SB Nation - Ernest Wilford

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars

sireric — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:50:01 -0000

Buffalo Bills (3-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)
Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 1:00 PM EST
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium - Jacksonville, FL

This is a little later than we normally start to look at next week's opponent, but after the events of the past two days, it seemed appropriate to push it back a little bit. This will be the tenth meeting between the Bills and the Jaguars, including their first ever meeting in the 1996 AFC Wild Card playoff game. The Bills hold a 5-4 lead in the all-time series. This is also the fifth ever meeting to take place in Jacksonville, where the Bills hold a 3-1 victory edge. With the exception of two contests, these have been very close games, with the average margin of victory being a little over a touchdown. Recaps of last five meetings are after the jump.

Sunday, September 14, 2003: Bills 38, Jaguars 17
Completely unable to run the football, Drew Bledsoe and the Bills went to the air. Bledsoe passed for 314 yards and two touchdowns, while Travis Henry proved to be useful in the red zone by pushing in three goal line touchdowns to pace to Bills' offense. Alex Van Pelt even got into the game late and completed one pass for 14 yards. Eric Moulds had a nice day, with 7 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Sunday, September 12, 2004: Jaguars 13, Bills 10
This was another good day for Moulds, but his 8 catches for 75 yards and a touchdown weren't enough. The Bills had a 10-6 lead in the closing seconds of the game, but Byron Leftwich hit Ernest Wilford in the back of the end zone as time expired to give the Jags the win. I remember that I couldn't watch this game, but I was watching a different game looking for updates. The scroll on CBS kept saying that the game was over and the Bills had won, so I was happy. When they showed the game break, I got really pissed.

Sunday, November 26, 2006: Bills 27, Jaguars 24
This time it was the Bills scoring as time expired to get the win. The Bills jumped out to a 17-7 lead on the strength of two Willis McGahee touchdown runs and a Rian Lindell field goal. The Jags pulled closer by adding a David Garrard-to-Marcedes Lewis touchdown pass to the Maurice Jones-Drew TD run they already had to make the score 17-14 at the half. After a Roscoe Parrish punt return for a touchdown and a Josh Scobee field goal, Garrard hit Matt Jones with 28 seconds left to tie the game up. But the Bills got into filed goal range in just 28 seconds, and Lindell hit a 42-yarder to give the Bills the win as the clock hit zeroes.

Sunday, November 25, 2007: Jaguars 36, Bills 14
This game was never really close. Fred Taylor and Jones-Drew combined for 124 yards and two touchdowns, and Josh Scobee hit five field goals as the Jags rolled over the Bills. Anthony Thomas and Roscoe Parrish found the end zone for the Bills as lone bright spots.

Sunday, September 14, 2008: Bills 20, Jags 16
This was probably the one game that I blame the high expectations from the previous year on the most. The Bills headed into heavily favored Jacksonville and pulled out a win. With the Jags leading 16-10 late in the fourth quarter, Trent Edwards hit James Hardy in the back of the end zone on a beautiful fade pass to give the Bills a 17-16 lead. Lindell added an insurance field goal to help seal it for the Bills. Buffalo would win their next two game to move to 4-0 on the season before starting a downward spiral that would crush all of our hearts.

Quick Bytes: 11/2/2009

Jonathan Loesche — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:03:11 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

about 1 month ago: Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) leaves Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Daryl Smith (52) behind as Johnson runs for an 89-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. The Titans won 30-13 for their first win of the season. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Browse more photos »

Jaguars' defense running on empty | Jacksonville.com
The Jaguars defense gave up a franchise record in total rushing yards (305) and to a single rusher (228.)

iJax | Jags Train Off the Tracks to Hope Town
Cole Pepper put's it blunlty, this loss meant a loss of hope.

Run records for Jags, good and bad - AFC South - ESPN
Maurice Jones-Drew joined Barry Sanders and Frank Gore as the only running backs to score two 75+ yard touchdowns in the same game. The only problem was that was our entire offense.

Wilford: Official should be ashamed of call - AFC South - ESPN
Ernest Wilford is still shaking his head at the 15 yard "taunting" penalty he received, and I can't blame him.

Rapid Reaction: Titans 30, Jaguars 13 - AFC South - ESPN
Paul Kuharsky give's his thoughts on the Jaguars loss to the Titans

Baffling Jaguars find a new way to lose | Jacksonville.com
For once, Gene Frenette write's a column I agree with. The Jaguars' inconsistency has reached a maddening new level under Del Rio. Either fix it or be gone.

Jaguars Notebook: Loss to Titans exposes cornerback issues | Jacksonville.com
Whether or not Reggie Nelson is a corner, if you can't tackle, you can't play. Also, Brad Meester started his 136th career game, tying him with Fred Taylor for the second most in franchise history. Congrats Brad!

More shuffling doesn’t help Jags’ offensive line | Jacksonville.com
Inserting Tra Thomas in a left tackle certainly wasn't the answer on Sunday. I'll have more of my thoughts on that later.

Report Card: Jaguars vs. Titans | Jacksonville.com

COACHING F

It’s hard to argue against the initial strategy of attacking the Titans’ pass-challenged defense through the air. It didn’t work because the Jaguars were simply outplayed in the trenches. With the Jags trailing 20-13 in the third quarter, backup running back Rashad Jennings was stopped for 1 yard on third-and-3. Why go to Jennings in that situation when you’ve barely trusted him to carry at all this season? The troubling thing over how the Jaguars failed to seize the momentum after they tied the game is it continues a Jekyll-and-Hyde pattern that has been evident for much of the Jack Del Rio era.

Are the Jaguars a Young Team?

