the RB on his right side, and the left RB acts as if he'll be the lead blocker, he then circles around on what can only be described as a mini-reverse. Ingram and Cox both blitz to Bryan Smith's side of the LOS and Harvey drops into zone coverage again. Great design that nets 7 yards, Daryl pushes the RB out of bounds. 1st down KC.

1st Down - KC in the shotgun, single back, 2 TE set. All front seven Jaguars are up close to the LOS. Blitz coming, Daryl Smith is up in Cassel's grill again, forcing the QB to scramble. Hen barely misses another sack, and Cassel throws the ball away, although the Jags catch a break and offensive pass-interference is called on Bowe.

1st and 20 - KC is in the pro-set, staggered to the weak-side of their line. Short three-step-drop by Cassel. Montavius Stanley recognizes the quick drop and gets his hands up, swatting the pass at the LOS. Stanley is very much impressing me this game, and I would have to say, he's showing that he belongs on the field. He plays with a great motor, which is saying a lot for a man his size. Great find Gene.

2nd and 20 - KC in the shotgun, single back, 1 TE and 3 WR set. Daryl Smith blitzes again, and comes free, forcing the quick pass, there is pressure all over the place today. The RB safety valve who Cassel dumps the ball to is immediately swallowed up by Gerald Alexander, no gain on the play.

3rd and 20 - KC in shotgun, single back, 4 WR set. Hen and Bryan run a stunt, to no avail. Harvey bull-rushes his man back five yards, but the ball is already coming out of Cassel's hand. Daryl Smith blitzes again, this time from Harvey's side, and the two of them look real good rushing alongside one another. Pass complete over the middle, Reggie Nelson whiffs on a tackle, and badly. Had it been third-and-10, he would've just allowed a third down conversion. Now this is the Reggie I've come to expect, soft and confused. I love the guy, got his autograph and everything, but man is he inconsistent. Reggie slams his hands together after the play, clearly upset with himself. Reggie, A whole sack of sorry won't buy one single punt. The Jags hold again.

KC third possession of the half

1st and 10 - KC in the pro-set, RB motions out of the backfield, single back set now. Defensive line is Julius Williams, Pot Roast, Ellison, and Groves. Mathis CB blitz on the play, from Williams' side. Daryl blitzes from Williams' side too. No linemen drop into coverage, the Jags are rushing more than the Chiefs can block. Daryl Smith and Mathis both have the opportunity to make the tackle for a loss against the RB, but Mathis seems to think Smith will make it, and Smith took a bad angle, providing the RB with a cutback lane which was open because Mathis and Smith were blitzing, leaving their lanes exposed. KC's best run of the game, but it should've been stopped for a loss, Mel Tucker had the right call there. Gerald Alexander makes the stop after a gain of 13.

1st and 10 - KC in the hurry-up offense. Shotgun 3 WR set. Jaguars only have 6 in the box, looks like Nickel defense to me, practically inviting the run. The Chiefs oblige, and run from the shotgun for a gain of 5, tackle by Durant. They ran right at Groves, and I mean right at him. Knighton held up the double team and still almost made the tackle, but the run was so far toward the LT that Knighton missed the RB's ankles. Groves was easily moved aside... I'm noticing a theme here. Reggie Nelson was completely locked up by the WR, and had he been able to shed what wasn't even a very good block, he could've made the tackle a few yards earlier. 5 yard gain

2nd and 5 - KC is in the shotgun, Jaguars remain in their Nickel front, only 6 in the box again. Reggie is lined up in the slot on a WR and blitzes, as does Daryl Smith. Groves drops into Zone coverage, the Jaguars are utilizing a fair amount of zone-blitzing schemes, and it seems to be confusing KC's protection. Daryl Smith actually gets a hand on Cassel, and forces an early and errant throw. Incomplete overthrown. Reggie Nelson was easily blocked by the RB, and seemed to almost give up after the initial block was thrown by the RB. I'm not TRYING to get down on the guy, you'll see from the first half analysis, that I was impressed with how he played, however, this half is a different story, and he's looking very mediocre.

