SB Nation - Mike Thomas

Autopsy of an Offensive Failure.

Tkopa — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:09:03 -0000

In the final four possessions of the Miami game, the Jaguars did not move the ball at all. Sometimes they passed, sometimes they ran, but at no time did they score. It was not a good quarterback performance and may not have been good play calling. Here are some examples of what I saw. The disclaimer is this, I am a guy with a season ticket and a camera. I am not a guy with access to the coaches box and all the information Dirk and Jack have. What I mean to say is this, take what I write with a grain of salt. It may be right, it may not be. Read it and you decide.

It is deep in the third quarter, 2 minutes and 30 seconds left to play, third and five from our own 29 yard line. David has a screen set up to Maurice with Marcedes, Eben and Uche ready to seal the sidelines. Instead David goes to Mike Thomas and the pass is incomplete. We punt. Could David have hit Maurice? I don't think he considered it. He set up to his left the entire time. Is Maurice yelling "C'mon Man!"

The next series featured Maurice up the middle three times. Miami knew it was coming because our jumbo formation was in. Look at the Dolphins fire off the line. There was no chance for Maurice to gain a yard in this situation. This is a major problem for the Jaguars. If we don't move the defensive line, we don't gain any yards. Miami played real physical and I don't know why we thought a six man front was going to be moved backwards.

This is the final series and it is fourth and three. Dirk calls for David to run up the middle in a quarterback draw. The frustrating thing for all of us in the stands was no one was able to stop the Miami defensive line from getting in the backfield. The only thing that might have worked was play action pass to Marcedes or Torry doing his vanishing move to the sidelines. This play had no chance as you can see.

If Maurice couldn't gain three yards up the middle, David wasn't going to either. Uche got eaten by the rush up the middle. I don't like this play calling.

So in the debate whether it was play calling or execution, I think the failure to win this game was both. On those times when David had a good play called, he missed the opportunity. In other times the plays called weren't going to work no matter what. In general though, Miami was more physical than we were. I wish we made the Dolphins look like we looked in this picture.

Despite all of this, we almost won this game. The rebuilding isn't done and may never be completely done, but if we can shore up the offensive line and find a good safety, I think we are getting close. To be honest, I want to go to the playoffs with power. I want to buy a seat to the playoffs. A sixth wild-card position is an accomplishment and one to be proud of. I want the Division title and a home playoff game. That is my wish.

So all of you get to see the game on television this Thursday, HuRahhh! I'll wave to you all from my seats, wave back!.

- Terry O'Brien

Dolphins @ Jaguars: What to watch for

silencecs — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:27:49 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

The key to the game could be this man, Rashean Mathis.

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A huge game approaches, accompanied by a playoff atmosphere not seen since 2007. Nothing matters except winning at any cost. Physicality must be king. The Dolphins are the very definition of a smash-mouth team; they're built by longtime personnel genius, Bill Parcells. They are in the playoff hunt for the second consecutive year under Tony Sparano, and are playing meaningful games in December. Think they'll be fired up? We better be too. That being said, here's some things to watch for during the game.

- Look for Witherspoon to return more kicks. Mike Thomas will have to be featured more in the passing game since Sims-Walker won't be 100%. Thomas is also listed as probable on the injury report, and saw limited time in practice due to a hammy. He'll definitely play, although we'll see if he's as quick as usual.

- R. Allen has been in for "Country" Ingram a number of times this season. It's been astounding watching this first-year undrafted player develop over the course of the season.

- Clint Ingram's days with the team may be numbered. He hasn't played a top-notch game all season, and the team will desperately need him to show us the run-stopping prowess he was known for in the past.

- Montavious Stanley may see his first start of the season as a result of John Henderson being doubtful. He's played great when providing respite for Big John, or "Pot Roast". Now, we'll need to see if Stanley can be this team's next Rob Meier. This could be a huge game for the 28 year old. He should be in his prime, and we's going to need to show it this week. The Dolphins starting Center Jake Grove is doubtful, and his absence could help alleviate the loss of Big John, should he sit out.

- Torry Holt, Mike Thomas, or Nate Hughes must step up and help out Garrard. We'll need to run short passes due to both the pass-rush and the expected inclement weather. The deep ball will be a risky move.

- Dirk Koetter should focus on featuring the TE's this game. That's the textbook way to go in poor weather against a great run defense. The Jaguars have great TE's this year, and hopefully Dirk will feature Zach Miller a little more, as his speed can't be matched by LB's.

- MJD must be featured at all costs. Run screens, run tosses, run up the middle. Don't let the Dolphins dictate your decisions in regards to running.

- Garrard must be better than Henne. Henne can throw the deep ball well, which can sometimes keep teams from stacking the box to heavily against the run. The rain may negate that and allow the Jaguars to incorportate more a a run focused defense.

- If Mathis is back, look for the Jaguars to employ less nickel defense. The number four rushing offense is in town, it is going to rain, and you need all the meat at the line you can find.

