SB Nation - Troy Williamson

First Quarter Grades and Awards

Jonathan Loesche — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:45:09 -0000

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

Mike Sims-Walker has been showing flashes of being the best receiver the Jaguars have had since Jimmy Smith.

The first quarter has been filled with some great moments (Week 4) and some not so great moments (Week 2.) In between, we have seen a team that came into the season with tempered expectations amongst a gutted roster. Now, that roster has begun to show signs of life that has the word "Playoffs" being spoke and the idea of going 6-2 heading into a showdown against the New York Jets a possibility. However, I think this team is somewhere in between at the moment.

Passing Game

David Garrard has begun to regain his 2007 form, averaging over 235 yards a game and already has five touchdowns to start the season. The main concern for me though is that he only has a completion percentage of 59.7%. David's resurgence can be thanked in part to the resurgence of the offensive line. In the last two weeks, David has been given all the time in the world and it has shown.

The other key to the resurgence of the passing game has been the fact the Jaguars no longer have a CFL level wide receiving corp.Mike Sims-Walker has been a monster since being forced into the starting line up due to Troy Williamson's season ending injury. Torry Holt has been a nice veteran edition who still has something left in the tank. The one disappointment so far has been dearly departed Nate Hughes. I felt like he was scape goated for the loss to Arizona.

Grade: B+

Rushing Game

Maurice Jones-Drew was made one of the highest paid running backs in the league and he has played like it through four weeks. MJD has 296 rushing yards and five touch downs in the through the first five games on the season. Keep in mind that is including the Titans game where he only had six carries. Overall I'm very pleased with how Jones-Drew has taken to being the starting running back.

Biggest surprise to the run game has been Mike Thomas' edition. Thomas gives the Jaguars a nice change of pace player off the end around that has paid nice dividends so far.

Grade: B+

Rushing Defense

The defense has been in a state of transition going from a 4-3 to a 3-4. However, the rush defense has been adequate for the Jaguars. The Jags currently rank 12th in the NFL against the rush giving up 98.8 yards a game. This can be thanked in part to the emergence of Terrance Knighton as a legitimate 3-4 NT (and to think some people wanted us to draft B.J. Raji) and John Henderson's career revival as a 3-4 DE. However, the low rush numbers can also be thanked by something else.........

Grade: B-

Passing Defense

Or lack there of. The Jaguars are tied for dead last in the NFL allowing 282 yards a game in the air and opposing QBs are averaging a 97.2 QB rating against the Jaguars defense. The first two and a half games were horrific to watch, to say the least. However, it seems the defensive line is now starting to get pressure and rookie Derek Cox is getting his footing and showing why he was worth a 2nd round investment. However, the weak link that still exists is FS Reggie Nelson. Nelson is constantly out of place and is going to cost us more big plays in the future. As I told Terry on Sunday, let's hope some team is dumb enough to swap first round picks and take Reggie Nelson in a trade that'll let us take Eric Berry.

Grade: D+

Special Teams

Josh Scobee's 70% FG accuracy is something of a misnomer considering two of his three misses were from 56 and 62 yards. Discounting those two misses, Scobee is 7/8 and I dare say has become the best kicker in the NFL. Also, Scobee is second in the league averaging 71.1 yards a kick off. In other words, Scobee's AVERAGE kickoff is landing a yard deep in the end zone.

On the flip side, Adam Podlesh is an enigma. Podlesh currently ranks 26th in the league with a 36.1 yard net average. The strange thing is his actual average is 39.7 yards, meaning he's getting a lot of fair catches.Still, he needs to show something more than any other journeyman punter.

The coverage units have been solid so far, certainly aided by Scobee's bombing kick offs. While the haven't been at the top of the league, they are far from the disaster many fans feared when Russ Purnell was hired.

The returning duties have been a game of musical chairs that have seemingly found a winner in Mike Thomas. Thomas has looked excellent so far in his duties and I'm sure a highlight reel punt return for touchdown is coming soon.

Grade: B+

Intangibles

The Jaguars are sixth in the league with a +4 turnover differential and are tied for sixth in the league for fewest penalties with 19. For a team that is transition, these are huge and I don't think I need to explain why

Grade: A

I'm going to save my thoughts on the Jaguars' coaching for a separate article.

MVP: Mike Sims-Walker

Sims-Walker has been the spark plug a sputtering offense has needed foe years. Now that he is finally healthy we see what all of the hype was about and he is well on his way to becoming a true #1 wide receiver in the league.

Best Rookie: Terrance Knighton

A tough call between Knighton and fellow third rounder Derek Cox. However, I went with Knighton for almost singlehandidly helping lead a resurgence on the defensive line.

-Jonathan Loesche

Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receiver Nate Hughes is released, Troy Williamson out for season.

River City Rage — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:30:10 -0000

From Pro Football Talk: A League Source tells PFT that the Jacksonville Jaguars have released Nate Hughes, who dropped two consecutive touchdown passes in yesterdays game against the Cardinals.

