SB Nation - Reggie Williams

Recounting the Decade: The Jaguars of the 2000's

Jonathan Loesche — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:54:50 -0000

Brad Messter: The only player to play all 10 seasons in Jacksonville

The Jaguars have only one game remaining in the first decade of the 21st century and I felt it was time to look back at what this decade has been for this franchise.

The Jaguars entered 2000 with a seemingly loaded team. The 1999 Jaguars went 14-2 and were one half away from going to the Super Bowl. Golden Era hallmarks like Mark Brunell, Tony Boselli, Jimmy Smith, and Keenan McCardell were still here and it seemed as though the Jaguars were on there way to another playoff appearence. However, injuries, age, and bad free agent signings took their toll on the team and it limped to a 7-9 finish.

The 2001 Jaguars began to see the affects of Salary Cap Hell become apparent, but enough pieces were still seemingly in place for one last run. Instead, the Jaguars limped to 6-10.

The 2002 team may well have been the least talented team ever fielded by any NFL franchise this decade. I'm not talking about strictly results, but in terms of the players. The affects of Salary Cap Hell were felt in full, with the most prevalent example being the Houston Texans expansion draft. The Texans needed to take Tony Boselli, Seth Payne, and Gary Walker just so the Jaguars wouldn't violate NFL salary cap rules. Even then, the Jaguars had so much "dead money" that they could only afford to sign bottom feeder free agents.

The 2002 team went 6-10 that year, losing multiple games in the final minutes. Looking back, I have to give credit to Tom Coughlin for the job he did with that team. It only committed 15 turnovers all year and played well above it's head. However, with attendance sagging and the massive salary cap mess a direct result of Coughlin's actions as GM, he would be released following the season.

In came Jack Del Rio, then a young defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers. Del Rio was coming off being in charge of the NFL's #2 unit that had led the Panthers to a surprise Super Bowl run.

The 2003 Jaguars had to deal with many of the same problems the 2002 team had. The Jaguars still had to deal with salary cap hell, but brought in several pieces that would affect the team for years to come. Mike Peterson, Byron Leftwich, and Rashean Mathis were all brought in via either free agency or the draft.

The 2004 Jaguars were finally free of the salary cap devil and the results showed on the field. The signature win of this season would be a hard fought battle in Green Bay that perhaps, more than any other, empitomized what Jack Del Rio wanted out of this team. However, the very next week was a game that symbolized the worst of Jacksonville this decade. The Jaguars lost 21-0 to the Houston Texans in front of 30,000 fans with the playoffs on the line.

The 2005 Jaguars managed to return to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. The biggest developement of this season would be the beginnings of the two year long Garrard/Leftwich conflict. Leftwich was injured in Week 12 against Arizona. David Garrard would lead the Jaguars to a 4-1 record in Leftwich's absense. However, Leftwich would be given the start against New England in the playoffs, and proceeded to lose 28-3.

The 2006 Jaguars were perhaps the real peak of the Jaguars this decade. The team was powered by a bruising running game featuring Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. The defense was a wall that couldn't be broken. However, inconsistent play at QB sealed this team's fate. After a 44-13 thrashing of Indianapolis, the Jaguars lost 3 straight to end the year thanks to David Garrard's inconsistent play.

The 2007 team was the closest the Jaguars have come to recapturing their late 90's glory days. The brusing running game returned, and David Garrard finally unseated Byron Leftwich for good. However, the defense began to decline, but it was masked by an offensive revival. The Jaguars would go 11-5 and gain the signature win of the Decade, a thrilling win at Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round.

The 2008 team had a lot in common with the 2000 team. With expectations high, years of bad free agents and bad drafting caught up with the team. I'll leave it at that.

Finally, the 2009 team reminds me alot of the 2003 team Del Rio inherited. Their is much work to be done, but you can see the future is bright for this group.

Player Of The Decade: Fred Taylor, RB

Despite some, ahem, interesting back and forths with him and Del Rio this week, Fred Taylor defined this decade for the Jaguars. Taylor rushed for 9316 yards and 42 touchdowns between 2000 and 2008.

Dud of The Decade: R. Jay Soward, WR

While Shack Harris gets the brunt of the 1st round hate, Soward is still the reigning king of Jaguar 1st round busts. Soward played just one season in Jacksonville, and even that year was filled with suspesnions, missed practices, and was just a total mess.