3rd and 5 - KC in the shotgun again (and still can't get Cassel time), 4 WR, single back. Jags still in nickel, Daryl Smith blitzes again. Decent protection on that play, complete for a first down and a gain of 13. Tackle by Derek Cox, although Rashean was the man who was beat, he just couldn't make the tackle with only one hand, so Bowe got an extra 7 or 8 YAC. Cox just makes sure tackles, I love this kid.

1st and 10 - KC in the shotgun, 3 WR 1 TE, single back set. Jacksonville remains in Nickel, meaning no Ingram, and Sean Considine instead. Harvey, Hen, Stanley, and Bryan Smith on the d-line. Bad snap (gotta love that shotgun), and Montavius Stanley looks like a man possessed going for that football. It was like someone told him they were giving out twinkies in the backfield. This looked like a Jaguars' recovery to me, although the officials saw it differently. Wow, on the replay, it showed their RB literally snatch it out of Stanley's hands... strong little guy.

2nd and 14 - Jags remain in Nickel, KC in shotgun. Daryl Smith blitzes, Harvey drops into zone coverage. Bryan Smith comes unblocked and delivers a blow to Cassel, who launches the ball out of bounds. Phenomenal pressure today.

3rd and 14 - Jags in Nickel, KC in shotgun. Jags bring an all out blitz, I like Mel's play-calling style. Sometimes he sits back in coverage, and others he's all about pressure. Mix it up. Durant and Considine both blitz on the play. Durant and Bryan Smith both get to the QB. Durant timed his blitz perfectly up the middle, and Bryan ran a stunt up the gut behind Justin, they both got there about the same time and forced the bad pass early. Gain of 4 on the play, tackle by Daryl Smith.

KC's fourth possession of the Half

1st and 10 from their own 25 yard-line - KC is in the I-formation, Jaguars return to their regular defensive front with Ingram in the game. Harvey, Groves, Pot Roast and Hen are your linemen. Smith and Durant blitz, and Harvey drops into Zone coverage. The double-team went to Knighton on that play, and Hen was able to stand up the offensive guard with one arm, and reach to make the tackle with the other, along with Ingram and Nelson. Gain of four on the play, nice run.

2nd and six, KC is in the I-formation again. Smith and Alexander blitz to Harvey's side, Groves drops into Zone coverage. Mel seems to favor overloading one side or the other on blitzes. Harvery had his best pass rush of the half on that play. He easily beat his man, and arrived at the QB the same time that Hen did, which was almost immediately. Harvey got a hand on Cassel, and Hen came barreling in, Cassel ducks, and Hen crashes into Harvey, knocking both down. Pot Roast and Smith combine on the clean-up sack, but Harvey and Hen caused that sack very clearly, and Harvey would've gotten the sack had Hen not slammed into him. Encouraging play to watch. Interesting tid-bit per the announcers, Knighton used to play WR... No wonder his balance is so exceptional. Loss of 8 on the sack.

3rd and 14 - Jags appear to be in 3-4 Nickel, KC is in the shotgun, single back 3 WR. Considine blitzes from a dead standstill at the safety position, he was too far off the line to even have a chance to get there, and he doesn't have great speed either, I don't like the call. Nelson blitzes too. KC easily picks up every rusher, Cassel had a man, but overthrew him. Fourth-down.

Nice three and out team.

KC fifth possession of the half

1st and 10 from their own 29 yard-line - Jaguars in Nickel 4-3 defense. KC in shotgun 3 WR set, single back. Your line is Julius Williams, Bryan Smith, Montavius Stanley, and Hen. Daryl Smith blitzes on the play, Bryan Smith drops into Zone coverage. Cassel throws a perfect pass to the WR on a short out pattern, and he drops it.

2nd and 10 - KC in shotgun single back set. Jags in Nickel. Durant fakes the blitz, and Daryl Smith and Nelson blitz to J. Williams side, Bryan Smith drops into Zone again. Cassel passes over the middle complete, and Durant makes the instant tackle. Gain of nine.