Wide Receiver Troy Williamson is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

In theory, this means that Mike Thomas and Jarrett Dillard will get a chance to play against the Texans on Sunday.

Game Preview: Week 2: Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars

Jonathan Loesche — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:30:15 -0000

Arizona Cardinals (0-1)

Week #2

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

VS.

Date:	September 20th, 2009	Location:	Jacksonville,FL
Time:	1:00 pm EST	Stadium:	"The Jack"
TV:	FOX	Favorite:	Jaguars -3.5
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	43
Weather:	87 w/moderate chance of thunderstorms	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Revenge of the Birds	Coverage Map	Click Here

Week Two and the home opener are upon us. The Jaguars look to get the bitter taste of their loss in Indy out of their mouths and get a win over the defending NFC Champions. For the second week in a row, the Jaguars will have their hands full with a talent corp of wide receivers. Cardinal's wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald may be the best wide out in football, and Anquan Boldin will have something to prove after spending the entire off season mouthing off about his contract.

The Cardinals are coming off a tough loss to division rival San Francisco where the looked nothing like the team that made a surprising run to the Super Bowl a year ago. Kurt Warner completed less than 60% of his passes, threw two interceptions, and was sacked three times in a 20-16 loss. In addition, the team rushed a grand total of 40 yards. Defensively, the team did pick it up registering four sacks and forcing two fumbles.

Thing to Watch for: Jacksonville Jaguars

1. Defensive Line: The loss of Reggie Hayward and the revised expectations of the eight overall pick in the 2008 draft Derrick Harvey mean that the line is once again in bad shape on the outside. John Henderson and Terrance Knighton played well enough on the interior against Indy, and they may be counted on to get pressure against the Cardinals. Also, Henderson played surprisingly well as a DE when the Jaguars switched to a 3-4 against the Colts. Keep an eye out for that again.

2. Passing Game: Garrard started off well against the Colts and then proceeded to sink faster than the Titanic. Preseason standouts Nate Hughes and Troy Williamson combined for 2 receptions for 17 yards. Torry Holt looked the part against the Colts, though he only had 3 receptions. I'll put it bluntly, if Jones-Drew accounts for almost half the team's receptions for a second straight week, things could go downhill quickly.

3.Derek Cox: The rookie out of William and Mary played about as expected last week against Indy. He struggled at times only to flash the talent that made Emperor Gene trade the 2010 2nd round pick to get him. His baptism by fire continues this week going against the Cardinals wide receivers. The good news for him is that Kurt Warner isn't Peyton Manning.

4.Offensive Tackles: Eugene Monroe was handed his rear on a silver platter by Dwight Freeney last Sunday. This is the only week in the first four that he won't go against a premier pass rushing DE and he needs a good game this week. Eben Britton played well enough against Robert Mathis and will look to keep playing well this week.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew: Jones Drew accounted for 26 of the Jaguars 55 total offensive plays against the Colts. Expect him to get another heavy load against the Cardinals on Sunday.

Thing to Watch for: Arizona Cardinals

1. Kurt Warner: Warner is infamous for turning in lacklusteter seasons following taking a team to the Super Bowl. Warner didn't have a great game last week against the 49ers and he may be reverting back to his mediocre form he had prior to last year.

2. Defense: Despite their Week 1 loss, the Cardinals defense looked impressive, only surrendering 206 yards of offense. They will have to continue to play that way if the offense can't find a way to kick it into gear this week. They sacked Shaun Hill four times and forced two fumbles, a far cry from most of their efforts in 2008.

3. Turnovers: Kurt Warner threw two costly interceptions while the Cardinals defense did not force a turnover last week. Not many teams win games while being -2 in the turnover department, and the Cardinals know that. Look for them to take extra care of protecting the ball this week.

4.Running Game: The Cardinals accounted for a grand total of 40 yards rushing on on 17 attempts. To be fair, it was really 44 yards on 15 attempts not counting Warner's sacks. However, that is still an abysmal amount of rushing yards. If the Cards can't afford to be this one dimensional week in and week out.

Player On The Hot Seat

Derrick Harvey, DE, Jacksonville

Harvey has to show why he was a Top 10 pick, and for a defensive end, that means getting to the quarterback. He's been hounded all week by the media and fans, and it will only get worse if he doesn't perform up to expectations.

Prediction

Jaguars 24

Cardinals 20

PS, I currently know Terry, TheTealDeal, and myself will be at the game Sunday. Who else is going and anyone want to meet up prior/during the game?

-Jonathan Loesche

Poll

The ______ will win by _ points on Sunday

Jaguars 10+

44 votes

Jaguars 4-9

100 votes

Jaguars 1-3

52 votes

Cardinals 1-3

28 votes

Cardinals 4-9

83 votes

Cardinals 10+

74 votes

381 votes | Poll has closed

Jaguars v. Colts: Key Matchups

Colts Homer — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 07:07:29 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

This man needs to have a big game in his first game and start as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Browse more photos »

After the depressing day of college football, I'm ready to see the Colts pass all over the Jaguars and run the ball if winning with only a couple of minutes left. Damn you Michigan...