Best Trend: The Jaguars discovering the running game

Under Tom Coughlin, the Jaguars were never a running team. The only time the Jaguars had a threatening running game was during the 1996 playoff run with Natrone Means. Other than that, the Jaguars were never known as a physical team. That immediately changed under Jack Del Rio, first with Fred Taylor, than with Maurice Jones-Drew.

Worst Trend: The Jaguars draft really starting in the 2nd round

R.Jay Soward, Byron Leftwich, Reggie Williams, Matt Jones, and soon Reggie Nelson

All 1st round picks for the Jaguars that have failed to live up to expectations and are now gone.

Defining Moment: David Garrard's 4th down run vs Pittsburgh

Tnemom Gninifed: Losing 21-0 to the Houston Texans

Best Draft Pick: Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, UCLA

MJD has been this franchise's best pick since the last RB they picked early, Fred Taylor. He already holds the franchise single season TD record and will hold the franchise TD record before next season is finished.

Worst Draft Pick: Byron Leftwich, QB

I know most would expect R.Jay Soward here, but Leftwich's pick set off a chain reaction here. Leftwich's pick influenced the Jaguars to take Williams and Jones, along with passing up players such as Terrell Suggs and Ben Roethlisberger. Not to mention the players they did take weren't worth their weight in lead.

Best Free Agent: Mike Peterson, LB

Despite how things ended in 2008, Peterson defined the Jaguars defense under Del Rio's early years. He was tough, hard hitting, and didn't take $hit.

Worst Free Agent: Jerry Porter, WR

I was going to go with Bryce Paup, but he was signed for the 1999 season. Porter defined the 2008 Jaguars fall from grace with his me first attitude and million dollar a catch results.

First Half Grades and Awards

Jonathan Loesche — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:49:09 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

about 1 month ago: Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew runs for a third-quarter touchdown during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville won 24-21.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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The Jaguars have completed the first half of their schedule and the results are a resounding...........who knows. This team has had it's share of ups and downs, though it has been entertaining the entire time. This team is in rebuilding, but that doesn't mean it has it's strengths and weaklinks.

Passing Offense: B-

The key here has been the emergence of the wide receiving corp. The Jaguars no longer have a CFL level wide receiving corp and it shows. Mike Sims-Walker has been showing why the Jaguars have been so patient with his injuries, while Torry Holt has been the best free agent pick up since Mike Peterson.David Garrard has been up and down, though that has as much to do with the play of the offensive line as himself.

First round pick Eugene Monroe is seemingly finally entrenched at the left tackle spot. As long as the coaching staff doesn't have anymore divine revelations to start Tra Thomas, I don't see Monroe leaving that spot for the next ten years. Fourth round pick Mike Thomas has certainly been the surprise of the draft class for me. He has been a nice spark plug for the offense.

Rushing Offense:A-

Maurice Jones-Drew is a feature back, enough said. MJD is on pace for a 1,500 yard 22 touchdown season that would eclipse anything Fred Taylor did statistically, which is insane. However, as Jeff Lageman mentioned, Fred was always at his best during the back half of the schedule. Will we say the same about Jones-Drew?

Rashad Jennings has been getting more action as the season has gone on, and hopefully he'll get to be a regular spell back by the end of the year. I know MJD is a monster, but why don't we give the ball to Greg Jones more in short yard situations, if for no other reason then that's one less hit MJD needs to take.

Run blocking has always been the offensive line's strength and it continues to be. 2nd round pick Eben Britton has been excellent blocking the run this season, though he's still a work in progress with pass protection. Also, the interior of the offensive line is starting to show it's age. Hopefully they'll be able to hang on for another year or two because there are only project players to be found if you want interior O-lineman in this draft.

Passing Defense:D

Well, at least the unit isn't on pace to set the record for fewest sacks in the NFL. However, this is still the weak link on the team, as evidenced by the 54 yard prayer that was given up for a touchdown that sparked the Chiefs psuedo-rally. The pass rush is still non-existent for the most part. Unless the Chiefs game was a preview of things to come, the Jaguars will still be looking for that pass rusher. Also, Reggie Nelson is still a liability. While he managed to figure out he was playing TACKLE football, I would still take a "Hole in Zone" over trusting him to make the right read.

On the other hand, Derek Cox has been progressing nicely and looks to be a cornerstone of the team for the next decade. I'm not going to blast Sean Considine and Brian Russell too much as those guys really should be special teams guys.

Rushing Defense: C+

The Jaguars rush defense has been good statistically primarily because team's realized that throwing the ball was far more effective. However, the last two weeks have been a Jekyll and Hyde show for the team. Chris Johnson had a career day in Nashville, while they buckled down against the Chiefs to only allow 60 yards rushing.