3rd and 1 - KC is in the shotgun, single back 4 WR, trips right. Jags in Nickel. Daryl Smith and Sean Considine blitz, there will be no prevent defense today. No linemen drop into zone, it was an overload blitz. Cassel throws a prayer to Dwayne Bowe, who makes the catch despite Derek Cox having perfect position, and I mean perfect. Had he known the ball was thrown, he would've made the interception. It was an all around great play by KC's best player, Bowe. First down KC. Lucky.

1st and 10 from Jags' 45 yard-line - KC in shotgun, 4 WR, trips right again. Jaguars in Nickel. Daryl Smith blitzes, Julius Williams drops into zone, and Hen and Bryan Smith both make it to Cassel, who is thrown to the ground had by B. Smith. Incomplete, and great pressure.

2nd and 10 - KC in shotgun , 3 WR 1 TE, single back set. Jaguars in Nickel. D. Smith blitzes from the outside, Bryan Smith's side. Henderson collapses the middle and gets a sack. D. Smith was blatently held by the RB, or he may have made the sack, no flag, but it was an obvious hold. Hen with the sack, loss of 9 on the play.

3rd and 19 - KC in the I-formation. Jaguars in the 3-4, with Harvey, Knighton, and I think Ellison, but couldn't tell because of the camera angle. Reggie Nelson and Gerald Alexander both blitz, and the Jaguars get burned deep by Chris Chambers. That's what happens when you blitz your safety and he doesn't get home. Sean Considine was badly beaten on his coverage. TD that should never have happened.

KC sixth possession of the half

Onside kick recovered by KC.

1st and 10 from KC's 31 yard-line. Jaguars in the 4-3 Nickel. KC in the shotgun, single back, 3 WR set. Daryl Smith blitzes again (notice a trend here?), good protection though. Cassel makes a good throw, and Cox makes what looks like a TD saving shoe-string tackle. Reggie Nelson was out of position, and had Cox not made the tackle, KC's WR may have been off to the races.

1st and 10 - KC in the shotgun, Jacksonville in Nickel. Nelson blitzes and gets to Cassel, he hits him hard and forces the bad pass, somehow Dwayne Bowe just came up with it... I have no idea how he adjusted to that pass so seamlessly. This guy is good, and Derek Cox was in position again. Cox rarely gets beaten badly, I can't praise him enough for how he's played this season.

1st and 10 from Jaguars' 20 - KC in the shotgun, 2 RB and 3 WR set. Jaguars in base defense, Harvey, Hen, Groves, and Pot Roast are your linemen. Four man rush is easily picked up by KC, Cassel has a man in the endzone, but Cox jumps up and knocks the pass away with his fingertips. TD saving play, and phenomenal ups by Cox.

2nd and 10 - Jags in Nickel, KC in shotgun, 2 RB and 3 WR set, it's obvious KC is running max-protect with the dual blocking HBs. Cox and Smith blitz, Harvey drops into zone. D. Smith flattens the FB on his way to the QB. Hen and Smith both provide pressure and Cassel throws it away.

3rd and 10 - Jags in Nickel, KC in shotgun single back. Jaguars rush four. Harvey is double-teamed on that play. Illegal use of hands by Cox, automatic first down.

1st and 10 from the Jaguars 15 - Jaguars in the 3-4, KC in the shotgun, single back. Harvey is double-teamed again, and Groves rushes with his hand off the ground. Daryl Smith blitzes as well. Slant pass, gain of two. Tackle by Reggie Nelson.

2nd and 8 - Cassel throws a fade pattern to Bowe, and Cox couldn't have played it any better. He was in position to snag the game-ending interception, when Reggie burst in and swatted the ball away. Cox is every bit as good as Rashean was his rookie year, and that bodes well for our future at the postion.

3rd and 8 - KC in shotgun, single back, 4 WRs, trips left. Jags in Nickel. Groves best rush of the half, he almost got to Cassel on a pure speed rush to the outside. Gerald Alexander and another LB blitz (not D. Smith). Complete pass, first down and goal.