Anyways, this game will have the most interesting matchups of the season. We don't know how some of the new starters will do today. There are some rookies that will be getting significant playing time and some other players with little experience seeing a lot of game action. They will be players to look for today with the start of the Colts season. Here are some key matchups for today's game.

Colts LT Charlie Johnson v. Jaguars RE Derrick Harvey: This is the biggest matchup of the game. Charlie Johnson is the top left tackle on this team now, and his first start is against a highly touted and very fast defensive end. Harvey had just 3.5 sacks last year, but he should have a bigger year this year. He was always a project player and he was taken too high. However he is going up against a shaky left tackle who I personally don't trust that much. If Charlie can't block Harvey and Peyton is getting hit, then this becomes a much tougher game.

Rest are after the jump.

Colts Front 7 v. Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew: MJD has always dominated the Colts. It's usually embarrassing. His worst yards per carry against the Colts is 4. He's had a touchdown in every game against the Colts except for two. He feasts on the Colts defense. However this is not the usual Colts defense. The defensive tackles are big. The linebackers are better. This should be a better defense than the ones that Jones-Drew murdered. Antonio Johnson and Daniel Muir have got to get a good burst off of the line and try and at least hit him in the backfield and slow him down. This year the starting defensive tackles aren't defensive ends playing on the inside. They have the size necessary to play defensive tackle and the defensive ends are pretty big too. This should be a huge factor. If the Colts offense is on the field for at least 28 minutes they will win by double digits.

Colts CB Jerraud Powers v. Jaguars WR Troy Williamson: Jerraud Powers is starting in his first game with the Colts. Marlin Jackson is still a little banged up from his knee injury last year so they are starting him off as the nickel back. This is a huge matchup. As we all know, Troy Williamson is not a good wide receiver, but anything can happen in a single game. If Powers can play as well as he did in the preseason the Colts will be in good shape. I think cornerback might be one of the strongest positions for the Colts. I have a feeling that Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey will both look like amazing pickups from this rookie class. If these corners can shut down the passing game and make the Jags one-dimensional, it will almost guarantee a Colts victory.

Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez v. Jaguars CB Derek Cox: Anthony Gonzalez has finally worked his way into the number 2 spot at wide receiver. We all know that he was the number 2 receiver last year with how poorly Marvin played, but now his playing time and respect from the defense will increase. Derek Cox is his first test. Cox is a rookie out of William & Mary who has the tough assignment of going up against a receiver that is ready to break out. I feel like Anthony Gonzalez could have an amazing year this year. His hands are so reliable and he has been a great deep threat. I'm feeling like Gonzalez could have the year that Reggie Wayne had in his third year as a pro. Wayne had 838 yards and 7 touchdowns. I think Gonzalez could surpass that. He needs to get off to a hot start. A rookie corner would be perfect to start out a nice year with.

These are the main matchups for this game. I feel very good about this game even if it is the first game of the season. I am going to predict a 31-17 win for the Colts. The Colts should be a very different team this year. I expect to see very few mistakes and a lot of rushing yards. GO COLTS!

Football! Sexy Time! I am So Excite!

ericj69 — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:08:19 -0000

"Dis eez my quarterback Brett. He eez oldest man in village!"

View full size photo »

Yep, I chose to reflect my excitement for the 2009 Vikings season by quoting a movie that came out three years ago. What can I say? I like to stay current. But the crazy Khazakstani's unbridled enthusiasm describes exactly how thrilled I am for the 2009 Vikings season to kick off in just two short days.

Think of all the reasons we should be beside ourselves in glee, like just the Nintendo 64 kid:

First and foremost, we have the breaking news that THE WILLIAMS WALL IS (most likely) FREE FOR THE ENTIRE 2009 SEASON! That's right kids! Chalk one up to our country's excruciatingly drawn-out legal process! As the guys from the Trib said in the article, Pat Williams might be retired before the NFL can try to get its way.
We have The Best Running Back In The National Football League Period goin' for us, which is nice.
I know it has gone a bit under-reported, but you might have heard that we picked up some old guy to hand off the ball to Adrian Peterson this season. He likes to fly under the radar and most people don't have much of an opinion on him, but apparently he may make an impact this year.
Our dominating defense from last year is back mostly intact, including a healthy E.J. Henderson and Madieu Williams.
We drafted one of the most exciting college players in recent memory, Percy Harvin. He'll be sure to smoke a few defenses this season. (See what I did there with the marijuana joke? Sorry to steal your thunder Bears fans.)
Our head coach still looks exactly like Mr. Noodle. Or maybe he looks like he should be doing my taxes instead of coaching my favorite football team. I can't decide. Either way, it makes me laugh every time.
We get to start our 2009 season against a CFL team! Wait, what? You're serious? The Browns AND the Raiders are both NFL teams?! Who knew?

OK, sorry, that was a bit harsh. I'm actually not that confident that the Vikes will pummel the Browns on Sunday. My breakdown is after the jump.