Terrance Knighton has been playing the best of the rookies and has been a true bright spot for the season. John Henderson has revived his career and is playing his best ball since 2005. Also, if this team is finally going back to the 4-3, then we'll see our linebackers playing to their strengths again.

(I'm going to save comment on the coaching for another article.)

First Half MVP: Maurice Jones-Drew

Did you think I would pick anyone else?

First Half LVP (Least Valuable Player): Reggie Nelson

Nelson is proudly continuing in the tradition of other Shack Harris first round picks, by not progressing or living up to their potential. It seems everytime the defense gives a big play over the top you can see that Reggie is out of position somewhere.

Best Moment: Week 4 vs Tennessee

Easily the best performance from all sides of the ball since 2007.

Worst Moment: Week 8 at Tennessee

I have to agree with Vic on this one. The playoffs were on the line and despite being thoroughly outplayed, it seemed MJD had delivered a knockout blow with his second long touchdown to tie the game at 13-13. Then, the extra point was blocked and the team collapsed.

Best Rookie: Terrance "Pot Roast" Knighton

Not only has he played the best of the rookies, his arrivial has resparked John Henderson.

Most Pleasant Surprise: The Jaguars no longer having a CFL level wide receiving unit

The Jaguars top three wide receivers in 2008, Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, and Jerry Porter are out of football now. Would anyone want to bet Mike Sims-Walker, Torry Holt, and Mike Thomas would be free agents for long if the Jaguars cut them tomorrow?

One thing I want to see over the next eight games: Close losses

You're probably wondering what I mean by that, but this team is going to lose a few more games this year, that is certain. However, the Jaguars have lost by an average of 18 points this season. I'm not asking this team to go in and beat New England at home in December. I would ask you make it worth my while to tune in.

-Jonathan Loesche

Poll

The team MVP is

Maurice Jones-Drew

373 votes

David Garrard

10 votes

Mike Sims-Walker

56 votes

Torry Holt

3 votes

Terrance Knighton

14 votes

Other

4 votes

460 votes | Poll has closed

Jaguars Head Coach Jack Del Rio thinks you are dumb.

River City Rage — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:27:13 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

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There is simply no other way around it.

Jack Del Rio Today:

"What we have is a good, solid, tough defensive lineman who is about 6′5″, 285 and he plays hard," Del Rio said. "So let’s appreciate what he is and stop worrying about whether he’s measuring up to a standard that has been set by somebody else beside me, Gene Smith or his teammates. Once we do that, we’ll be in better shape."

Jack Del Rio on Draft Day:

"He’s going to grow into a 280, 285-pound body. He’s got tremendous closure on the quarterback. He’s played his best football in big games,"

I'm not a terribly reactive person. I can sit back and appreciate the big picture and take it all in. I believe in the "10,000 foot perspective", where judgment and analysis are tempered from the day to day moments. But today's comments by Del Rio broke my soul. If we accept Del Rio's premise that Derrick Harvey is not a fast edge rusher but a "rugged player", then Harvey joins the ranks of Reggie Williams, Matt Jones, Marcades Lewis, and Reggie Nelson, athletic project players who, to date, have not lived up to any expectations. When we lauded Reggie Williams as the best run-blocking Wide Receiver in the game, that's a bad thing. When UCLA's pass catching machine is heralded as the "Next Kyle Brady", there's a problem. When we're scheming Reggie Nelson away from Reggie Wayne and to Sean Considine, there's an issue, and when Derrick Harvey is "just a tough player" at end and that expectations for sacks are our unrealistic, then there's nearly a decade of bad first round draft picks. I'm not going to even mention Byron Leftwich and the six years of first round prospects that the Jaguars have passed on in order to take this amalgamation of talent and potential.

Derrick Harvey, not expected to be a sack machine, that's rich Jack. It's one thing to admit that you've failed in identifying and developing a player to put the team in a position to win, it's another thing entirety to blame the media, the fans, and even your assistant coaches for the lack of performance by Harvey. Gene may have the Conn, but there's an anchor on this team, and I've come around the realization that Jack Del Rio is no longer the man for the job. We've had too many missed opportunities to build a legitimate roster and develop into a powerhouse. I'm sorry for the doom and gloom, but there's one element left of the James Harris era that's still lingering, and that's Coach Del Rio.