Tkopa — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:59:27 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

Jaguars 2008 number 8 overall selection Derrick Harvey represents the youth of the Jaguars. Players such as himself must succeed for the team to follow suit.

Browse more photos »

"We’ve taken a very aggressive approach at it; the amount of turnover is unusually large and you can’t continue to do that and have much success. Part of that was moving on, purging guys that just didn’t fit," Del Rio said. "We do have a young team."

I read that and nodded, yes they are a young team. But, then I thought about it. "Hey wait a minute, what does that actually mean?" I thought. A young college team is freshmen and sophomores that probably won't contend for the National Title, I get that. Is a young pro team a lot of rookies? Is it a lot of first and second year guys? What exactly is Jack telling us? I really don't know so I'll leave that question for the comments. Let's look at who the Jaguars kept, and what youth there is on the squad.

Offensive Line: The preseason starting lineup has been Tra Thomas (12th year), Vince Manuwai (7th year), Brad Meester (10th year), Mo Williams (9th year), Uche Nwaneri (3rd year), Tony Pashos (7th year) and Dennis Norman (9th year). I know they want to work Eben Britton and Eugene Monroe in but they should have to earn a spot over a lower performing veteran. I don't see a young team here; in fact this is a group of veterans that should be dependable.

Offensive Backfield: David Garrard is the QB (8th year), Gregg Jones at FB (6th year), Maurice Jones Drew RB (4th year). If you include Tight Ends, we have Marcedes Lewis (4th year), Ernest Wilford (6th year), Greg Estandia (3rd year). Again, a strong group of veterans that should be ready on game day, in fact climbing into their most productive years.

Receivers: Torry Holt is the number one receiver (11th year), Troy Williamson is number two (5th year), number three receiver will probably be a rookie.

Offensive Summary: One guy on the starting offensive team will be a rookie. If they decide to go with Monroe and Britton, they will have dependable veterans right behind them. To be honest, unless there is a problem with the players on this team, this amount of experience on offense should be able to deliver a competitive performance.

Let's look at the defense.

Defensive line: John Henderson (8th year), Reggie Hayward (9th year), Derrick Harvey (2nd year), Quentin Groves (2nd year), Terrance Knighton (1st year), Derek Landri (3rd year), Rob Meier (10th year). Basically I see a nice mix of veterans and youth in here with most of the youth represented by second year guys, Groves and Harvey. I can give a slight nod to youth here, but not inexperience. This line is not as seasoned as the offensive line but is a nice combination of fresh legs and wisdom.

Linebackers: Daryl Smith (6th year), Justin Durant (3rd year), and Clint Ingram (4th year). Brian Iwuh (4th year), Adam Seward (5th year) all represent the core of the lineup. There is nothing but experience in this group and should represent an easy bunch to coach to be productive.

Defensive Backfield: The starters look to be Rashean Mathis (7th year), Brian Williams (8th year), Reggie Nelson (3rd year), Gerald Alexander (3rd year), Sean Considine (5th year) Tyron Brackenridge (3rd year), Scott Starks (5th year), Brian Witherspoon (3rd year) and Derek Cox (rookie). I know they would like to integrate Derek Cox into the lineup but the basic starting lineup will have 3 years or more experience.

Defensive Summary: Harvey, Groves and Knighton represent the true youth in the defense and the line is on the younger side. Other than that, the backfield has a strong mix of experience and should know what is expected. Maybe a slight nod to lack of playing experience?

My Take: When I looked at it, I was surprised at how much experience the Jaguars have. They don't resemble a young college team. If we can't post 8 wins with this group, Gene has more work to do. A lot more.

So help me understand, what do you think Jack is trying to say?

- Terry O'Brien

Game Previews: Preseason Game #3 Jacksonville Jaguars @ Philadelphia Eagles

Jonathan Loesche — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:04:12 -0000

Philadelphia Eagles

Preseason

Jacksonville Jaguars

VS.

Date:	August 27th, 2009	Location:	Philadelphia, PA
Time:	7:00 pm EST	Stadium:	Lincoln Stadium
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Eagles
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	33.5
Weather:	65, clear	Injury Report:	Coming Soon
SBN Coverage:	Bleeding Green Nation	Coverage Map	Local

It is almost here. The Jaguars travel to face the Eagles Thursday night in what is going to be the most hyped preseason game for a long time. Michael Vick makes his return to the NFL and the Jaguars get to be the "lucky" opposing team for this occasion. If nothing else, this will give the Jaguars some national attention as the game will be a main feature on ESPN Thursday and Friday morning.

The third preseason game is the closest teams come to playing as if it were a regular game. Expect the starters to stay well into the second half, with some starters staying into the 4th quarter. This game will serve as an excellent litmus test for the team. The Jags go to a hostile enviornment against one of the elite franchises in the NFL.

What to Watch For: Jacksonville Jaguars

1. Defensive toughness: The unit has had a below average preseason. The unit gave up too many easy plays to an average Buccaneers offense, and now has to go up against one of the top units in football. However, the Eagles are a finesse team that will rattle if punched in the mouth. That is what the Jags defensive front has to do. It has to get to McNabb early to set the tone.

2. MoJo to regain his mojo: Let's face it, MoJo has had a horrible preseason. Granted, he hasn't seen much action, but even when he's been in he hasn't been much of a force. Jones-Drew needs to begin to show signs of life before the regular season. Look for him to get between 15-20 touches Thursday night.

3. Special Teams: Another unit that has been having a bad preseason. The less of Josh Scobee tackling the returner, the better. Also, it would appear that Podlesh is seeing his last days in a teal jersey.