On paper, it seems like the Vikings should walk all over Cleveland. But as Chris Berman always says...wait, I'm not 12 anymore, I'm not going to quote Berman. But there are a few factors that could make this game uncomfortable for the Purple.

For starters, we have that sneaky mastermind head coach Eric Mangini to deal with. And no, not because he kept his starting quarterback a secret. (That's not even the good "I wonder what I'm getting from my mom for Christmas" kind of secret. It's more like the "who will win the South Park election between the Giant Douche and Turd Sandwich" kind of secret.) But he did coach Favre last year, and ~~Mangenius~~ ~~Mangina~~ Mangini has hands-on knowledge of how Brett operates. If the Browns can exploit some of Favre's tendencies (especially the one where he throws it to the other team a lot), Minnesota could be in trouble.

Maybe Braylon Edwards won't drop 167 passes this year. The only way the Browns will beat the Vikings' D is through the air, especially when Jamal Lewis is averaging about 1.8 yards a carry against normal defenses. If Edwards wipes the butter off those fingers, he could do some damage.

But c'mon. I mean, come...on. This is a game the Vikings should win and quite frankly need to win in order to keep up in what should be a very competitive NFC North. Minnesota has too many weapons on offense, too much talent on defense, and oh yeah, THE BEST RUNNING BACK IN THE NFL PERIOD.

Prediction: Minnesota 31, Cleveland 10

As for the rest of my Week 1 NFL picks (home team in CAPS):

STEELERS over Titans: Yeah I know this happened last night, but I did pick Pittsburgh. I got it wrong against the spread though.

FALCONS over Dolphins: I'm not very confident about this pick, but I'm extremely confident both teams will finish with worse records in 2009.

RAVENS over Chiefs: This is my Week 1 Eliminator pick. So bet heavily on the Chiefs.

Eagles over PANTHERS: I wouldn't trust Jake Delhomme to safely hold an infant at this point.

Broncos over BENGALS: I watched the entire season of "Hard Knocks". The Bengals suck.

TEXANS over Jets: Hurry up, the Annual Texans Playoff Bandwagon is almost full and ready for another disappointing crash at the end of the year! But I'm still picking them here because Sanchez is going to take his lumps.

COLTS over Jaguars: Jacksonville is going to start Troy Williamson at wide receiver. The defense rests your honor.

SAINTS over Lions: I'm afraid Drew Brees might break some fantasy football live scoring sites this week. I almost went with this for my Eliminator pick, but doesn't it seem frighteningly too easy?

Cowboys over BUCS: My old roommate is a diehard Bucs fan. He'll be thrilled if they get to five wins this year.

CARDINALS over 49ers: Pretty much a toss-up for me. I'm just afraid that Larry Fitzgerald's leg will fall off in the second quarter thanks the the Madden Curse. It already got to Troy Polamalu last night! BEWARE THE CURSE!

GIANTS over Redskins: Although the Redskins should be better, the Giants are still the better team. They should win as long as they don't shoot themselves in the leg.

SEAHAWKS over Rams: St. Louis still sucks, and the Seahawks aren't starting their 8th string wide receivers this season.

PACKERS over Bears: As always, I wish both teams could lose here. But I'll choose the Packers because their quarterback has one less chin.

PATRIOTS over Bills: Look, I get why this is a Monday Night game. Brady's back, TO in Buffalo--but could the NFL pick a bigger potential blowout to start the Monday Night season?

Chargers over RAIDERS: Yes, yes they could. Touché, NFL.

Finally! That February-to-September stretch felt like seven years, not seven months. If you aren't SO EXCITED (and a little scared too) about the Vikings 2009 season by now, then there's just no helping you. Here's to a wild, fun, never-dull, and hopefully great year!

Do you remember that story from "Borat" where he talks about his sister and his brother Bilo? Well the Vikings are sort of like Bilo, and the Lombardi Trophy is like his sister. For years and years, the trophy has taunted us while the Vikings were locked in their cage. The Lombardi Trophy proclaimed, "You will never get this, you will never get this!"

But one day the Vikings break out of the cage...and they get this.

Maybe that one day will be next February.

Before I go, allow me to get serious for just a bit. It has been exactly eight years since one of the most tragic and frightening days of our lifetimes. I still remember the utter disbelief of what I saw on TV that day. So take some time out of your day to thank the men and women in uniform that are responsible for keeping this amazing country safe with everything they do. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, PD, FD, Homeland Security, even our very own "Head Coach" of the Daily Norseman Gonzo--thank you. We'll never forget.

Game Preview: Week 1: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Loesche — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:23:09 -0000

I moved this back up to the top so everyone would have a chance to read and to not have it buried so quickly. Also, post in the comments if you would rather have the Game preview posted on Thursday or Friday.-John

Indianapolis Colts (0-0)

Week #1

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-0)

VS.

Date:	September 13th, 2009	Location:	Indianaplois, IN
Time:	1:00 pm EST	Stadium:	Lucas Oil Stadium
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Colts -7.5
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	44.5
Weather:	Dome	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Stampede Blue	Coverage Map	Click Here

The new era of Jaguars football officially begins this Sunday in Indianapolis. The Jaguars take on the Indianapolis Colts in a game that is about as important as any Season Opener can be. Though, I must say, the Jaguars must take the attitude that they have everything to gain and nothing to lose. If they win on Sunday, it's a huge upset the gets the town excited for next week. If they lose, it would be expected.