I'm expecting backlash for this, but the facts are there. Jack Del Rio has not put this team in a position to compete. How sad is it that we joke amongst ourselves about the importance of the Jaguars 2nd round draft picks. When we drafted Derek Cox and gave up our 2nd pick in next years draft, I dreaded the thought of losing the one consistent bright spot in our draft. It's like I've already given up on whoever we take first overall.

I'm dreadfully frustrated with Jack, as you can tell. He is already on the defensive, managing expectations, getting into the head of Harvey and Garrard, and it's not what I expected out of a developmental year. This is a time for the team to grow and turn into something special, not a time for the head coach to dig himself in and insulate himself from expectations. Frankly, he needs to grow up and face the fact that he's as much responsible for the direction of the team as anyone, he was part of the decision making trifecta and should be held accountable. If that means a sudden and rapid change at the top, than so be it.

Filling WR Marcus Smith's Spot

Mr MaLoR — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:02:33 -0000

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Thursday night, second year WR Marcus Smith came off the field limping after making a very impressive tackle on a special teams play. At the time, most of us were probably unsure of how serious the injury was, just thinking that it was a sprain or that the player landed on it the wrong way. However, after the game Coach Harbaugh stated that it is a pretty serious injury and further reports have given clues that Smith could be missing the whole season if his ACL is as messed up as we think.

Now, where does this injury leave us? Baltimore was very excited to see a guy like Smith step up and improve what many around the league think is one of the weakest WR groups in the NFL. He was having a great start to the pre-season and looked to be a guy we could count on as our 4th or even 3rd WR at times. Here are a few possibilities.

Stick With Our Current Group: With Smith's injury, this leaves Kelly Washington and Demtrius Williams fighting for the 3rd and 4th spots. This injury moves guys like Justin Harper up the depth chart just slightly and may even give guys like Jason Foster or Eron Riley a chance.

Acquire Yet Another Free Agent: There is still some talent out there in the Free Agent pool. We have debated for a while now of the guys out there that could possibly come in here and help us out. Here are a few of the Free Agent WR that seem to stand out.

What is the best decision for the Ravens at the moment?

Know Thy Enemy 2009: Jacksonville Jaguars - November 29

Fooch — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:00:10 -0000

The 49ers wrap up November and their AFC South opponents with what looks like a winnable game, but could prove tricky against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Depending on the 49ers are performing at this point, one could argue this has trap game written all over it. It is sandwiched between the tough road game at Green Bay and then a stretch of 3 divisional games in 5 weeks. Given how some folks think the 49ers will do this year, I'm guessing they do not view this as a trap game, but as just another potential loss. I like to look on the bright side of things (even the fact that I'm turning 30 today...how's that for a little nugget for you? That and a test to see if you've already given up reading this article).

The Jacksonville Jaguars are represented here at SB Nation by my boy River City Rage over at Big Cat Country.

2008 Overview
Although the Jaguars continued their pattern of alternating very solid and not so very solid years, 2008 was quite a stumble for them as they fell to 5-11. It certainly didn't help that they were playing in a tremendously strong AFC South with the other three teams finishing 33-15. The Jaguars did manage a fairly balanced, although not wildly strong offensive attack, finishing the season 12th in passing and 13th in rushing. The bowling ball with legs, Maurice Jones-Drew finally surpassed Fred Taylor in carries, but saw the rushing attack become significantly less potent. Given the offseason moves it will be very interesting to see how that holds up.

On defense, the Jaguars finished 29th against the pass and 10th against the rush. Definitely a big disparity there. I watched pretty much no Jaguars football games last season so any thoughts on this are based on what I can scour around for on the Internet. One thing that jumps out at me: They finished the season with 1 less sack than the 49ers. Not exactly the kind of stat that screams pass defense success.

After the jump we look at the Jaguars offseason additions and subtractions, 2009 Questions and Answers and a quick preview of the matchup...

Additions
Tell me if this situation sounds familiar. Team signs a veteran at a position of some need before the draft. On draft day, a player they weren't expecting to fall to them lands squarely in their loops and they'd be foolish to pass on him, leaving them with potentially one too many guys at the position. Subsequently, that first round pick holds out from training camp. You'd argue that's the 49ers story with Brandon Jones and Michael Crabtree, only it's also the story of the Jaguars with Tra Thomas and Eugene Monroe. While Jones has not done as much at WR as Thomas has at OT, it's still sufficiently similar to be a little eery.