1st and goal from the 5 - Jaguars in base defense, KC in the I-formation, motioning into the wishbone. Wow, there's a formation I haven't seen in awhile, I like it though. KC runs play action, and it is effective at freezing the LB's who, like me, were anticipating run out of that formation. Cassel rolls out and hits his man in the front corner of the endzone. TD KC. I Love some of the formations KC employs...

That would be the last time KC would touch the football. Jaguars win, and dominate for 56 minutes on defense.

NOTES:

Harvey played absolutely fantastic, and in this reporters opinion, is shaping up to be the best first round DE taken in 2008. He's stout against the run, and easily plays the most snaps of any defensive lineman on the Jags. I was very impressed with him in the first half especially. He seemed to face more double-teams and chip blocks in the second-half, perhaps to combat his effectiveness.

Daryl Smith is Mel's new favorite toy. He blitzes more often than not, and seems to have a knack for creating havoc in the back-field. Cox was flat out the best player in the secondary today, and had we taken him in the first round, I wouldn't complain. I discovered Pot Roast used to be a WR, which explains his great balance, and he's clearly the team's future at DT. Henderson is playing like it's 2006, and seems rejuvenated by Knighton's presence. Smith and Durant are clearly a step above Clint Ingram, and "Country" had an average game against KC.

Montavius Stanley is our clear number three DT, and there is very little drop-off when he comes in to spell Hen or Knighton. Stanley gets his hands up to bat balls, and has a great motor. He's stout against the run, and I'll be anxious to see him perform against a better offensive line when we play the Jets.

-Collin Streetman

Game Preview Week 8: Tennessee Titans Offense vs Jacksonville Jaguars Defense

Jonathan Loesche — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:12:25 -0000

Tennessee Titans (0-6)	Week #8	Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)
	VS.

Date:	November 1st, 2009	Location:	Nashville, TN
Time:	4:05 PM EST	Stadium:	LP Field
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Titans -3
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	44
Weather:	Mid 50's, no chance of rain	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Music City Miracles	Coverage Map	Click Here

In case you haven't heard yet, Tennessee owner Bud Adams commented that he wanted Vince Young to start once again for the 0-6 Titans. The Titans offense has been woeful this year, sans rookie WR Kenny Britt and RB Chris Johnson. QB Kerry Collins was resurgent and looked the best he had since leading the Giants to the Super Bowl in 2000 last season. However, Collins has thrown eight interceptions and only five touchdowns, with a QB Rating of 62 so far this season.

As a unit, the Titans offense ranks in the bottom third of the league in points per game (14/27th), yards per game (310/22nd), and 3rd down conversions (36%/20th). The Titans offense hasn't scored a touchdown in eight quarters and hasn't scored a touchdown with the game on the line in four games.

Jaguars Defense Four Game Summary

	Week 3 vs Houston	Week 4 vs Tennessee	Week 5 vs Seattle	Week 6 vs St.Louis
Plays	59	67	71	53
Yards Allowed	397	379	379	262
YPP Allowed	6.7	5.7	5.3	4.9
Rush Plays	22	19	40	18
Rush Yards	111	95	143	55
Rush YPP Allowed	5.1	5	3.6	3.1
Pass Plays	37	48	31	35
Pass Yards Allowed	286	284	236	207
Pass YPP Allowed	7.7	5.9	7.6	5.9
Points	27	17	41	20
Turnovers	2	3	0	1

One of the things that stood out to me when I was typing in the stats for the Jaguars defense was that, on the surface, the game against the Seahawks wasn't that bad. That game featured several miscues on Special Teams and Offense that sank the game before the defense finally caved in themselves.

One thing that is a good sign for the defense has been the fact they have been getting their yards per play down every game. Granted, they haven't gone up against the best competition, but the goal for any defense should be under five yards and they finally accomplished that against the Rams.