4. Wide Receivers: Who is going to be left when the musical chairs is over? Torry Holt, Troy Williamson, and Nate Hughes are the safest bets for roster spots at this point. That still leaves Dillard, Thomas, Walker, and Underwood competing for two spots. Who is going to step up to claim those roster spots?

5. Ernest Wilford: I'll take my crow medium rare Collin. Wilford makes his return to the Jaguars as a tight end Thursday night. Is he going to be the sure handed possession receiver he was in his previous stint with the Jags or the underachieving player he was as a Dolphin?

What to Watch For: Philadelphia Eagles

1. Michael Vick: What else is there to say? Vick will make his return, and Andy Reid has confirmed he will play with the starters. Regardless of whether or not he does anything to remind us of why he was a human highlight reel, it will be an electric moment when he steps on the field.

2. Jeremy Maclin: Maclin was a favorite of mine in this year's draft. He was eventually taken in the mid first round by the Eagles. Maclin has been struggling in the preseason, though he will surely see some balls come his way. I still think he'll be Westbrook 2.0 for the Eagles and one of the big stars of this draft class.

3. How the team reacts to Vick: This team has been dealing with all of the media circus since the organization signed Vick. I'm sure the team just wants to get it over with and see how things go from there. Will they fall flat or will it be an uplift for them?

4. Offensive Line: Tra Thomas may have been the biggest departure for the Eagles O-line, but he wasn't the only one. The Eagles have struggled with pass protection and running the ball consistently during the preseason. The Jaguars D-line hasn't been reminding anyone of the 85 Bears so far, and this may be their chance to gel as a unit.

Player on the Hot Seat

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville

MJD needs to make his presence known in this game. He has been nonexistent thus far in the preseason, and that needs to change for the Jaguars to walk out of Philly with a win. In addition, a consistent running game will help take out a surely hostile Philly crowd that is reportedly going to be in playoff form Thursday night.

Prediction

Eagles 21-13

-Jonathan Loesche

Dolphins make a number of roster moves, including the release of Wilford and the trade of two linemen

Matty I — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:47:16 -0000

Whenever I'm not around for a period of time, news breaks. Today has been no different - with the Dolphins making several roster moves.

The Dolphins announced that they have waived Anthony Kimble, Orion Martin, Chris Williams, Tearrius George, and Joe Cohen. They also terminated the contract of Ernest Wilford - last season's bust from free agency.

Meanwhile, several sources are reporting that the Dolphins have traded backup guard Andy Alleman to the Kansas City Chiefs. But that's not all. Jeff Darlington is also reporting that backup lineman Ike Ndukwe was also sent to Kansas City in that package. But it's unknown what the Dolphins have received in return from the Chiefs - who are now run by Bill Parcells' son-in-law Scott Pioli.

This means the Dolphins currently have 11 offensive linemen on the roster battling for what will likely result in 9 roster spots.

Getting back to Wilford, his release will cost the Dolphins $4.5 million against their 2009 salary cap thanks to the guaranteed money the Dolphins handed Ernest last offseason. But the Fins clearly felt that keeping him around because of his contract wasn't worth the loss of a roster spot for a young guy with a lot of upside - potentially John Nalbone.

As far as former fan-favorite Chris Williams goes, he was waived/injured - not just waived. So if he goes unclaimed on waivers, he will be placed on Injured Reserve for the year with the Dolphins. While players on IR can't practice with the team, he would still be property of the Dolphins and could work out individually to improve his ability to field punts.

[UPDATE: The Dolphins are receiving an undisclosed draft pick in 2010 for the two guards.]

Defense leads the way as Dolphins win preseason opener

Matty I — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:59:46 -0000

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

Browse more photos »

I know it's only the preseason, but it's always good to get a win. On Monday night, that's just what the Dolphins did, knocking off the Jaguars 12-9. And before I get into all of my initial thoughts on the game, I just got to point out that Jack Del Rio did a very classy move by not kicking the field goal on fourth and goal late in the 4th quarter. Nobody wants to see a player get hurt in overtime of a preseason game. So I'm very glad he decided to go for it - and nice job by Courtney Bryan to break up the pass in the corner of the endzone.

Now then, onto some thoughts from Miami's win - both good and bad. But keep in mind that the first preseason game is essentially just a glorified scrimmage.

THE DEFENSE SHINES
Here's a key stat. The first-team defense played together for the entire first quarter of Monday's game. The Jaguars ran 11 plays against Miami's first-team defense. The Dolphins surrendered just 28 yards of offense on those 11 plays and only one first down - forcing two three-and-outs. Now that is impressive.

During those three series, they tallied one sack and pressured Jaguars QB David Garrard a couple of other times. On one play, Channing Crowder blitzed and basically drove the running back picking up the blitz into Garrard's face, forcing an incomplete pass. But a major reason for the defense's success - including Jason Ferguson's sack (which was more or less a coverage sack) was rookie Sean Smith's performance. On the particular play that resulted in the sack, Smith did an excellent job keeping Torry Holt - Garrard's primary target on that play - inside of him when Torry was trying to get to the outside. That's a veteran move by a rookie against a veteran receiver.

Speaking of Smith, he also made a terrific interception in the third quarter of a Todd Bouman pass in the endzone. The big question scouts had about Sean entering the draft was how he would be tackling players at the next level. Some said he was scared of contact. But Smith did not shy away from contact on the only tackle opportunity he had, making the tackle. All in all, Smith was probably the player of the game for the Dolphins.

Getting back to the first-team defense, there's a lot of concern about how the defensive line would shape up. Would they be able to effectively limit the opponent's ground game? Keeping in mind that Jacksonville's offensive line is probably an average unit at best, the Dolphins answered that question with a resounding "yes" on Monday night. They held the Jaguars to 10 yards on 3 rushes. A small sample size, of course - but a good sign, nonetheless.