- Look for our rookie tackles to show up big. They're facing to aging veterans in Porter and Taylor. When you get old, sometimes you start to lose it in December. Eben and Eugene need to shut 'em down for the Jaguars to succeed.

- The interior line has underwhelmed all season long. However, this game is a good one to get back on track, as the Dolphins will be without their starting NT. Meester and Manuwai should be watched closely to see if they still have the power at this time of the season to run up the gut. Uche has been known to make mental errors and get confused occasionally. Against a 3-4 he'll have to be on his toes and making sure he isn't committing the cardinal sin of blocking air

- In the rain, anything can happen. Now's the time to earn respect.

-Collin Streetman

Dolphins vs Jaguars: Five Good Questions

Matty I — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:15:09 -0000

With Sunday's big game between the Dolphins and Jaguars fast approaching, it's time learn more about this Jaguars team. To do so, we welcome in Chris Streetman of Big Cat Country. Below you will find his responses to my five questions. You can also head over to BCC on Friday to check out my responses to his Dolphin-related questions.

Matt: The Jaguars, like the Dolphins, got off to a rocky start. But they've seemingly turned things around and have won four of their last five. What do you attribute this turnaround to?

Chris: The reason for the turnaround is twofold. First, the coaching staff has been nothing short of spectacular this season. Del Rio's seems to get more out of younger players, Mel Tucker has been as good as advertised at improving DB's, and Andy Heck has Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton progressing nicely.

Secondly, our drafting has improved dramatically. Under James Harris, the Jaguars were position drafters, focusing on getting the best player at any given position. Now, Gene Smith has instituted a BAP philosophy that has our first four draft picks starting and making major contributions.

Matt: Just quickly glancing at Jacksonville's schedule, I noticed that the team has been a little schizophrenic in 2009. Yes, they've won seven games. But they've also lost to teams like Seattle (by 41) and San Francisco (by 17). What's that about?

Chris: The Jaguars seem to have a problem traveling to the West-Coast. The combined scores of the San Fran game and the Seattle game is 61-3, favoring the Jaguars' opponents. There is no other reason for the team's inexplicably poor play other than that. They seem to become turnover machines when they travel, and the fact that the next two games are at home bodes well for the team's playoff hopes. These Jaguars are NOT "road warriors."

Matt: David Garrard got off to a rough start but has since turned his season around. In his last five, Garrard is averaging 249 yards through the air and has a 5:1 touchdown to interception ratio. Is this a product of playing against average defenses? Is it a sign that Jacksonville's young receivers and tight ends are really starting to come around? Or is it something else altogether?

Chris: It's all about the tight-ends and WR's. Last year we didn't have a quality player at either position, as Marcedes Lewis looked pedestrian in 2008. Now, we've got Lewis playing at a pro-bowl level, Mike Sims-Walker as a legit #1, Mike Thomas as a true slot player, and Torry Holt as ole reliable. Our back-up TE's have been doing great, too. Wilford had a TD last week, and Zach Miller had huge YAC numbers.

Matt: The Jaguars haven't played well defensively - allowing 345 yards per game (19th in NFL) and 22.8 points per game (22nd). What's been their biggest issue defensively and are you worried about the Dolphins exploiting that weakness on Sunday?

Chris: The biggest issue is the pass defense. We've got Tyron Brackenride likely to start over Mathis again, and that means our best defensive player is out. We seem to get beaten deep at least once every game, as our Safeties have left something to be desired. Former first-round pick Reggie Nelson, has looked every bit replaceable, and Sean Considine and Gerald Alexander are both cast-offs from other teams (Lions and Eagles).

Our run-defense is stout, and our allowed yards against the rush are skewed by a 300 yard game that CJ of the Titans had against us while we still operated out of the 3-4. Since switching to the 4-3, our run defense has become extremely stingy. John Henderson and Terrence "Pot Roast" Knighton shut down the middle of the line. Only one of our DE's can play the run (Harvey), and as a result, you will see a lot of blitzes come from the other DE's (Groves) side to compensate for his inability to hold the point against the run.

Matt: Sunday's game is a huge one for obvious reasons. So tell us all your take. Who wins and why? And what Jaguar player will Dolphin fans learn a lot about on Sunday that we might not be too familiar with right now?

Chris: Sunday's game is huge, you're right about that. Despite how poorly the Jags have played away from home, they've managed to notch a 5-1 record at "The Jack". The player you will likely learn a lot about on defense is going to be Derek Cox or Terrance Knighton. These two rookies are outplaying many of the team's veterans, and both will be major contributors on Sunday. Offensively, you'll learn about Mike Thomas. He'll be catching short passes and making people miss. He may also return kicks, but a fumble last week on a punt may lead to Witherspoon getting the nod. We always keep games close, and have actually allowed more points than we've scored. It will be a close, run-the-ball and stop-the-run kind of game. My score... Jacksonville 16, Miami 13.

The Future of Matt Hasselbeck is the Future of the Seattle Seahawks, Pt. 3

John Morgan — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:59:19 -0000

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

In which Seattle signs Jason Campbell to outperform Matt Hasselbeck and maybe he does.