At the same time used the draft, and free agency a bit to try and beef up the offense around MJD and David Garrard. They drafted OT Eben Britton and very intriguing wide receivers Jarrett Dillard and Mike Thomas. Oh, and don't forget their 7th round pick, Rashad Jennings out of I-AA Liberty, who rushed for over 1,500 yards his senior season. In free agency, they added an aging Torry Holt who might still have a little bit left in the tank. So, while they didn't do much to upgrade their defense (Terrance Knighton appears likely to start as a backup DT and Derek Cox getting time in nickel situations), the offense could be building towards something solid (eventually).

Subtractions
The Jaguars saw quite a free agents leave town this offseason. The most notable two were probably Fred Taylor and Khalif Barnes. Taylor (the NFL's injury answer to Ken Griffey Jr.) had a resurgence in his last few years in Jacksonville before being surpassed by Maurice Jones-Drew. He was released this offseason and the full time job was handed to MJD. Barnes left to become the Raiders starting left tackle, although Jaguars fans don't exactly seem broken up about it.

One of the more interesting, but not surprising releases was that of wide receiver Matt Jones. The former Arkansas QB seemed to be building himself into a pretty solid wide receiver before things went to crap last year. Aside from that they seemed to clean out a whole lot of veteran bodies that brought something to the table but were nothing spectacular as of late (Reggie Williams, Mike Peterson). My favorite subtraction of theirs had to be this guy. I had forgotten he was still in the league (he's in New Orleans now).

2009 Questions and Answers
I'm really quite curious where this team is going in 2009. Most folks seem to view this as a rebuilding year for the Jaguars. Anybody think they could be one of those teams that comes out of nowhere to shock folks? It would take a lot of things going right, but I suppose anything is possible after what the Dolphins did last year.

I guess my biggest question at this point is whether Maurice Jones-Drew will be able to handle the load by himself. They've got bodies behind him and I think Rashad Jennings could be an interesting backup, but this is still a big step for the Jaguars. Of course, given that this appears to be a bit of a rebuilding year, maybe it's the perfect time to figure this out. Then they can decide whether they need to invest a fairly high pick in a decent handcuff option without blowing a year of high expectations.

Aside from that I'm curious who, if anybody, steps up as a wide receiver and as a pass rusher. Matt Jones was their leading receiver and they've got a whole bunch of youngsters around an aging ex-Ram (hmmmm...sounds like the 49ers receiver corps!)

@ San Francisco
Both Bigelow and I predicted a win in this matchup. At the time I mentioned Monroe and the fact that the offensive line could be gelling by week 12. At this point who knows what will happen. I do stick by the win prediction as even a 7 win team should be able to pull this kind of game out at home. As I mentioned up at the top, I see this as a big time potential trap game (assuming the Jaguars aren't all that good). There are so many question marks that I think a few answers make this quite the tough team. I think the 49ers defense can contain this offense, but we'll see how the Jags pass defense has improved (or not) by week 12.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2009 Training Camp: The new beginning begins

River City Rage — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:35:27 -0000

More photos » by Jason DeCrow - AP

Will Monroe be in camp?

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It's finally here. The 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars will report to training camp on Sunday, bringing to an end what was quite possibly the most painful offseason in Jaguars history. We've seen Fred Taylor leave the team and go to the New England Patriots, something that will look dreadful when the Jaguars face the Patriots on December 27th. We saw the release of nearly the entire crop of 2008 free agents and most of the Jaguars wide receivers leave. Jerry Porter, Matt Jones, and Reggie Williams all still unemployed, though I'd argue that Matt Jones still has a chance to do well, somewhere.

We saw James Harris leave the team and the rise of Gene Smith, he which we must trust to make all the right decisions, as he has final say in nearly everything. It's unclear as to whether Jack Del Rio will still get to pick his sideline attire, or if that too comes from an edict from above. Of course, I say this will all due respect, as I've been OK with just about every move that Smith has made since taking the conn.

The good news is that the majority of our draft picks are signed (more on that to come), there were no significant injuries during the OTA season, and the offseason passed with no arrests, off the field incidents, or distractions. While I hate talking about it, when the biggest offseason storyline is a struggle to sell tickets, we're doing all right.

Three Burning Questions:

1. Will Eugene Monroe, our first round pick, be in camp on time with a reasonable contract? Jason Smith signed a $62 million contract with $33 million in guaranteed money. Basically equivalent to the 5 year, 57 million dollar contract with 30 million guaranteed. That sets the bar for offensive linemen. The Raiders signed Wide Receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, selected 7th overall, to a $23.5 million guaranteed and $38.25 million in base salary with a maximum value of $54 million. This sets the cap for Monroe in the slotting order. Derrick Harvey, selected 8th overall last season, signed for t $17.175 million in guaranteed money, $23.8 million before incentives and $33.4 million in total potential money.