Nate Jones also deserves a mention, too. He was very good at blitzing from the nickel corner spot last year. On Monday, Jones showed he still has a knack for getting to the QB as a blitzer, forcing an incomplete pass on 3rd down to end a drive when he got to Garrard.

OFFENSE PRODUCES MIXED RESULTS
The offense on Monday night was really a mixed bag. There were good moments. There were bad moments. And all in all, I don't think it was really a positive night for the offense.

Heading the list of issues was the offensive line. In pass protection, the first-team line performed very well. But we all have been expecting that the Dolphins would be able to run the ball between the tackles in 2009 thanks to the acquisition of Jake Grove and the return of Justin Smiley and Donald Thomas to the field after season-ending injuries in 2008. But this unit failed to produce on Monday against the formidable Jaguars defensive front.

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for just 41 yards rushing on 14 carries - a measly 2.9 yards per carry average. Brown and Williams rarely had any kind of lane ot run through. On one play, Jake Long even got beat badly - resulting in a loss for Williams. I also noticed Vernon Carey getting beat a couple of times on rushing attempts. This was not the kind of effort I was hoping to see out of this unit and I'll be anxiously awaiting Saturday night for the next preseason game to see if the unit improves over yesterday's performance.

As far as the battle for the starting right guard job goes, neither Shawn Murphy nor Donald Thomas (who rotated in and out) really stood out. Just from watching the broadcast, I may have been slightly more impressed by Thomas because he seemed to get more push. But the competition is probably still wide open and likely far from over.

On the plus side, Ted Ginn Jr. looked very good out there on Monday. He ran some crisp routes - especially on a third-and-one play against Pro Bowl corner Rashean Mathis, running a terrific post and making an exceptional catch. All told, Ginn looked confident and produced - tallying 2 receptions for 26 yards, one rush for 14 yards on an end-around, and drawing a 30+ yard pass interference call on a long pass attempt down the left sideline from Chad Pennington. He also had a 15 yard reception called back due to holding - meaning the Dolphins called Ginn's number five times in one quarter. Not bad for a guy many fans wanted to write off. Hopefully this early success translates to the regular season.

As for the quarterbacks, neither Chad Pennington nor Chad Henne played very well. But neither played bad, either. Pennington made a couple of nice passes, especially his pass to Ginn on 3rd-and-one for 15 yards. But he was far from classic CP. Meanwhile, Henne made a couple of notable plays. His 20 yard strike to Brian Hartline comes to mind right away. On that same drive, he made a beautiful pass to Ricky Williams on a wheel route in the endzone that hit Ricky in the hands. But he was unable to haul it in - which doesn't happen often to Williams. He also connected with Ernest Wilford for a 33 yard touchdown. It wasn't the throw, though, that impressed me on that play. You or I could have made the throw. It's the fact that Henne was under immense pressure and had three defenders bearing down on him. He stood in the pocket, kept his eyes down the field, and found an open man. Good stuff.

Of course, Henne was also intercepted on a pass that he had no business making. But it's the preseason and he's young - so let's not get crazy.

QUICK HITS
Some quick thoughts on Monday's preseason opener:

Cameron Wake can rush the passer. We don't know what else he can do at this point, but he showed great burst and strength when rushing off the edge.
Patrick Turner led the team in receptions, catching three balls. He showed good hands but failed to bring in a pass in which he was surrounded by Jacksonville defenders. And that's what I'm hoping to see from Turner - the ability to make tough catches in traffic.
Eric Green really struggled. He was targeted numerous times and actually allowed three straight completions at one point. He's losing ground in the battle at cornerback right now.
Vontae Davis didn't perform much better. He was called for three penalties in the game - two were on special teams and the other was a pass interference call. You can bet the coaches will rip into him a bit for those. He also allowed himself to be blocked by a receiver on that screen pass that the Jaguars ran that would have been a TD if not for a holding call. Davis was being manhandled in the endzone by Tiquan Underwood, a 178 pound rookie from Rutgers. Vontae has to learn to shed that block and make a play.
Brandon London and Anthony Armstrong had quiet nights while Chris Williams made some plays as the return man. Could Williams actually make the roster as the team's 6th receiver? Possibly. He averaged 31 yards on 4 kickoff returns but wasn't as comfortable handling punt returns.
We got our first taste of Pat White and it was a solid debut. He made a few plays with his legs. He completed only 2 of 7 passes - but was a victim of some drops, including one that resulted in an interception. But I'm not quite sure why so many are raving over White's debut. I didn't see anything spectacular yet.
Seven penalties are too many - especially when some of them are committed in the redzone.
Here are the numbers for the kicking competition. Dan Carpenter drilled a 48 yard field goal. However, he slipped on an extra point attempt off the wet infield dirt. Connor Barth connected on his field goal attempt from 27. On kickoffs, Carp averaged 67 yards per kick on three kicks. Barth kicked one for 65 yards. Just for point of reference, a 65 yard kick is fielded at the 5 yard line; a 67 yard kick is fielded at the 3. Carpenter was the only one to reach the endzone, with his opening kick going 4 yards deep in the endzone.

So that's all for my initial reaction to Miami's preseason opener. We'll definitely talk more about this game as the week goes on. All told, though, it was football - and we can all agree that that's a positive.

Game Preview: Preseason Game 1 Jacksonville Jaguars @ Miami Dolphins

Jonathan Loesche — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:05:27 -0000

Miami Dolphins (0-0)

Preseason

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-0)

VS.