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I hope Mike Holmgren signs with Cleveland. I have selfish interest, namely Seattle not re-signing Holmgren, but I have more noble interests as well. Cleveland has one of the youngest, most talented offensive lines in the NFL. It starts Joe Thomas at left tackle, Eric Steinbach at left guard and Alex Mack at center. Right guard Hank Fraley and right tackle John St. Clair are interchangeable organizational soldier types. It doesn't have great skill position talent, but that's where Holmgren shines. He finds scheme appropriate players that can excel behind a dominant offensive line. Holmgren is also an expert at developing young quarterbacks.

Why start with a tangent? In this scenario, Seattle ditches Matt Hasselbeck and signs free agent Jason Campbell. Tim Ruskell is out and his departure hints at a potential rebuild, but if Seattle can win some down the stretch, and especially if Seattle can win some down the stretch because of its Ruskell built defense, the Seahawks might adapt certain Ruskell ideals even without Ruskell.

Ruskell was risk adverse. He had a narrow definition of "his guy". His aversion to risk may have served him well, but his narrow definition did not. Consider Deon Butler. Ruskell traded into the third round to select Butler because Butler was "his guy". Butler dripped Ruskell: Four-year starter at a major conference powerhouse, undersized but fast, coachable, hard working and quietly productive. Ruskell conflated "his guy" with risk aversion and overpaid for a risky player. Despite his track record and accolades, Butler could bust because he is overmatched by NFL competition.

Ruskell spent big to get his guy, but his guy was never less risky than Juaquin Iglesias, Mike Thomas, Brian Hartline, Louis Murphy, Austin Collie or Johnny Knox - the six receivers selected after Butler. And only Iglesias has underperformed Butler. Ruskell projected his internal bias on the players he drafted. It rarely conflicted with his risk aversion, but when it did, it often spelled failure.

Campbell is a prime target for any risk adverse general manager. His connections to Auburn's unbeaten season might have spoken to Ruskell's personal bias, but his standing as a young, established NFL quarterback speaks to rational roster construction. Campbell has the tools of an NFL quarterback - arm strength, size, mobility - and those tools are NFL tested. He has adapted to multiple playbooks and played near league average football on some very poorly constructed offenses. As we've seen in Chicago and Denver, the quarterback may be the center and most essential part of any NFL offense, but it is not more important than the other ten men that take the field.

This Plan Might Be Enacted Thus:

Seattle trades or cuts Hasselbeck. It wishes him well, gives lip service to rebuilding and is satisfied to see him sign with Cleveland. Hasselbeck joins muscle milk buddy Brady Quinn and assumes the Trent Dilfer role.

Walter Jones retires.

Seattle cuts Patrick Kerney, Deion Branch and Seneca Wallace.

That gives the Seahawks money to burn. Seattle signs Campbell to a frontloaded contract with a third-year buyout clause. Campbell is playing through the last year of his rookie contract and though he's rich, he's not quarterback rich. Seattle buys maneuverability and Campbell's services by stacking his 2010 salary with zeroes.

Seattle could still be a player in free agency after signing Campbell. It will attempt to fill holes and free itself to draft best available talent throughout the draft.

Signing Campbell and cutting dead weight frees Seattle to make a big splash in the NFL draft. It has money to afford another early first round prospect and the picks to trade up. It could take a centerpiece player on defense like Ndamukong Suh. By releasing Hasselbeck and signing Campbell, the burden falls off the offense. Seattle buys itself time. If Campbell struggles in Seattle's still wrecked 2010 offense, he's young and can be released. Campbell has a bad reputation. He hasn't earned Seahawks fan loyalty and we are unlikely to experience the same kind of revulsion and outrage watching him battered to bones as we do watching Hasselbeck torn asunder.

Campbell is signed as a stopgap+. The Seahawks compliment the signing with a project quarterback selected sometime in 2010's epic quarterback draft. A looming correction to the onerous rookie pay scale is encouraging players to declare, and while the draft lacks a Matt Ryan or Peyton Manning, it might be the deepest quarterback draft in modern history. Colt McCoy, Zac Robinson, Sean Canfield, Ryan Mallett, Dan LeFevour, Pat Devlin and Tony Pike will all likely fall deep into the second day. Seattle will have an established starter for 2010 to test its system and offense, and a talented young quarterback developing behind the scenes.

How it works: Seattle successfully moves into the top of the draft and selects a once in a generation defensive talent. That helps push Seattle's cheap, young and talented, but by no means dominant, defense from potential to production. The team is not a contender again in 2010, but it's close.

Campbell outperforms Hasselbeck. He's younger and healthier and continues to play like a league average quarterback. Campbell could also breakout. Seattle is set for either possibility. It builds its offense towards the future by continuing Ruskell's habit of drafting late and mid-round offensive talent and seeing who shakes out. The major rebuild will wait until next offseason. 2010 is about seeing what they have and what they need, something a diminished Hasselbeck has made difficult to impossible this season.