Tennessee Titans Offense Four Game Summary

	Week 3 vs NY Jets	Week 4 vs Jacksonville	Week 5 vs Indianaplois	Week 6 vs New England
Plays	69	(See Jaguars defense)	57	50
Yards	286		245	186
Yards Per Play	4.1		4.3	3.7
Rush Plays	30		21	36
Rush Yards	127		90	183
Rush YPP	4.2		4.3	5.4
Pass Plays	39		36	14
Pass Yards	159		155	-7
Pass YPP	4.1		4.3	-.5
Points	17		9	0
Turnovers	4		2	5
TOP	27:22		26:22	21

The biggest thing that jumps out to me about the Titans is that they're still a very solid running team. They've let to average lower than 4.1 yards every time they run the ball, and yet they still put it on Kerry Collins' shoulders to win the game. I understand there are some durability questions about Chris Johnson, but I thought LenDale White was supposed to be Thunder to Johnson's Lightning.

In fact, our brethern at Music City Miracles have spoken on the issue of LenDale White's use, or misuse in the offense. It is just one on a multitude of problems for the Titans offense this season. White is the perfect back to compliment Chris Johnson in the offense. He allows Johnson to sit out short yard and goal to go situations that would otherwise help shorten his career. Or at least that would be his logical role. However, White has not gotten the ball nearly as much as he has in the past, leaving people scratching their heads.

Jaguars Pass Defense vs Titans Pass Offense

What happens when an object that can't move itself go against an object that can't repel? We'll see this Sunday. The Jaguars and Titans are each in the bottom third of the NFL in their respective passing categories. If Bud Adams has his wish, then the Jaguars will get Vince Young under center, which will only help the Jags efforts against the pass.

Young has never had great passing stats, let alone coming in cold after spending over a year on the bench. However, he will have rookie sensation Kenny Britt to throw to this year. Britt has been one of the few positives for the Titans this year and could pose problems for the Jags secondary.

The biggest issue facing the Jaguars secondary is the potential loss of Rashean Mathis due to a finger injury. If Mathis has to miss the game, that would certainly mean rookie Derek Cox will have to play on the right side of the defense. This would be a major test for the young corner and an indication of how far he has come this season.

The other question would be who would come in at left corner. There has been a multitude of talk involving Reggie Nelson moving to corner and starting Sean Considine and Gerald Alexander at the safety positions. If there was a game that this lineup wouldn't back fire, this is most likely it.

Jaguars Run Defense vs Titans Run Offense

Anyone who watched the first game between these two teams remembers the only time the Titans offense looked in sync was when they gave the ball to Chris Johnson. Johnson has been the only consistent thing still for the Titans offense, averaging a remarkable 6.3 yards every time he touches the football.

However, as I said previously, LenDale White hasn't been seeing the carries he had been seeing earlier in his career. The explanation for this has never truly cleared up and it is only going to hurt the Titans run game down the stretch.

The Jaguars front three has been exceptional so far this year. Lead by rookie nose tackle Terrance Knighton, the front three has been doing a good job containing the run so far this year. The last two games have been their best, allowing under 3.5 yards a rush.

-Jonathan Loesche

Lies, more lies, and the statistics of the Jaguars pass defense

Jonathan Loesche — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:10:08 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

2 months ago: Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis, right, is tackled by St. Louis Rams wide receiver Keenan Burton while returning an interception during the first half of an NFL football game in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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I wrote this blurb about the Jaguars' 2008 pass defense during a Scouting Report on Alphonso Smith

The Jaguars pass defense last year was well, not so good. The Jaguars ranked 24th in the NFL giving up 224 yard per game. Even more concerning, the Jaguars ranked 30th in yards per completion, giving up 8.1 yards per completion. The only other two teams to give up 8+ YPC in 2008? The Rams and the Lions. The Jaguars gave up 55 pass plays of 20 + yards and 17 plays of 40 plus yards, ranking 31st and 32nd in those respective categories. Translation: The Jaguars gave up alot of big plays through the air. Not the news you want to hear in a conference defined by big game quarterbacks.