Date:	August 17th, 2009	Location:	Miami Gardens, FL
Time:	7:30 pm EST	Stadium:	LandShark Stadium
TV:	CBS/Local	Favorite:	Dolphins -3
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	31.5
Weather:	High 73, clear	Injury Report:	Coming Soon
SBN Coverage:	The Phinsider	Coverage Map	Local

What's this, light at the end of the tunnel? Grandma? Oh wait, it's just the start of the preseason.Either way, it's still great to finally see some live football after months of making mountains out of mole hills and endlessly debating the finer points of Gene Smith's moves. The first preseason game will finally allow the team to see all of it's offseason moves in action, and provide a glimpse of how the team will do.

The Dolphins were the surprise team of the year, going from 1-15 to winning the AFC East in 2008, reintroducing the NFL to the Wildcat offense, and lost to Baltimore in the Wild Card round. This year the Dolphins will now be playing with expectations, just as the Jaguars were in 2008. Last year's preseason game for the Dolphins was a harbinger of the 2008 season for the Jaguars, will this year provide a similar preview?

What To Watch For: Jacksonville Jaguars

1.The Offensive Line: Last year's game against the Dolphins began to show the struggles the offensive line would have all year. This year, newcomers Tra Thomas, Eben Britton, and rededicated Tony Pashos look to re-solidify the Jags line. A good performance from the first team line Monday night would be a great sight to see. In addition, a good performance from Tra Thomas would be more leverage for the Jaguars with Eugene Monroe.

2. Quarterbacks: David Garrard has been hit or miss in training camp. He'll make the kind of pass he did in 2007, then let a ball sail on him that would get intercepted. David has to begin to show that 2007 wasn't a one hit wonder. Paul Smith and Todd Bouman are now in a competition for the back up job. Smith was impressive at the scrimmage, and has dominated Bouman through out camp. If Smith can show this at full speed, then he'll go from the practice squad to having the back up job.

3. The Secondary: There might not be more competition on the team than in the defensive backfield. Third round pick Derek Cox has had his share of wow and face palm moments, which is to be expected of a talented rookie corner. Brian Williams has continued to show he is one of the best all around players on the team. Sean Considine has elevated himself from back up/special teamer status with his play in camp. Gerald Alexander has caught up to Reggie Nelson, or has Nelson fallen to Alexander?

4. Defensive line: The D-line will be the story for the Jaguars this preseason. As the Jags d-line goes, I believe the team will go. Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves are looking to show why they were essentially the Jaguars entire 2008 draft. Terrance Knighton has been solid in training camp. Can he make his way to be a starter? Will John Henderson even show up?

What to watch for: Miami Dolphins

1. Chad Henne: Henne was the Dolphins second round pick in 2008. While the Phins scored big by signing Chad Pennington, how much more does he have? Pennington never showed he could take a team to the next level with the Jets, and I doubt he will with the Dolphins. Henne will see a good amount of time against the Jaguars, and he could begin to make a case for being the Dolphins QB of the future.

2.Pat White: Another QB taken in the second round, White shot up draft boards after he showed that he could be a viable QB option in the NFL. As a rookie ,however, he'll be used in Miami's Wildcat offense. Expect to see a few uses of the Wildcat with White at the helm Monday night.

3. Ernest Wilford: Everyone's favorite ex-Jaguar may soon be an ex-Dolphin as well. Wilford has been struggling since signing with the Dolphins in 2008 and needs a good showing in the preseason to stay on the roster. Collin suggested the Jaguars resign Wilford if the Dolphins cut him, but do we want a guy who hasn't shown anything in two years?

4. Ricky Williams: Williams is still one of the most fascinating players in the NFL. I almost ordered a Toronto Argonauts jersey just because I found Williams situation so entertaining. Williams is currently backing up Ronnie Brown, but he is still a former Heisman Trophy winner. Williams would've been an all-time great if his favorite time of day wasn't 4:20.

Player On The Hot Seat

Quentin Groves, DE, Jacksonville

Groves needs a good preseason in the worst way. Groves was physically dominated through out last year and the whispers that he was too small to be a 4-3 DE became statements of fact. He then proceeded to become a workout warrior this offseason to show that he could compete in the NFL. Instead, Tra Thomas might as well have been the Berlin Wall during training camp. Groves has had a lackluster camp and may find himself on the chopping block if he doesn't show why he was a 2nd round pick.

Prediction

7-7 tie (When the first team players leave)

24-20 Jaguars

Poll

What do you want to see most in the first preseason game?

First team dominate

125 votes

Jaguars win

41 votes

Injury free game

184 votes

Win in the trenches

137 votes

487 votes | Poll has closed

Dolphins Training Camp: Week one evaluation

Matty I — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:15:10 -0000

Well I'm back from my trip to Massachusetts. And after one day off, the Dolphins will begin their second week of training camp on Monday. But even though Sunday was an off day for the players, you better believe the coaching staff was hard at work reviewing the first week and making some decisions on how to possibly shuffle the depth chart for the second week of camp. Remember, it's not just about how the player moved up on the depth chart performs against better competition. It's just as important to see how the demoted player responds to being moved down.

So I wanted to take a look back at the first week of camp and play a game of "hot or not." But first, I did have some observations on Saturday's "stand-up scrimmage" in front of over 3,000 fans in Davie.

SCRIMMAGE NOTES
I'm sure you have all read the reports that the South Florida media has provided about the 90+ play scrimmage. IF you haven't, I'd suggest checking out this terrific article that features play-by-play of the event, this post featuring some observations on the scrimmage, and this summary of the estimated numbers in the passing game.