The young defense provides excitement and gives the team a direction and identity. Campbell's arm opens the run game and Seattle executes the grind and smother attack Jim Mora and Greg Knapp seek. The team takes a flier on another young back (or two) and someone sticks, filling out a balanced and productive if unspectacular committee of backs. It's Ground Chuck all over again.

How it fails: Seattle cuts Hasselbeck but doesn't sign Campbell, or Seattle retains Hasselbeck and projects to have one of the worst offenses in football in 2010, or Seattle signs Campbell but Campbell performs no better than Hasselbeck and Seattle's young quarterback is prematurely forced into action. The meat of this is that Seattle does not spend enough on its offense and that offense again undermines the defense.

Contrarily, the defense never steps up. It continues to stifle the run but still cannot stop the pass. Seattle's defensive savior is a rookie and like Aaron Curry, more potential than player. The defense is average, but no better and as the offense putters towards the bottom of the league, the not-good-enough defense shoulders the consequences. Seattle changes the face of its failures but not its failures and what little can be salvaged from Ruskell's roster is older, more expensive and closer to free agency. Campbell is signed to stave off a full rebuild and does. He plays two seasons of league average football and is cleared when Seattle must clean house in 2012.

Jaguars defeat Texans 23-18 in a mistake filled game

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

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

Play of the game right here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jacksonville Jaguars fall to San Francisco 49ers' 20-3: Taking a big swallow of perspective

River City Rage — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:38:17 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

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The somewhat surging Jacksonville Jaguars made a long trip west to face the San Francisco 49'ers and left with yet another humiliating defeat on the west coast. This time, the Jaguars could not blame off-the-field distractions, as it was the abject failure of executing basic football principals, not late night encounters that would doom the team. Josh Scobee, the ever-reliable kicker, would miss two field goals, including the shortest miss of the 2009 Season. More on Scobee later. Maurice Jones-Drew would reach 1,000 yards for the season, but until the 4th quarter was largely bottled up.

The most pressing issue facing the Jaguars after this loss is their sudden inability to score inside the red zone. The Jaguars would get an solid start to a drive, move down the field and leave with no points on the board. It seemed like every time the Jaguars got anything moving, a mistake, drop, or fumble would end the drive and continue the beat down.

Alex Smith, as is par for the course for the Jaguars, looked like a first overall draft pick, not a player struggling to keep his job. The pass rush was a problem, the 49'ers attacked the Jaguars linebackers all day, and the team looked like the one that barely beat the Rams, not one that is in the hunt for a wild card spot.

In a lot of ways, I think, this is an appropriate place for the Jaguars to be. We're just not there yet, we don't have the talent on the field and what we do have needs another offseason to develop. Eugene Monroe had a very rough go of it today, with the offensive line allowing a beat-down on David. Of course, David didn't help himself with how long he held the ball (not to mention the one time he DID throw the ball away, he through to an empty spot on the field), but that's a whole different discussion.

No, no, this is a team that's put together some wins, is still somewhat "in the hunt" for the Wild-Card (everyone root against the Steelers tonight), and could still mount a surprise or two going into December. It's obvious, however, that the Jaguars will have to beat the Colts or Patriots to get to the post-season, and that may be a tall order to a roster that's struggled against the Rams and 49'ers.

But that's OK, that's my point here. It's still a fun, albeit frustrating team to watch. Did you see those quick tosses to Mike Thomas? That's going to be a hoot next season. Jones-Drew proved that he's a full-time back, but wait till Jennings is up to speed as a spell back. There's a whole hell of a lot to be excited about with this roster, but don't think for a second that they can sit back and wait for next year to turn things up a notch.

Jonathan's Rapid Reaction Commentary:

Jonathan and I were writing this at the same time, so we don't bury each-other with front-page posts, so I'm going to give Jonathan the floor for a bit.

The thing that sticks out to me the most about this game is the Jaguars continued poor redzone play. While everyone said their performance wasn't that bad when I compared it to other teams, they still had far more negative red zone possessions than any of the other AFC playoff contenders. Today was the culmination of that. 4 possessions. 3 points.

David Garrard now leads the league with seven lost fumbles. He got away with one last week vs Buffalo but wasn't so lucky this week. I'm now of the opinion the Jags need to strongly look at taking a QB in the first round, so long as it isn't Tebow.

Granted, whoever lines up under center is going to have a helluva time getting the ball off. The Jaguars offensive line might as well of stayed home in Jacksonville. The unit gave up 6 sacks and could've given up as many as 10 if not for some last second plays by Garrard.

Why oh why was Clint Ingram assigned to cover Vernon Davis on that 4th down play?

I honestly think Scobee's 21 yard miss will be his last as a Jaguar. If there isn't a headline on Monday saying Scobee was released I'll be shocked. I gave him a pass initially because most of his misses were from 50+, but now it's obviously part of a larger trend.