I singled out those measurements because I felt those gave the best indication of how poor the Jaguars pass defense was last year. As I mentioned last night on the radio show, the two stats that jumped out to me the most were the number of 20+ and 40+ yard passing plays the Jaguars allowed last year. The Jaguars gave up between three to four big plays through the air a game, with one of those going for 40+ yards. The 40+ yard statistic was especially troublesome. The Jaguars were dead last in that category by a long shot. Detriot, New England, and San Francisco were tied for 31st, but only gave up 11 plays.

How does the Jaguars pass defense compare across the board to last year's? The only category they are worse in is yards per game. The unit is now surrendering 262 yards per game compared to 224 last year. The unit has improved across the board everywhere else. They have cut the YPC down to 7.4, bringing their ranking up to 19th in that category. More importantly, they've only given up 15 plays of 20+ yards (Down from 3.5 a game in 2008 to 2.5 a game), with only two going for 40+ yards.

So the question becomes, is the Jaguars pass defense worse or better than it was a year ago?

I would say it is better, despite the increase in yards per game. The Jaguars have faced the Colts, Cardinals, Texans, Rams, and Seahawks in their first six games this season. All of those teams lean heavily on the pass and are going to get their yards one way or the other. The Jaguars certainly surrendered yards, allowing over 300 yards in their first three games in a row.

However, they have managed to keep everything in front of them, and limited the big plays that were suck a back breaker last season.

The emergence of Derek Cox as a legitimate #2 corner has been a major factor for this defensive secondary. Cox has been targeted frequently by opposing teams, and coupled with inconsistent safety play over the top, was largely responsible for many of the big plays teams had against the secondary. However, Cox has been steadily improving and is showing why the Jaguars invested the 2010 2nd round pick in him.

The safety position is the area of most concern in the unit though. Gerald Alexander has been inconsistent, though has shown flashes from the strong saftey position. He'll need to become more consistent over the next ten games though if he wants some job security.

Reggie Nelson has been another enigma for this team. After an excellent rookie year, Nelson has been stuck in neutral. While some of that can be blamed on his role in Gregg Williams' defense a year ago, why is he still making bad reads and being caught out of position as much as he? Granted, he played very well against the Rams, which has me hoping he's improving and will finish the season strong.

What do the statistics tell you BCC? Is this a young secondary that is now turning the corner, or a medicore unit that somehow managed to get out of dead last?

-Jonathan Loesche

Game Preview Week 5: Jacksonville Jaguars at Seattle Seahawks

Jonathan Loesche — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:36:46 -0000

Seattle Seahawks (1-3)

Week #5

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)

VS.

Date:	October 11th, 2009	Location:	Seattle, WA
Time:	4:00 PM EST	Stadium:	Qwest Field
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Pick 'em
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	OFF
Weather:	Low 50's, slight chance of rain	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Field Gulls	Coverage Map	Click Here

Week 5 sees the Jaguars traveling to the West Coast to take on the Seattle Seahawks. The last time the Jaguars played in Seattle, Tony Boselli played in his final game as a Jaguar, the Seahawks were playing in Husky Stadium, and the United States had just begun the War in Afghanistan. Now, nearly a decade later we're still in Afghanistan (along with a little side trip to Iraq), Tony Boselli has now begun a broadcasting career, and the Seahawks play in beautiful Qwest Field.

The Jaguars will have several things to contend with on their trip to the great Northwest. The biggest is, of course, the time difference. The Jaguars will head out a day early to help get their bodies in tune for the game, a logical move. The biggest development of the week is that Seattle's star quarterback Matt Hasselbeck may play this week after practicing several times this week. It would certainly be a boost to an offense that has been woeful under Seneca Wallace.

Things to Watch For: Jacksonville Jaguars

1. Pass Defense: With the return of Matt Hasselbeck likely, the Jaguars pass defense needs to shore-up this week. While the unit ranks dead last statistically, it has been improving since the second-half against the Texans. With Derek Cox getting his footing, and Gerald Alexander providing solid play at safety, this would seem to be a possible break out game for a unit that has been the lone sore spot of the first half of the season.