The main story line for the Jaguars is that the club's first four picks will be in the starting line up. The Jaguars will find out very quickly if Eugene Monroe was worth the #8 pick in the draft and all of that guaranteed money going against Dwight Freeney. Like wise, Derek Cox will get a similar baptism by fire going against Peyton Manning.

In addition, the Jaguars newly revamped wide receiving corp will look to show why the team decided to keep six instead of the usual five on the 53 man roster. Will Troy Williamson keep up the pace he set in the preseason? Will Mike Sims-Walker pick up where he left off before his latest injury?

Things to watch for: Jacksonville Jaguars

1. Time of Possession: The easiest way to beat the Colts is to keep Peyton Manning and Co. sitting on the bench. The Jaguars must sustain long drives and take the crowd out of the game as much as possible. In all of the Jaguars wins against the Colts, the Jags had the ball for a minimum of 36 minutes.

2. Defensive Pressure: The Jaguars continued to have issues getting pressure on the quarterback with only four rushers in the preseason. While Derrick Harvey began to show why he was the #8 pick of the 2008 draft, he'll need to take the next step (ie, actually getting to the QB) to be truly effective. It's the worst kept secret in the NFL Peyton gets happy feet when his jersey gets dirty, it is just getting it dirty that is hard.

3.Offensive Line: The Jaguars will be starting a pair of rookie tackles in one of the loudest environments in the NFL. False start penalties are only the beginning of the issues they will encounter. Eugene will quickly learn if he can truly inherit Boselli's position by going against Dwight Freeney, while Eben Britton will have his hand's full with Robert Mathis.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew: MJD has scored seven touchdowns against the Colts, and had his coming out party against them in 2006. The Jaguars will need a big game from him again if they want to come out of Indy with a win. Jones-Drew will likely be used in between the tackles and in the passing game extensively.

5. Defensive Secondary: The revamped secondary will have to hold it's own if the Jaguars want to have a chance to win on Sunday. Rashean Mathis' pick six was a huge reason why the Jaguars won in Indy last year, and he'll need to bring his A game against Reggie Wayne (aka the guy Brian Williams was always chasing into the endzone.) I already mentioned Derek Cox, while safeties Sean Considine and Reggie Nelson can afford no mistakes against Manning.

Things to watch for: Indianapolis Colts

1.Offensive line: The Colts had issues with their first team offensive line through out the preseason. While I know the Colts have never cared about the preseason for some time, it's never a good thing to see your QB getting hit often. If the Jaguars detect any chinks in the armor, I'm sure they'll begin to send heat.

2. Bob Sanders (or lack there of): The Colts will be without Bob Sanders on Sunday, and make no mistake, this is huge. Sanders is the heart and soul of their defense, and their physicality is amped up with him in the line up. The Jaguars will test the Colts ability to stop the run early, and the Colts must be ready to defend the middle.

3. Peyton Manning: Manning begins another season as one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks. However, he begins it without long time wide receiver Marvin Harrision. While most expect Peyton to recover without missing a beat, it could affect him subtely during the game.

4.Reggie Wayne/Anthony Gonzalez: Meet the new wide receivers for the Colts, same as the old wide receivers for the Colts. Reggie Wayne has arguably been better than Harrision for the last few seasons already, so the Colts shouldn't experience much drop off there. It will be interesting to see how Gonzo reacts to his new role with the team.

5. Coaching Turnover: The headline for much of the Colts offseason has been the abnormal amount of turnover. Usually the kind of turnover the Colts saw results from a house cleaning, but rather came from retirements for various reasons. It may not have much impact on this game, but will be an interesting thing to note through out the season.

Player(s) on the Hot Seat

Eugene Monroe, LT, Jacksonville

Derek Cox, CB, Jacksonville

The two most high profile Jaguar rookies will have diffucult assignments to start their NFL careers. However, their ability to handle their assignments may be the main difference in the game on Sunday.

Prediction

Indianapolis Colts 28

Jacksonville Jaguars 24

Poll

The ______ will win by _ points on Sunday

Colts 10+

112 votes

Colts 4-9

138 votes

Colts 1-3

32 votes

Jaguars 1-3

176 votes

Jaguars 4-9

122 votes

Jaguars 10+

37 votes

617 votes | Poll has closed

Game 4 Impressions - Troy Williamson and Mike Walker are real, Eben Britton needs work

Tkopa — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:16:38 -0000

[Note by Tkopa, I think we need to join 1010XL and end this blackout. If everyone could buy two tickets to the Arizona game, we could end the blackout at least for opening day! . 09/04/09 1:53 PM EDT ]

I think the Washington Redskins let us win. The Jaguars can't be this good, can they? It seemed like a lot of things worked well and the Jaguars got answers to a lot of questions. Let's start with the receivers...