RCR's final thought:

If there was ever a game that we can win, it's taking on the emotionally devastated Texans at JMS on Sunday. At 6-5, losing to an NFC team in a week where Miami and Houston lose to division teams is good for Jacksonville. The Texans are on an emotional low right now, Jacksonville can do its business and go back to living week by week, just the way we like it.

Just don't lose perspective. We all get suckered in, teased by the tempation of playoffs. Gene has had one offseason at he helm, let's let him have another go at it before we get too spoiled.

-C

49ers-Jaguars: The World According to Madden

Fooch — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:00:27 -0000

Fooch's Note: This post was written by mountaindew77 and I am posting it for him.

Hello Niners Nation. After a hectic week last week, I was unable to get the Madden simulation done. Thankfully, we have our good man Ninjames and he was able to fill in and do it. But now I'm back and hopefully I will be able to get it done each week from here on out. So here is how this works. I make sure I have downloaded the most updated rosters, I check the injury report and only take out the players from the depth chart that are going to miss the game for sure. I also update the depth charts according to how they are in the real NFL.

The game is Madden 10 for the PS3. I set up this week's matchup in Madden with 14 minute quarters and 25 second clock run-off for a more realistic amount of plays. I set the difficulty on All-Madden, sit back, and watch the matchup and give you guys a play-by-play. Let's get this thing started.

1^st Quarter

Niners win the toss and elect to receive. Robinson returns from 5 yards deep in the end zone and gets it out to the 49er 20 yard line where the Niners will start their first drive. The first play from scrimmage is a pitch to Gore to the right who gets dragged down by Justin Durant for no gain. On 2^nd down Smith drops back and feels pressure quick, but dumps off to Gore on a designed screen and Gore makes the first tackler miss and has room breaks it for a 24 yard gain to the 44 and a Niners first down. Crabs and Morgan are lined up out left Gore is the single back on the next play. Smith drops back throws a short curl route to Morgan who gets tackled immediately for only a 2 yard gain. The next play we see Smith drop back out of a 4 WR set but gets sacked almost instantly and it's now 3rd and 12. Smith drops back and again almost gets sacked, but dumps off to Gore once again on a designed screen. Gore has room, gets a couple nice blocks, makes a spin move to make a guy miss, but gets dragged down just 1 yard short of the 1st and the Niners have to punt. Andy Lee kicks it into the endzone for the touchback.

David Garrard drops back on the Jaguars first play from scrimmage and delivers a nice pass to Mike Sims-Walker over the middle who has room to run and does for a 27 yard gain. Garrard found a hole in the 49ers zone defense. From his own 47, Maurice Jones-Drew gets the handoff on the stretch play to the right but Michael Lewis comes up from the secondary and stops him for only a 3 yard gain. MJD gets the ball up the middle for another 3 yard gain before he gets tackled by Isaac Sopoaga. 3rd and 4. Spencer with the very light coverage leaves Sims Walker able to catch an easy pass and run for a 15 yard gain and another 1st down to the 31 yard line. Jones-Drew up the middle bounces off a couple tacklers and fights for a 9 yard gain. MJD gets it up the middle again but this time Manny Lawson breaks through and stuffs him for no gain. A big 3rd and 1 coming up. Garrard drops back to pass and Marcedes Lewis is covered by Lawson who cannot keep up with him and Garrard finds him for a 19 yard gain and the Jags are at the 49er 3 yard line. Jaguars come out in the goal line formation. Rashad Jennings gets the handoff and appears to be stopped, but no one seems to want to tackle him. He cuts out to the right and runs in for the touchdown. 7-0 Jaguars

Coffee kneels down in the endzone on the kickoff for the touchback. Smith drops back on first down, gets all day to throw, doesn't like what he sees, and scrambles. But he slides down to avoid getting hit for a 2 yard loss and a Jaguars sack. Gore gets the ball up the middle, but finds nowhere to run, no gain. Niners come out in the Shotgun, 4WR set. Smith gets good blocking again from the line, but again cannot find an open receiver. He proceeds to chuck it down field, but gets hit as he throws. Gore almost catches the lob, but it gets knocked down. A three-and-out for the 49er offense.

Lee with a decent punt, but the Niners punt coverage cannot get to Witherspoon and he gets a 15 yard return. Ball on the 49er 47. Niners blitz one corner on each side, and Garrard can only throw the ball away. MJD up the middle on 2nd down, but Lewis stuffs him for just a 2 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 Garrard drops back feels almost immediate pressure from Manny Lawson, and throws it quickly to Torry Holt on the left side but Dre Bly with the blanket coverage knocks it down. A three-and-out for the Jaguars.

Adam Podlesh punts it into the endzone for a touchback and the Niners start on the 20. Niners once again line up in the Shotgun, 4WR formation, with 2 WR's on each side. The Jags drop back in zone coverage, Smith throws a bullet to Crabs on the quick read for an 18 yard gain and a 1st down. Out of the Singleback 3WR, Smith drops back splits the defenders, and finds Arnaz Battle on a crossing route over the middle for a nice 14 yard gain and a first down. Ball on the Jacksonville 48. Smith drops back again, gets great protection, but can't find a receiver and throws it away. On 2nd down Smith has Delanie Walker behind the defense, but throws a terrible ball way short and way behind him. Justin Durant turns around and picks it off with ease and returns it to midfield.