So the Jaguars will look to sign Monroe for closer to 19-20 million in guaranteed money, Monroe and his agent will push for 21-22 million, and they'll find a common ground in the middle. Will that be accomplished by Sunday? Highly doubtful. I don't expect a long holdout, but it's likely that he'll miss the first few days. This is why we have Tra Thomas.

2. Will the Wide Receivers continue to develop? Who is Chad Owens and who is the next Jimmy Smith or Keenan McCardell? Who will get alligator arms when Reggie Nelson is closing and who goes over the middle and takes the hit? We can speculate all day long about the receivers and what they could do, but once the pads are in play and the lights are on, all bets are off. I've got faith that this group is going to turn into something special, especially with Mike Walker being healthy and ready for his 3rd season, but we'll have to see.

3. Do we escape the injuries. After last season, every snap, every play, every throw and every awkward fall and twist will terrify me. While Camp Del Rio will be more intense than we're used to, I'd like to see this team go into week one with a healthy roster that can surprise some folks, not one that is hobbled and wounded.

What's on your mind on the Friday before camp?

Jack Del Rio On Trial

Jonathan Loesche — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:52:25 -0000

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here to decide the future of the Jack Del Rio, and by association, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coach Del Rio was hired following the 2002 season to replace Tom Coughlin as head coach. Tasked with helping drag the Jaguars out of salary cap hell and return to a championship contender, he has lead the Jaguars to the playoffs twice and helped mold one of the most physically dominant teams in the NFL. However, he has also managed to gain his share of detractors. They accuse him of leaving his teams ill-prepared and will never lead the Jaguars to the promised land.

The charge brought against him is that he is not the man for the job, and the Jaguars should terminate him as their head coach. You will listen to both sides present their case and decide at the end whether Del Rio should continue as the Jaguar's head coach.

The prosecution

Members of the jury, what we have here is a textbook case of a coach who has simply run his course. Jack Del Rio has been the head coach of the Jaguars for six years. In that time, he has been given ample opportunity to turn the Jaguars around and make them a playoff fixture. Instead, with the exception of 2007, the Jaguars have been the most common team associated with the phrase "Yeah, but." After I am finished, I'm sure you'll agree that with Coach Del Rio, the Jaguars will never be more than "Yeah, but."

Exhibit A

December 26th, 2004

Week 16: 21-0 loss vs the Houston Texans

There are numerous examples I could use from the 2004 season. I could use the 20-6 loss @Houston a week after winning in Indianapolis and having a chance to take a commanding lead in the division. I could use the 3 game losing streak after starting 6-3 that made this game so critical to the Jaguars playoff chances in the first place. However, I will just stick with the game that many Jaguars fans remember to this day.

We all know the story; the Jaguars were coming home after beating the Packers in Green Bay. With 2 "cupcake" games remaining against Houston and Oakland, the Jaguars seem destined for a return trip to the playoffs. Instead, the team laid a massive egg in front of the small home crowd and were shut out of the playoffs.

Exhibit B

December 17-31st, 2006

Week 15: 24-17 loss @ Tennessee

Week 16: 24-21 loss vs New England

Week 17: 35-30 loss @ Kansas City

Over a three week period, the Jaguars went from one of their highest highs (a 44-17 slaughter of Indy) to a Week 17 loss that made fans seriously consider if Quinn Gray was starting material. Any time Pacman Jones is mentioned on ESPN, his interception for a touchdown in Week 15 is still shown. The Jaguars gave a noble fight against New England, however, as par for the course, the Jaguars faltered against the top shelf. The loss to the Chiefs simply showed a team that had given up, and seemingly didn't care.

Exhibit C

The 2008 season

This has been covered so often, I doubt anyone here needs a refresher.

Exhibit D

I believe we could all agree the four teams that are at the top of the AFC's hierarchy are Pittsburgh, New England, Indianapolis, and San Diego. What is Jack Del Rio's record against those four teams as head coach?

2003: 2-2

2004:1-3

2005: 1-3

2006: 2-2

2007: 3-3

2008: 1-2

Career Record: 10-15

Del Rio has a Career winning percentage of .400 against the Cream of the AFC Crop. If I take away the Steelers and only factor the Chargers, Colts, and Patriots it plummets to

2003: 2-2

2004:1-2

2005:0-3

2006:1-2

2007:1-3

2008:1-1

Career:6-13

Conclusion

I could go further about all of the rumors about Del Rio's personality rubbing players and coaches the wrong way. Or his history that makes me questions his maturity, but I will simply deal with the facts.