Troy Williamson. A lot of short balls were thrown his way tonight and he bobbled a few but hung on to most of them. It was as if they wanted to see if his recent catching ability was real and it seemed to be. He looked every bit the reliable receiver again tonight. I think they were game planning with short passes to open up a long ball, but it never came. Troy Williamson is a starter.

Torry Holt. Used as a decoy again tonight and played quite a bit. They sent him deep and then had Troy come across the middle. Some very nice patterns from Dirk Koetter. Torry played his man all night until that once when he didn't stop and curl back, he slipped past. What a nice ball David placed in there. Well here, see for your self.

Mike Simms-Walker. OK, I am not being fair. Mike Simms-Walker was the star of the night. What a standout talent he was. Anyone, especially anyone named Collin (just kidding buddy!), who thinks this guy isn't worth keeping didn't see the game tonight. MSW was on fire from the get go and was not going to be denied anywhere near the goal line. You could tell he wanted it and had the ability to deliver. TH, TW and MSW are your starters.

Jarret Dillard. He got a lot of work tonight and the plays were passes along the line of scrimmage as if to see if he had RAC ability. Nothing developed for him except he had no trouble with his hands. The two point conversion was a JD play all the way and he was up for it. Based on the time he got, they are evaluating him against Mike Thomas.

Nate Hughes. Worked out as a return man tonight and didn't work out too well. He is confused on the run back. Go here, no wait, try that way, no wait maybe this way. On one punt if he had fallen down he would have gained more yards. Just didn't have it.

Mike Thomas. A bit of ability. Where Jarret had the route running, Mike has the power and speed. Nothing flashy tonight.

Running Backs... Clearly it was Chauncey Washington verses Rashad Jennings. Rashad Jennings can run with the ball but he doesn't move the pile. He can catch and run and looks best out of the backfield. I think I saw more from him even though Chauncey got the nod early and worked with the first team. I just though Jennings was tops tonight.

Rookies on the Offensive Line. Much as I like and root for Eben Britton, he got beat tonight and David paid for it. Here are some photos to show it.

David paid the price on this on as Reed Doughty came in on a safety blitz.

LB Chris Wilson beat Eben and David ran for his life.

Once the Redskins figured out the weakness, David got it again. The right side was wide open.

Well, that is enough about Eben. He is headed for the Hall of Fame, so we will give him a few moments to learn, He better learn fast, however, because behind David is Todd Bouman. If the Redskins let us win, Todd was paid to give it back to them. Wow, Jack may have faith in him, but I struggle to. Enough negative, there was too much positive, let's give out more game balls.

Game ball to Quentin Groves! Hey Twitter world, something to cheer. Quentin had a great special teams play and a great forced fumble. The thing I noticed was he wasn't getting pushed around tonight. He stood his man up and stayed in the play.

Game ball to Tyron Brackenridge. Tyron's hit on the kickoff forced the fumble. Fast down field and powerful in the play. Game ball and roster spot if I am judging.

Game ball to David Garrard. Still can't avoid a sack to save his life, but he got protection most of the night and did lay in some nice passing.

Game ball to Dirk Koetter. The mad genius continues to amaze me with the play book. Runs to the left looked good tonight in that some of them worked. Misdirection with receivers all over the place. It is beginning to look as sophisticated as the Indy offense.

OK, it is getting late and I will write more over the weekend, but one last mention to go out. Derek Cox. Derek Cox can diagnose a play faster than anyone on the field and get in the action while others are standing around.

Here is Derek peeling off his assignment as he diagnoses the play.

and sticks the guy while Brian Williams stands frozen. Nothing against Brian, he played well. I have more pictures of Derek with his head in the game.

OK one more picture.

That's Uche calling out the blocking assignments from the center position. I didn't see that one coming.

Overall Summary.

A solid effort. The offensive line will be the area of work in the first six games so we need patience. I just hope David can survive it. I saw a good team tonight. Very disciplined, low penalties, very much in control. They played their game. Of course Albert Haynesworth may have changed that, but I think they are ready to start the season. Indianapolis couldn't be a better starting place.

- Terry O'Brien

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.

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"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

Wide Receiver Musical Chairs

Jonathan Loesche — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:04:56 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

Nate Hughes has been a pleasant surprise for the Jaguars in training camp. Where does he fit in the Jags wide receiver plans?

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No roster position has seen more competition this offseason than that of wide receiver. Besides Torry Holt, every wide-out is fighting for a spot and it has seemingly brought out the best (or worst) in each receiver on the Jaguars' roster. Cuts will be coming shortly and the Jaguars will have some interesting decisions to make. Will they only keep five wide-outs as they usually do, or has this corp shown enough to make it worthy of carrying six spots. If so, who will be the sixth wide receiver on the Jags roster? Will Mike Sims-Walker or Mike Thomas even survive cuts to make it into Teal for 2009?

Torry Holt

The ex-Ram gave Jaguar fans hope when he was signed in free agency this off season. He has given no reason to abandon it either. Although he has only played limited time in the preseason, he has shown he still has the ability to make circus catches and Sportscenter highlights.