Quickly, here are some of my random thoughts on the scrimmage:

I don't want to go overboard about Jason Taylor. But two sacks and a QB hurry is rather impressive. And one of those sacks was against Miami's starting line. Matt Roth better be worried about his job right now. I don't think JT has won the starting job yet, but after one week, Taylor is probably the favorite.
So Chad Pennington wasn't exactly efficient. That doesn't worry me one bit. It has only been a week - it's early. Don't panic - and, for the love of all that's still good, don't start with the tired Pennington/Henne debate. When the time is right, the switch will be made. And the time isn't right.
I think Anthony Fasano and John Nalbone traded identities for the scrimmage. Nalbone made three or four catches - including a touchdown - while Fasano dropped two passes. But seriously, I'm not worried about Anthony at all. And it's good to see Nalbone perform well - hopefully giving the rookie out of Monmouth some momentum heading into week two.
The only sack that the first-team offensive line allowed was to Jason Taylor. Not a bad performance by that unit.
Sean Smith makes plays, folks. Don't be surprised if his performance on Saturday elevates him above Vontae Davis, who was beaten by fellow rookie Brian Hartline for a long touchdown pass.
When I saw Jason Allen's name in one of the reports, I got excited thinking it was going to be for a positive play he made. Instead it was about how he got beat by Anthony Armstrong in which Allen "never played the ball." Not good.
Either Will Allen and Eric Green had damn good days or Ted Ginn drank his "invisible juice." Ginn was one of only two receivers to not record a reception. The other was rookie Patrick Turner - who was reportedly having a great first week of camp. What gives?
Ronnie Brown split out wide as a receiver - get used to seeing that this year.
Nine penalites? That's not going to fly with this staff.

"HOT" & "NOT"
It's time for a new weekly preseason feature. Why? Because the coaches, in some fashion, likely did this very thing on Sunday as they made key decisions involving who will work with what unit to start the second week of camp on Monday.

Hot: Jason Taylor - It was reported early that Jason didn't look comfortable yet as a true strongside linebacker in Miami's 3-4. But things changed as the week went on. He's gotten more comfortable and, more importantly, looks as enthusiastic as ever despite his age. There were a number of questions about Taylor's skills entering camp. But it doesn't seem like his skills have diminished much right now. How he holds up as camp - and the season - wears on, though, remains a critical aspect of Miami's potential 2009 success.

Not: Matt Roth - He is yet to take part in practice following a very odd few days to begin training camp. Was he "ill"? Is his groin bothering him? Whatever it is, if Roth doesn't get back on the field, he's going to lose his starting job. It's that simple.

Hot: Jake Long - It's rare to include an offensive linemen on a list of "hot" players after one week of training camp. But Long's value to this offense cannot be understated. And it's hard for us fans to know how dominant Jake has been in practice when you don't get to actually watch. But what stands out is how quiet Joey Porter has been so far. Jake is the main reason for that. Omar Kelly, the best Dolphins' beat reporter, also vouches for Jake. Speaking about Jason Taylor, Kelly wrote, "Right now, outside of left tackle Jake Long, Taylor's the most dominant player on the practice field."

Not: Jason Allen - Jason has had a rough first week. He's made some decent plays. But as a cornerback, you can't afford to get beat consistently. Right now, Allen is doing just that. Every day it seems like we're reading about Allen getting beat for a long pass. On Saturday, it was Anthony Armstrong - a bubble player - beating Jason deep. He also had issues earlier this week lining up in the right position. But Jason has been in this defensive system for just as long as anyone else has been (two offseasons) and he's still yet to prove he belongs on this roster.

Hot: Patrick Turner & Brian Hartline - The two rookie receivers have been pleasant surprises during the first week of camp. Turner, despite not having a catch in Saturday's scrimmage, has consistently made plays each and every day in practice. The beat reporters have been raving about him. His teammates have been raving about him. And it's going to be interesting to see how he performs in the preseason. Meanwhile, Hartline really stepped up his game towards the end of last week - making big play after big play. In the scrimmage, Hartline victimized Vontae Davis on the first play of the 2nd team offense's series on an out and up route for 40+ yards. Tony Sparano has praised both rookies for their performances this week. But they can't let down in week two.

Not: Anthony Armstrong - After a strong offseason showing, Armstrong has failed to consistently make plays working with the third team offense. Even with his one big play in the scrimmage - a 45+ yard reception from Pat White, beating Jason Allen - his week one performance hasn't been enough to create any kind of separation from Brandon London for that 6th receiver spot - if the Dolphins even keep that many. He's going to have to stand out in the preseason to impress these coaches if he wants to make the 53-man roster.

Hot: Cameron Wake - After a slow start, Wake has really caught fire. He's exerting his physical prowess and getting to the quarterback. He stood out late in the week during the 2-minute drills - sacking Chad Henne on back-to-back plays. But een before that, Wake was getting pressure on the quarterback with some consistency. Then on Saturday, Cameron picked up a sack and numerous QB pressures. And make no mistake about it, Wake's performance this offseason could impact Jason Taylor's role. It was originally thought that Jason would see limited action to keep him fresh. But if Wake could step in and spell either Taylor or Joey Porter regularly, the coaching staff would probably have fewer reservations with giving Taylor the starting job and increasing his expected workload.

Not: Pat White - Though White wasn't as bad as he was during OTAs and offseason minicamps, he's still not playing as well as we all hoped. His accuracy remains wildly inconsistent and he still doesn't look comfortable taking snaps from under center (which was to be expected coming from a spread offense at WVU). But as he gets more comfortable with the offense - and as the coaches get more comfortable with him - I'm confident they'll find ways to use White, putting him in situations that will play to his strengths.