Jack Del Rio took over a team that was, in many respects, an expansion team. He deserves credit where credit is due. However, that is no excuse for how this team has performed consistently. The Jaguars organization and fan base has had six seasons to evaluate what kind of coach he is.

What have we seen? We have seen a team that constantly folds under pressure, packs their bags when things get down, and seemingly can't compete with the best this conference has to offer.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I say to you that Jack Del Rio is not the man for the job. He has shown that while he may get the Jaguars within sight of the mountain top, we will simply falter back down. The Jaguars will simply not be a legit contender as long as he walks the sidelines.

The Defense

Jury members, you have heard how Coach Del Rio is simply not the man for the job. I admit, the Jaguars have stumbled along the way, but that is to be expected with a young coach. A year ago, we were praising him for ushering in the Jaguars 2nd Golden Age and once again allowing fans to utter the words "Super Bowl" with legitimacy. He was handed a team that may have had less talent than the 1995 expansion team and turned it into a playoff team in three seasons.

To counter my opponents positions, I saw a young team take it's lumps against the Texans. A valiant defensive performance was foiled by an early indicator of Bryon Leftwich's inability to win critical games. In 2006, Garrard had a meltdown of epic proportions against Tennessee and continued through the final two games of the regular season. In 2008, injuries, multiple free agent and first round busts, and hubris throughout the organization created a perfect storm. While Del Rio's record may not be the best against the elite, have the Jaguars had the kind of talent those teams had?

Exhibit A

The 2nd Half of the 2003 season

Heading into Week 10 of the 2003 season, Jacksonville was 1-7 and looked to have the #1 pick in the draft. Jack Del Rio's team trailed at halftime to the heavily favored Colts. That young team could have folded then and there, instead, they mounted a comeback and played above their ability. They finished 4-4 in their final eight games.

Would a coach who let's his team fail pull that off? Coach Del Rio motivated his team to keep fighting when all that was on the line was pride. It was perhaps the Jaguars' darkest hour, and he came through.

Exhibit B

2007 Wild Card Round @Pittsburgh
The Jaguars had surrendered a lead late in the 4th quarter in one of the most hostile stadiums in the league. Instead of folding, Jacksonville went on a career defining drive for all involved. David Garrard made the most miraculous play since Brunell was running through Broncos defenders in the 96 divisional round, and the Jaguars came out victorious.

Exhibit C

Shack Harris' constant personnel failures

Byron Leftwich, Reggie Williams, Matt Jones, Hugh Douglas, Jerry Porter, Drayton Florence, all names that were brought in to be bedrocks for the organization. Instead, they represented wasted roster spots and cap space. The fact that the Jaguars had to jettison their franchise quarterback, yet still were a playoff contender is a testament to Del Rio's coaching ability. How many other franchises fielded contending teams during bitter quarterback controversies, or managed to recover from a failure of a franchise quarterback?

Conclusion

Is Jack Del Rio the greatest coach in the NFL? Probably not. However, is he a good coach who can take the Jaguars to the top? Absolutely. Coach Del Rio has done the best he can with what he has been given. It is foolhardy to think any coach could dramatically improve how this team has done over the years.

It is up to you, the members of the jury, to decide whether Coach Del Rio is guilty or not. Please vote and leave a comment as to how you feel

-Jonathan Loesche

Poll

On the charge that Jack Del Rio is not the man for the job as the Jaguars head coach

Guilty

139 votes

Not Guilty

400 votes

539 votes | Poll has closed

Quick Bytes: July 17th, 2009

Jonathan Loesche — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:36:52 -0000

Jones-Drew will be focal point of running game, but Jaguars plan to share
There's no question that Maurice Jones-Drew is the star in Jacksonville's backfield. However, for the Jaguars to succeed, they plan to divvy up the carries.

Offseason spotlight: Is Jack Del Rio on the hot seat?
As part of NFL Network's 32 Teams in 32 Days series, we take a look at a key question facing each team. Is Jack Del Rio on the hot seat in Jacksonville?

What kind of pass is Jags' Lewis likely to drop? - AFC South - ESPN
Paul Kuharsky takes a look at Marcedes Lewis and how he intends to finally live up to his pass catching billing.