David Garrard drops back and throws it out to the left for Holt, but Bly has him blanketed yet again, he turns around and jumps for the pick! The Niners get the ball back right away.

Niners ball on their own 42. Gore up the middle, shakes off 2 defenders and runs for a gain of 4. Out of the Shotgun, Gore gets the draw, finds room out to the left, sheds a tackler, and has no one to stop him. He is finally met by Reggie Nelson, but he shakes him off too and is finally brought down at the 13 after a beautiful 41 yard run! What a way to end the 1st quarter!

2^nd Quarter

Gore gets the ball up the middle on the dive play for a 2 yard gain. Smith tosses out to Gore out right, but the Jags are not fooled and stuff Gore as soon as he catches it for a 5 yard loss. 3rd and 12 at the 15. Smith drops back, has Gore open on the screen, but gets hit as he throws and the ball falls incomplete. The Niners disappointingly settle for a Joe Nedney field goal. 7-3 Jaguars

Witherspoon catches the kickoff at the 3, and returns to the Jacksonville 34. Jones-Drew on the stretch to the left, but Takeo Spikes stuffs him for a 1 yard loss. Garrard feels pressure from Spikes on 2nd down and has to throw the ball away quickly. 3rd and 11. Garrard finds Holt on the in route for 11 yards, and after a measurement, it's a Jacksonville 1st down. Gotta love that 3rd down 49er defense. MJD finds a hole up the middle for a 10 yard gain and yet another 1st down. MJD with a run, cuts to the left and gets a 3 yard gain. Niners bring the house on 2nd down, and Garrard just gets the ball off before getting pummeled by Haralson. The ball floats downfield intended for Mike Thomas, but Dashon Goldson catches up to the lobbed pass and nearly makes the pick but it bounces off his hand. 3rd and 7 at the 49er 41. Garrard drops back, throws it to MJD on the screen to the left, and sees daylight. He gets all the way down to the 10 before getting brought down by Lewis. Garrard hands off to Jennings up the middle who gets stuffed by Spikes for no gain. Garrard drops back, and the Niners drop back in zone coverage. He thinks he has Thomas wide open for the TD, but he doesn't see Spikes drop back into coverage, and he picks it off at the goal line! He is forced to bring it out, and the Niners start at their own 3. What a drive for Takeo Spikes.

Gore with the stretch to the left for a 5 yard gain. Gore gets the handoff, cuts out right, finds a hole, shakes off Reggie Nelson, has no one in front of him, and never looks back! He... could... go... all... the... way!! Touchdown 49ers on the 91 yard run by Gore! 10-7 49ers

Witherspoon returns from the 1, and poor kick coverage yet again. Jaguars starts on their 35. MJD gets the hand off, but Sopoaga breaks through the line and stuffs him for a 1 yard loss. MJD with another run, and this time no one is there to stuff him and he gets an 8 yard gain. 3rd and 3 on their own 42. MJD gets the ball up the middle, sees a gap, but it closes quickly and Franklin/ Spikes drag him down for only a 1 yard gain. 4th and 2 and a three-and-out for the 49er defense.

Jones on the return gets the ball to the 24. 5 minutes remaining in the half. Smith takes a 7-step drop, stands in the same spot for about 7 seconds, and gets sacked by Terrance Knighton. Out of the 4 WR spread single back formation Smith drops back, Crabs has his man beat by a good 5 steps, but Smith feels the pressure and overthrows him by a mile. 3rd and 18 at the 16. Out of the Shotgun, Smith gets good protection again but cannot find an open man, so he dumps off to Gore who gets tackled as soon as he catches it for no gain. Three-and-out.

Jacksonville starts on their own 48. Garrard drops back, finds Marcedes Lewis over the middle for a 12 yard gain and a first down. MJD gets a nice 6 yard gain up the middle. MJD on the toss breaks a tackle, finds room and breaks it for an 8 yard gain and a first down to the 49er 26. The clock runs down to the 2 minute warning. MJD runs to the left for a 7 yard gain. Garrard drops back and sees Willis coming at him unblocked. Afraid for his life, he throws the ball away but still takes the hit from Bam Bam. 3rd and 3 at the 18. Garrard out of the shotgun finds Thomas on the quick pass for a 9 yard gain and a 1st down at the 9. Garrard drops back, Lawson sheds a defender, gets pressure on Garrard and he throws it out of the end zone incomplete. Lawson punished him though as the 49ers have been doing this whole first half. Jennings up the middle for 1 yard. On 3rd and goal from the 8, Garrard finds Thomas wide open in the back of the end zone who makes a nice leaping catch for the TD. 14-10 Jaguars

With 1:03 on the clock the Niners start on their own 25. They come out in a shotgun, and it appears they will try and get a quick score before the half. Smith hits Gore up the middle for a 13 yard catch. Smith gets hit as he throws and it falls incomplete. Smith overthrows Jones for an incomplete pass. On 3rd down Smith finds Battle down the left sideline, but he fails to get both feet in and it is ruled incomplete. 4th down and a three-and-out.