Hot: Sean Smith - Smith is a prime candidate to be one of the "promoted" when practice begins this week. He put together a very good opening week of camp, showing a firm grasp of the defense, solid technique, and excellent athleticism. And the kid's a playmaker at corner. He made the only interception of the scrimmage, picking off a pass in the endzone. While Eric Green hasn't played poorly, it might be in Miami's best interest to challenge this confident rookie.

Not: Ernest Wilford - His conversion to tight end is going to take time. But he is yet to flash in practice and hasn't really shown that he's a good blocker. Sure, he was a solid blocker as a receiver in Jacksonville, blocking smaller corners. But reports from camp indicate he hasn't shown he can block defensive ends or linebackers - someting a TE/H-back has to do.

UP NEXT
The Dolphins kick off their second week of camp with - what else - a double. The first practice is scheduled for 9 am; the second for 5 pm.

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Primer: The tight race at tight end

Matty I — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:15:08 -0000

Yesterday we focused on the battle that the Miami Dolphins will have in training camp at the wide receiver position. But there's a chance that what happens at the receiver position could impact how the tight end depth chart shapes up heading into the regular season. So it only makes sense that we turn our attention to the tight end race today.

There are a lot of different storylines within this position - just as there was within the receiver battle - to make the usually uneventful tight end training camp battle quite interesting. You got contract issues, injuries, rookies, and a converted wide receiver. What more could you want?

THE QUICK BREAKDOWN

Virtual locks to make roster: Anthony Fasano
On the bubble: David Martin, Joey Haynos, John Nalbone, Ernest Wilford
Long shots: Jared Bronson

THE QUESTIONS

Right off the bat, the first issue that arises is the long-term plans for the position. As it stands now, all three tight ends from the 2008 season are in contract years. Anthony Fasano and David Martin are both scheduled to be free agents following the 2009 season. Joey Haynos is as well, though he'd be an "exclusive rights free agent" - meaning if the Dolphins want him back after the season, they can get him cheaply and easily. Will the team's thoughts on the young tight ends influence which veterans make the team this season?

Further complicating matters is David Martin's recovery from offseason sports hernia surgery. Will he be ready when camp begins in less than two weeks? If not, will the Dolphins consider stashing Martin on the PUP list to begin the season?

THE NUMBERS GAME

So how many tight ends will the Dolphins keep? Most teams keep three - and odds are that's how many Miami will keep. However, with Ernest Wilford working at the tight end position a lot this offseason in an attempt to revive his career, it's conceivable that the Dolphins keep two tight ends - and Wilford, the "quasi-tight end," as the third. He would double as the fifth or sixth receiver as well - possibly freeing up a roster spot for somebody else to make the team at another position.

Like I said above, David Martin's health is a question mark. We don't really know how far along Martin is in his recovery from sports hernia surgery. We do know that he didn't participate in most, if not all, offseason practices. But he was an underrated asset to this offense last year. He made a number of key plays. His 440 yards receiving last year was the fifth on the team and his three touchdown catches were the second most in '08. He's also a versatile tight end. You'll remember that Martin lined up a lot at receiver following Greg Camarillo's season-ending injury last year. Simply releasing him outright probably isn't something the Dolphins are in a rush to do because the young receivers on the roster are basically unknown assets at this point. Putting Martin on the PUP to start the season would give the Dolphins some time to see what they have in the young guys while David gets 100% healthy.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

Anthony Fasano is a lock to make the team and start. I love the way he plays and I expect him to get even better following his first career season as a starter. His acquisition last offseason was highway robbery at its finest courtesy of Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland.

Joey Haynos is an intriguing guy. He had just two catches last year - one for a touchdown. But he's 6'8 and provides the quarterback with a huge target. The Dolphins are believed to be high on the kid. He'll be entering his second season now with one full year of NFL experience under his belt. It'll be very interesting to see how he comes along in camp and how the Dolphins use him.

John Nalbone was a fifth round pick out of Monmouth this year but is far from a sure thing to make the team. But there's a reason he was drafted as high as he was. He's got good size (6'4, 255) and speed (ran his 40 in the 4.6s) and produced as a pass catcher and run blocker at Monmouth. But he was uncharacteristically inconsistent catching the football during OTAs and minicamps this past offseason. And he's the kind of player you can slip through waivers and place on the practice squad for the year - giving him time to work with the team, learn the offense, and improve his game.

The undrafted rookie out of Central Washington, Jared Bronson, is said to be a very good athlete and was labeled a "sleeper" heading into the draft as a pass-catching receiver. But he'll be a long shot to stick around with two proven vets, a second-year player who the team likes, a rookie drafted earlier, and a former receiver who has NFL experience.

THE KEY BATTLE

The key battle here is really between all four "bubble" tight ends. But if I had to pick one, I'd say it's Haynos against Nalbone. Both are practice squad eligible. And I think that one of these two will indeed be placed on Miami's practice squad - assuming no team claims him off waivers. But the kicker here is that the winner of this position battle could actually be the player placed on the practice squad. Theoretically, the Dolphins could keep Fasano and Martin as their top two tight ends and then keep Wilford around as a WR/TE "swingman" - in which case the winner of this battle ends up on the practice squad. On the other hand, the Wilford experiment could fail and the Dolphins could keep Fasano, Martin, and the winner of this battle - meaning the loser winds up on the practice squad. Lots of possibilities here to consider.

THE PREDICTION

If I had to guess right now, I'd say that Anthony Fasano and David Martin (provided he's healthy) both make the team again. I'd say that Joey Haynos has the inside track to the final tight end spot - meaning Monmouth's John Nalbone lands on Miami's practice squad.