Jacksonville Jaguars' Philosophy at Wide Receiver Takes a U-Turn | Bleacher Report
Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell were unheralded players that the Jaguars signed. R. Jay Soward, Reggie Williams, and Matt Jones were first round picks that got the Jags no where. Now it seems the Jaguars have gone back to their original philosophy.

Q&A: Matt Jones on his arrests, release, comeback plans | Jacksonville.com
We all know the saga of Matt Jones. While not quite a tell all, this interview does give some insight into his time as a Jaguar.

NFL: Wade Phillips among coaches on the hot seat - ESPN
Wade Phillips and Jack Del Rio are among the coaches on the hot seat as the 2009 season approaches, writes John Clayton.

Chat: Chat with Paul Kuharsky - SportsNation - ESPN
Paul Kuharsky's weekly chat about the AFC South.

Poll

What does Del Rio need to do to keep his job?

Super Bowl

4 votes

Playoffs

52 votes

7-9 wins

76 votes

He'll be brought back regardless

38 votes

He's gone no matter what

3 votes

173 votes | Poll has closed

Dr.FSBA: Or Why Northcutt's release/trade means more between the lines

Jonathan Loesche — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:08:51 -0000

As Dennis Northcutt's days as a Jaguar are number, I feel the need to sit back here and look at where this team is heading and where it has been. I forget which poster said it, but they said it best, "I couldn't wait for the day the receiving corps was good enough to cut Dennis Northcutt." Last year at this time, the core receivers were Jerry Porter, Northcutt, Reggie Williams, Troy Williamson, and Matt Jones. Let's go through each one, shall we?

Jerry Porter: His best year's came as a number three wide receiver behind Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. A known trouble maker who may single handily personify all that was wrong with Shack Harris' free agent signings after year one.

Reggie Williams: I'm debating whether Reggie deserves to overtake R Jay Soward as the worst pick in Jaguars history. Williams was picked twenty picks higher, and yet he only had marginally better results on the field. Excluding his 10 touchdown receptions in 2007, did he do anything of note that should've kept him on a NFL roster for five years?

Troy Williamson: Same thing as Reggie, except he doesn't have a 10 touchdown year to his credit. I won't even get started on his comment about duking it out with Minnesota head coach Brad Childress.

Matt Jones: Well, he was Matt Jones.

I look back at the articles on BCC at the time and I wonder how my glasses now don't have a permanent teal and black tint to them. We were honestly trying to convince ourselves this team could make a Super Bowl run with that receiving corps. A receiving corps with words like "Lazy, underperforming, uninterested, bust" scattered across their resumes. Yeah, they would help us host the Lombardi Trophy.

Now, every one of those players are gone except for Northcutt and Williamson. Unless Scott Pioli is still dealing with the crazy, I doubt any team will trade for Northcutt and he'll be sent packing.

This Jaguars team now has an actual veteran who has acheived something in Torry Holt, and young wide receivers who were value picks in Mike Thomas and Jarrett Dillard. The WR corps may not light the world on fire, but it won't be better suited for the old NFL Europe either.

Finally, the day has come that the wide receiver corps was good enough to let Dennis Northcutt go.

-John

The Bears Den - 4/7/09

ChiFan13 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:00:12 -0000

In The Den

A story we've all heard mentioned: Vanderbilt aide said the Cutler told him he wanted to be drafted by Chicago in 2006.

Brad Biggs elaborates on his weekend argument that the Bears need to pick a receiver in the 2^nd round.

Clark Judge of CBSSports.com writes that Cutler isn't a cure-all. Duh.

Jay Cutler was on hand for the voluntary workout yesterday. Also, Ron Turner and Cutler had lunch together on Sunday night and talked X's and O's.

Larry Mayer asked fans how they felt about the Cutler trade and received over 1,000 responses.

Sporting News breaks down the aftermath of the Cutler trade and addresses what we need to do in the draft to complete our team.

In The Vicinity of The Den

Pick the biggest Bears 1st-round draft bust of all time.

Kyle Orton and Chris Simms will compete for the QB job in Denver. No word if quarters will be involved.

WCG note: You pick the best comment:

1) I think we need a bigger sign

2) Something much more witty that you would think up

Nowhere Near The Den

Mike Florio of PFT discusses the new deal Kellen Winslow received from the Bucs.

Speaking of Mike Florio, remember what I wrote yesterday regarding the questionable reporting of NFLDraftBible.com? Well, NDB's CEO is backing their reporting. It's either a confident move or a really dumb bluff. Either way, this is turning into a huge fiasco.

Reggie Williams, the former Jaguars WR, was charged with drug possession.