Jaguars start at their 30 with :33 left, and will run out the clock to the 2nd half with a handoff to MJD.

Halftime thoughts

So far it has been a back and forth game. Gore has had 2 huge plays and that is what has given the Niners all 10 of their points. The defense came up big in the red zone with that Spikes INT which likely would have been more points for the Jags. Garrard is feeling pressure almost every time he's dropped back to pass and has taken a beating so far. Despite that, the Niners defense cannot make plays on 3rd down when they need them and it has cost them the lead. On the other side, the O Line has been playing surprisingly well, but Smith has not taken advantage of it well enough. Gore has though, racking up 139 rushing yards already and 188 total yards. He is once again the one man offense of the 49ers.

3^rd Quarter

Jaguars get the ball to start on their own 31. The Niners special teams has played subpar today. MJD gets the ball up the middle, and Lawson finally brings him down after breaking 2 tackles and getting a tough 4 yard gain. Garrard finally gets some protection and time and finds Lewis out to the left for a 16 yard gain and they are at the 49er 49 yard line. Once again Lewis gets open and catches a 12 yard 1st down pass. MJD gets the toss to the right, but Willis is just too fast and chases him down for no gain. MJD up the middle and finds a huge hole for a 10 yard gain and yet another Jags first down. Ball at the 49er 27. Garrard splits two defenders with a pass to Holt, but he gets hit as he catches it and the ball pops out incomplete. Garrard drops back and hands off on the draw to Jennings for a 4 yard gain. 3rd and 6. Garrard gets plenty of time, and finds MJD on the streak route down the right side wide open and Spencer can't keep up with him and it's an easy catch for a TD. 21-10 Jaguars

Coffee gets hammered on the return and the Niners start on the 27. 3 WR Singleback set and Vernon Davis catches the patented pass over the shoulder for a nice 15 yard gain and a first down. The Niners spread out in a 4WR formation and Smith gets good protection which gives Davis time to get open on a deep post route and catches another pass, this time for 24 yards and the Niners are in Jacksonville territory. Ball on the 34. On the play action to Gore, Smith gets it out quickly to Moran Norris on a 4 yard catch. On 2nd down, Smith connects with Morgan who gets his first catch today on a short slant route for 6 yards and just enough for the first. Ball on the Jaguars 23. Another play action to Gore and on the same play, Norris gets another catch on the screen route and runs for an 8 yard gain. On 2nd and 2, Davis comes in motion to the right, Gore gets the handoff, breaks one tackle and sprawls the ball out across the first down marker as he gets dragged down. First down Niners and they are knocking on the door at the 13. Smith gets all day as the Jags only bring 2 rushers but he still cannot find a man and throws it incomplete on a pass intended for Gore on the curl route. Gore gets the ball on the draw, and finds a hole and fights his way for a 7 yard gain. 3rd and 3 at the 6. Smith on the play action stretch to Coffee, he rolls out to the right. He finds Davis wide open in the end zone... Touchdown Niners!!! It's called the Vernon Zone for a reason. The 9ers line up to go for 2, in hopes of bringing it within a field goal. In the I-Formation, Coffee gets the ball up the middle, gets met at the goal line, but he got the ball across the plane! 21-18 Jaguars

Witherspoon returns to the 21 as the Niners finally get good special teams coverage. MJD gets dragged down by Lawson and Willis for a 2 yard gain. Garrard takes a 3 step drop and throws to Sims-Walker on the hot read who runs for a 15 yard gain to the 37. Out of the shotgun, Garrard throws out to Thomas on the short slant, but he did not get 2 feet in and it's ruled incomplete. On 2nd down, Marcedes Lewis burns Michael Lewis and gets wide open and with some nice YAC, gets the ball to the 49er 35 on a 28 yard completion. On first down Garrard throws to Mike Thomas on the out route. He has a step on Haralson, but he under throws him and Parys jumps the route and picks it off! He then gets the ball back into Jacksonville territory to the 38. That is Garrard's 3rd interception thrown this game.

Niners in 4WR Shotgun formation, it's a draw to Gore who gets pummeled for a 5 yard loss. Smith gets hit as he throws on 2nd down and almost gets picked off but it's dropped. On 3rd down out of the shotgun, Smith has all day to throw, throws it for Battle, but it is a terrible decision as it's thrown into heavy coverage and Witherspoon picks it off, and no one is in front of him to stop him from going all the way and getting the pick-6. 28-18 Jaguars

Robinson on the return to the 27. Handoff up the middle to Gore who gets 8 yards. 2 WR set Smith drops back hits an open Walker out to the left for an 8 yard gain and a first down. With just 4 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, Smith drops back and hits Battle over the middle in tight coverage who gets brought down right away for a 7 yard gain.