Holt earns the #1 position by default due to his resume. Although Troy Williamson has begun to show big play potential, he'll need to show more of it to try to unseat Holt.

Project Position: #1

Troy Williamson

Along with Derrick Harvey, Williamson is making the 2008 off season look like a slightly less horrible venture than it was first thought to be. Williamson made the play of the preseason so far and has made himself into a go to threat for Garrard. The former #7 overall pick looks like he's finally comfortable in his own skin and if he can continue down this road, he'll make Shack Harris look like a genius. Emphasis on look.

Williamson has earned himself the second starting position opposite of Holt. If Williamson can play consistently to the level he has played in the preseason, the Jaguars may finally have a receiving pair on par with Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

Projected Position:#2

Nate Hughes

Hughes has been the pleasant surprise of training camp. He has lifted himself from UDFA and practice squad candidate to being ranked ahead of any of the receivers the Jaguars drafted in 2009. The concussion Hughes sustained in Philly will certainly limit him against Washington, but he has already secured his roster spot for 2009.

Hughes earns himself the slot position for his consistency and ability to go over the middle.

Projected Position: #3

Jarrett Dillard

Remember how hyped everyone was about the Jaguars 2nd day wide receivers in April? Let this be a lesson in tempering expectations. Dillard earns a roster spot for showing potential in the limited action he got during the preseason. He certainly looks like he can carve out a niche career as a sure handed possession receiver, but he'll need some more seasoning first.

Projected Position: #4

Mike Sims-Walker

A combination of sheer potential that deserves one last chance and a rather "meh" reaction to every other receiver on the roster, Walker survives cuts to make it on as the last receiver. Walker was having an excellent camp until sustaining a high ankle sprain in the scrimmage. This latest injury will certainly be the last straw before the Jaguars back breaks with him though. He has to stay healthy or he'll be gone.

Projected Position: #5

Mike Thomas

The speedy and undersized Wildcat has been nursing a hamstring for most of camp and hasn't played at all in the preseason. He's certainly headed for Injured Reserve barring a miracle or an incident that gets him headlines for the wrong reasons.

Tiquan Underwood

Underwood represents a dilemma for the Jaguars. He hasn't upstaged any of the other wide receivers to get a roster spot, but his upside means he will almost certainly not clear waivers. He needs a monster game against the Redskins if he wants to overtake Walker for the final roster spot or force the Jags to keep six wide outs on the roster.

-Jonathan Loesche

Jaguars Preseason Game Two: Winners and Losers

silencecs — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:13:02 -0000

The Jaguars lost to the Bucs 23-24 in their second game of the preseason. The game was a vast improvement over the debacle that was the Miami game, especially offensively. However, the picture wasn't all rosy. The special teams unit continues to struggle, the team was an anemic 2/14 on third down (hence the signing of Wilford), and our receivers dropped multiple passes.

Winners:

David Garrard - David looked sharp, completing 10/16 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown. His play was far superior to the first preseason game, and provides hope that the passing attack may actually materialize. Garrard is looking good at the weight he's at, and his crisp passes seldom missed their mark. He obviously loves Torry Holt, and I hope he has enough of an opportunity to develop rapport with the crafty veteran.

Troy Williamson - Troy locked up a roster spot with his performance against the Bucs. He gained 174 yards on 3 catches and has propelled an awful offense into mediocrity. You're looking at the team's clear number two receiver, and he's evolved into what everyone thought Mike Walker would be this year. Throw his pink slip in the garbage, this guy is impressing even me, and his roster spot is all but guaranteed.

Chauncey Washington - The USC product led the team in rushing with 32 yards on 8 attempts. He continues to make his push for a spot in a crowded backfield. The injury to fellow 7th round pick Rashad Jennings has helped Washington get more carries, and he's taking advantage of it. This is a battle to keep an eye on, and no matter who earns the spot, the Jaguars win.

Russell Allen - The UDFA out of San Diego State continued to impress against the Buccaneers, leading the team in tackles while playing MLB. He's vocal on the field and I noticed him calling out to other defenders prior to the snap on many occasions. Heady play and leadership skills like that are great intangibles for a rookie to possess.

Adam Podlesh - The 4th round pick, who is in a battle with Steve Weatherford, handily won the second round of their four-round battle. He averaged 48.3 yards on 3 punts, 12 yards more than Weatherford averaged over 4 punts. Podlesh actually showed why he was drafted so high (for a punter), and went a long way towards securing a position on the squad.

Losers:

Todd Bouman - The seasoned veteran looked downright awful. He had a ridiculous and unacceptable amount of passes batted at the line of scrimmage, resulting in the second team offense's struggles. Todd inspired no confidence in the team's ability to win in the absence of Garrard, and we're already hearing rumblings of another QB being brought in to the team.

Mike Sims-Walker - The one player on the team who could play the entire season, and still have missed more games due to injury than he's appeared in during his career... is injured again. This is a make-or-break preseason for Mike, and if he doesn't show at least something that Gene can hold onto during the last two games, it would be hard to see the Jags keeping Walker yet again. Forget "Fragile Freddy", how about "Weakling Walker"?