2. Maurice Jones-Drew: The forgotten man in the bedazzlement of Tennessee, look for MJD to once again become a focal point of the offense against what is regarded as one of the loudest crowds in the NFL. In addition, Seattle has one of the worst defensive interiors in the NFL; so expect to see a lot of MJD Sunday.

3. Offensive Line: So who really were the best players at tackle? I'm not going to jump on the Thomas/Williams bandwagon just yet as I've liked the progression Monroe and Britton have showen so far. I'll ask another question, considering where we thought this season was going to start the year, should we have started Thomas and Williams to begin with?

4.Defensive Line: Will the D-line continue it's resurgence over the last few games? John Henderson has experienced a career revival as a 3-4 DE that I never expected and I'm pleasantly surprised. Terrance Knighton has proved all of his doubters wrong up to this point with his play and has been the key to the Jags being successful at a 3-4. Going up against a banged up Seahawk O-line the unit will be expected to be a force Sunday.

5.Mike Sims-Walker: The man almost single handidly responsible for the Jaguars having a legitimate passing threat needs another big game this week against the Seahawks. MSW needs another big game to prove he is a legit #1 wide receiver in the NFL.

What to Watch For: Seattle Seahawks

1. Starting Quarterback: Will it be three time Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck or career backup Seneca Wallace? Hasselbeck has been practicing, and all signs point to a triumphant comeback against the Jaguars. Nothing energizes a team more than the return of their starting QB and that is just what a hopeless team needs.

2.Offensive Line: The 'Hawks are in the same position the Jaguars were in last year. They suffer from severe offensive line injuries that have held the team back at every level. Walter Jones, Seattle's All-World Left Tackle, will be missing time along with other starters along the offensive line.

3. Pass Defense: Seattle's pass defense is Jacksonville's neighbor near the bottom of the NFL standings and will be looking to improve this week just as Jacksonville is. We get to see ex-Jaguar Deon Grant at safety, who has been an enigma for the Seahawks this year.

4. The 12th (or 11.5th man): The Seahawks have enjoyed one of the best home field advantages in football since moving into Qwest Field. However, with tickets still available and many bandwagoner's getting off the wagon with the team's recent woes, it will be interesting to see if that will be the case this week.

Player On The Hot Seat

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville

In a tough, hostile enviornment like Seattle a dominant run game will take the crowd out of it and help break the energy Matt Hasselbeck's return will surely have. Look for MJD to get the ball alot to chew clock and keep the fans out of the game.

Prediction

Jacksonville Jaguars 28

Seattle Seahawks 17

-Jonathan Loesche

Paul Kuharsky Reports on the Jaguars: Alexander promoted, Groves demoted

silencecs — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:44:27 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

Quentin Groves has not been producing of the field much to date... Paul Kuharsky reports of his demotion to third-string. Will this motivate Quentin?

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As I mentioned in my follow-up article to the game, I thought Gerald Alexander may have played well enough to wrest the SS spot from Sean Considine with last week's performance. Paul Kuharsky confirms it, saying that Gerald Alexander is listed as the new starting SS, and also mentioning Quentin Groves being demoted to third-string. The Groves demotion is a little baffling to me, as I would've expected him to be a better blitzing LB out of a 3-4, than a DPR from a 4-3. Unless this is a ploy to motivate Groves or to encourage Julius Williams, I don't understand it.

It seems highly unlikely that one of Gene Smith's UDFA's is outperforming one of Shack's 2nd-round selections (the only ones he consistently hit on). Either J-Dub is playing out-of-this-world, or Groves is not improving fast enough. No matter the reason the move seems perplexing, and is worthy of noting and watching this week.

Props to Gene Smith for his thieving ways. He virtually stole Gerald Alexander from the Lions, and Luke McCown from the Bucs, and he literally stole Don Carey from the Browns... I'll take a cold-hearted and deceptive leader any day of the week...

By the way, anyone catch Vic's shout out to my man Marty Schottenheimer in today's column?

-Collin Streetman