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Primer: A battle at wide receiver

Matty I — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:15:08 -0000

Ted Ginn is a lock to make the roster. But which fellow receivers will join him?

View full size photo »

I told you we'd begin whipping out our "training camp primers" to discuss and debate some of the key storylines to monitor once camp kicks off. And I'm a man of my word.

The wide receiver position is going to be a very interesting position to watch this year. You got a combination of guys who are virtual locks to make the roster but still have to step up their production as well as guys who are squarely on the active roster bubble. Throw in some rookies and a 2008 starter coming back from a serious injury, and the question marks at the position quickly pile up.

THE QUICK BREAKDOWN

Virtual locks to make roster: Ted Ginn Jr., Davone Bess, Greg Camarillo
Likely to make roster: Patrick Turner, Brian Hartline
On the bubble: Brandon London, Anthony Armstrong, Ernest Wilford
Long shots: Brennan Marion, Chris Williams

THE QUESTIONS

There are two questions that jump out right away. One - is Greg Camarillo healthy enough to make the roster or does he have to begin season on the PUP list? If he did, that would potentially free up another roster spot. And that brings me to question two - how many receivers will the Dolphins keep on their 53-man roster? Five is the norm. But the Dolphins usually dressed only four on gamedays in 2008 - and dressed only three once Camarillo went down for the season. So it's clear that this regime doesn't necessarily think you must keep five receivers. And keeping six - as many think Miami will - is far from a sure thing.

THE NUMBERS GAME

What makes this position such an interesting one to watch in camp is because it will have ramifications on the entire roster. If the Dolphins do the unconventional move here and keep six receivers on the 53-man roster, you have to begin to wonder which position will lose a roster spot. And that brings me to Ernest Wilford - everyone's favorite free agent bust from a year ago. We know that Wilford has been working as a tight end this offseason in addition to receiver. You could conceivably make a case that Wilford making the team as the 6th wide receiver would allow the Dolphins to keep only two true tight ends on the roster - with Ernest playing the role of 6th WR/3rd TE. However, doing that would mean that the other five roster spots at wide receiver would come down to seven players. And there's no guarantee Wilford will even perform well enough in camp to merit making the team at any position.

Placing Greg Camarillo on the PUP list to begin the season would free up a roste spot. However, he participated in the team's final minicamp far more than anyone thought he would - proving that he might be very close to 100% as we head into training camp. If that's indeed the case, there's no way Greg gets stuck on the PUP list.

Some people are wondering about Brian Hartline, the team's 4th round draft pick back in April. Some think that the Dolphins could try to stash Hartline on the practice squad to begin the season. However, to do that, the Dolphins would have to waive him and allow the other 31 NFL teams a chance to claim him off waivers. He could also be plucked from the practice squad at any time by another NFL team (the only stipulation is that the player must spend the remainder of his season on the 53-man roster). So it's a risky proposition to try to stash him away like that.

The Dolphins also reportedly like Hartline's verstility a lot. They've used Brian at every receiver position and receivers coach Karl Dorrell said "the one thing I like about Brian is his versatility." That probably explains why he was drafted higher than many thought he'd go. Coupled with Brian's special teams contributions, I find it unlikely that Hartline doesn't make the 53-man roster out of training camp.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

It's likely that Ted Ginn and either Davone Bess or Greg Camarillo will be starters to begin the season. This is a big year for Teddy, too. You'll remember that during non-contact OTAs and minicamp, head coach Tony Sparano made it a point to say Ginn has looked "dominant" at times in practice. That has to translate to on-field production once the pads go on and practice goes live. Bess remains the Dolphins best receiver working out of the slot thanks to his agility, quickness, hands, and fearlessness.

Look for Patrick Turner to make a splash as well in the right situations in 2009. The third round pick out of USC has impressed everyone who has watched him perform this offseason. He has shown "vacuum-like" hands and is reportedly running very good routes. His combination of size and hands should make him, at the very least, a viable redzone threat immediately.

THE KEY BATTLE

If I had to pick one head-to-head battle for a roster spot, I'd say it would be between Brandon London and Anthony Armstrong. London has been highly regarded among Dolphin fans and scouts alike for some time. It's believed that nearly half of the league put in a waiver claim on London last year when the Giants attempted to sneak him through waivers and onto their practice squad. The Dolphins, though, had top waiver priority thanks to their dismal 2007 season. London was active on gameday for 14 games but mainly contributed as a special teamer. However, he did make one critical diving catch on third down against the Jets that kept a touchdown drive alive. His combination of size, speed, and catching ability has kept London's ceiling very high. However, the selection of Patrick Turner and Brian Hartline (one a big receiver the other a special teams contributor) could make London expendable.

Meanwhile, the receiver who opened the most eyes this past offseason was Anthony Armstrong. He consistently made big play after big play during OTAs and minicamps. Tony Sparano said that it go to the point where the quarterback was actually targeting Armstrong and looking for him to make a play. He's got tons of speed and seems to have improved his route running. But he's very thin (5'11, 175 pounds) and has no NFL experience. Of course he did spend last season on Miami's practice squad - so he should be very familiar with the offense. However, he has to produce on the field during practices when the hitting is live as well as during preseason games if he hopes to stick around on the 53-man roster in '09.

THE PREDICTION

I think that Ginn, Camarillo, and Bess will all be on the team. I expect both rookies - Turner and Hartline - to make it as well (though I wouldn't be shocked if Hartline found himself on the practice squad). I also think there's a distinct possibility that the Dolphins keep six receivers to open the season - with that final spot going to either London or Armstrong. And if Armstrong can make a couple big plays during the preseason, I really think he could sneak onto the roster as the sixth receiver.