Mike Thomas - Thomas has missed his second preseason game, and in a crowded WR corp, that could spell trouble for the young wide-out. His fourth round status may save his roster spot this season, or the team may put him on IR for the year, as the Jaguars have been known to do in the past. Hopefully we'll get a glimpse of Mike at least once this preseason. If we don't, I expect the young man to be placed on IR for the season.

Brian Williams - B Dub continues to struggle in the preseason, looking very poor in a pedestrian secondary. Brian needs to show why the team signed him; his nose for the ball, and his physicality on the field. The injury to Derek Cox may be the luckiest break Brian got this year, as it is hard to believe he'll be shown the door without Derek showing what he is capable of. Brian has struggled mightily against the run and the pass. He's missing tackles and has been out of position far too often. Brian needs a big game against the Eagles, and the Jaguars need him to have one.

Gerald Alexander - The former Lion looked like, well, a Lion. He missed tackles and wasn't sharp at all. He clearly doesn't appear to be even close to challenging Reggie Nelson for the starting FS spot, although ultimately, his roster spot is safe as a back-up. It would be nice to see Gerald really show something tonight against Philly. He's got to make up for that missed tackle on special teams, as I'm sure he's seen it 100 times by now.

On The Fence:

Tiquan Underwood - The 7th round pick looked like a rookie on a number of plays, and looked explosive on others. He had a big kickoff return brought back due to penalty, and had a big catch late. However, he also dropped 2 passes that hit him in the hands. Consistency is what Tiquan needs to show us.

Pete Ittersagen - The young Division-III superstar didn't look spectacular on defense, however, he helped himself with a few good punt returns. Special teams is where most of the UDFA's will have to make their name, and the fact that Pete shows promise in the return game could help propel him onto the final 53.

Eugene Monroe - The number eight overall selection had his hands full with Gaines Adams when he played with the first team. Although Tra was still starting, it is encouraging to see Eugene is performing well enough in practice to push Tra Thomas for the starting spot. Facing competition the likes of Gaines Adams is the type of trial by fire that Eugene needs to prepare for players like Mario Williams and Dwight Freeney.

Vince Manuwai - The savvy and powerful Manuwai was a bit shaky and inconsistent against the Buccaneers defensive front. He gave up a sack and seemed a little gun-shy at times. We know Vince is capable of better, so this most likely has to do with getting used to having his knee tested again.

Josh Vaughn - The former Buc continued to impress with his strong running style and blocking ability. Josh has a steep hill to climb, but it appears that Del Rio and Gene are willing to give him an opportunity to make the squad. The performance of Washington and Jennings will play a large role in whether or not Josh even has a shot at a roster spot.

-Collin Streetman

Poll

Let's come up with a nickname for Mike Walker. If you've got one, list it in the comments and the best ones will go on the poll.

Mike "Weakling" Walker

6 votes

Mike "The Limp" Walker - Credit to OGN

14 votes

Mike "I NEED A" Walker - Credit to OGN

119 votes

Mike "The Crip" Walker

21 votes

160 votes | Poll has closed

SB Nation - Troy Williamson

First Quarter Grades and Awards

Passing Game

Rushing Game

Rushing Defense

Passing Defense

Special Teams

Intangibles

MVP: Mike Sims-Walker

Best Rookie: Terrance Knighton

Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receiver Nate Hughes is released, Troy Williamson out for season.

Game Preview: Week 2: Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars

Thing to Watch for: Jacksonville Jaguars

Thing to Watch for: Arizona Cardinals

Player On The Hot Seat

Prediction

The __________ will win by _____ points on Sunday

Jaguars 10+

Jaguars 4-9

Jaguars 1-3

Cardinals 1-3

Cardinals 4-9

Cardinals 10+

Jaguars v. Colts: Key Matchups

Football! Sexy Time! I am So Excite!

Game Preview: Week 1: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts

Things to watch for: Jacksonville Jaguars

Things to watch for: Indianapolis Colts

Player(s) on the Hot Seat

Prediction

The __________ will win by _____ points on Sunday

Colts 10+

Colts 4-9

Colts 1-3

Jaguars 1-3

Jaguars 4-9

Jaguars 10+

Game 4 Impressions - Troy Williamson and Mike Walker are real, Eben Britton needs work

Are the Jaguars a Young Team?

Wide Receiver Musical Chairs

Torry Holt

Troy Williamson

Nate Hughes

Jarrett Dillard

Mike Sims-Walker

Mike Thomas

Tiquan Underwood

Jaguars Preseason Game Two: Winners and Losers

Let's come up with a nickname for Mike Walker. If you've got one, list it in the comments and the best ones will go on the poll.

Mike "Weakling" Walker

Mike "The Limp" Walker - Credit to OGN

Mike "I NEED A" Walker - Credit to OGN

Mike "The Crip" Walker

The ______ will win by _ points on Sunday

The ______ will win by _ points on Sunday