4^th Quarter

Niners out of the shotgun, 3 WR set and Smith hits Battle yet again who's wide open over the middle for a 12 yard gain. The ball is now on the JAX 37. Out of the shotgun, Smith throws to Crabs who has his man beat downfield, but it's underthrown and gets knocked down. Smith hits Battle over the middle again for an 8 yard gain. 3rd and 2 on the 30, Niners in Shotgun, Smith drops back, has Vernon downfield open, but he gets hit just as he throws and lobs it up and the ball gets knocked down by Reggie Nelson. Joe Nedney kicks, the ball hits the upright, and barely falls through. 28-21 Jaguars with 12:30 left in the game.

Witherspoon returns the kick to the 29. MJD with a 2 yard run up the gut. Garrard drops back, can't find a WR, and gets sacked by Lawson. On 3rd and 14, the Jags don't want to take any chances and give the ball to MJD who gets 2 yards and the Jags have to punt on the three-and-out.

Brandon Jones gets a 5 yard return to the 34. Gore rushes up the middle for 5 yards. Out of the Taser, Gore gets the direct snap and gets stuffed for 1 yard... On 3rd and 4, Smith throws into double coverage for Davis and it is nearly picked off. What would we do without that Taser?

Jacksonville starts on their 36. Garrard to Greg Jones on the flat route for 7 yards. MJD on the draw, but Lawson meets him 4 yards in the backfield for a nice stuff. 3rd and 7. Garrard out of the shotgun, has a man over the middle, but Spikes sneaks in there in the zone and bats it away for a much needed big 3rd down play. 7:25 remaining after the three-and-out.

Jones returns the punt to the 22. Gore up the middle, sheds 2 guys, and gets 6 yards. Niners in the bunch formation on 2nd and 4, Smith drops back, and it's a draw play to Gore. Gore fights his way for 4 yards and after a measurement, it's a Niners first down! About 6 minutes remaining. Ball on their own 33. Smith gets all day, steps up in the pocket, but holds on for entirely too long and gets sacked for a 4 yard loss. On 2nd and 14 Gore gets a hand off, sees no holes in the line, and breaks out to the right. He leaps over a downed defender and makes a nice gain out of nothing for 13 yards. On 3rd and 1, we see the Taser again. Gore with the direct snap up the middle, and he barely gets the first. Niners ball on their own 43. Coffee with a run on first down up the gut for 3. 3 WR Singleback, Coffee gets another handoff towards the right for a 1 yard gain. Only 3 minutes remaining and a big 3rd and 6 coming up. It's a 4WR set with Davis split out with Jones and Morgan out to the left and Crabs on the right. Play action to Gore, Smith rolls out left, throws a deep pass to Morgan who has his man beat... and he comes down with it! He gets tackled by Nelson as he does and it's the Niners ball at the Jacksonville 24 with 2:10 remaining. Smith drops back and throws it to Gore on the flat route to the right and he gets brought down after a 6 yard gain. That brings us to the 2 minute warning and the Niners are officially in the Vernon Zone. We see another 4 WR singleback set, Smith throws it to Morgan on the short out route, but he cannot get his right foot in bounds, and the refs rule it incomplete. 3rd and 4. Out of the gun, Smith hits Davis on the curl route, who appears about to be brought down short of the first, but he trucks the guy, runs, and trucks yet another defender and runs all the way down to the 3 where he is brought down! Davis comes up big in his zone. Niners come up in the hurry up, for some reason. There is still about 1:40 on the clock. Out of the gun, Smith tries to throw, but gets hit as he does and it falls incomplete about 1 yard in front of him. Clock stopped at 1:32. Niners in the Split back formation. Smith drops back, Jags with the blitz, but Smith sees Jones over the middle running free...and hits him for the touchdown!!! Joe Nedney hits the game tying extra point and it's all square at 28! The Jags still have 1:29 left on the clock though.

Jennings on the return to the 27. 1:23 after the kickoff and all 3 timeouts. Garrard drops back, hits Sims-Walker in tight coverage on the curl route for 12 yards and a first. In the hurry up, the Jags in shotgun, Garrard catches the snap over his head, nearly gets sacked by Willis, but he just got the ball off as it falls incomplete. 1:05 left on 2nd and 10. Garrard drops back, gets very good protection from his line, and throws a very deep ball. It's a lobber though, and the Spikes has time to get back and swat the pass intended for Thomas. 3rd and 10. Garrard throws a quick pass over the middle, Willis jumps the route, and nearly picks it off for what surely would have been a game winning INT. The Jags have to punt with :53 remaining.

Brandon Jones on the return. He trucks one guy and gets a decent return to the Niner 36 with :43 left. Do they play for OT or try and score? They do have all 3 timeouts. It appears they choose the latter as they come out in the shotgun. Davis in motion to the left... Alex throws it for Morgan who jumps up for the catch, but it bounces off his hands. 2nd and 10. Niners in shotgun again. Smith drops way back, throws it very deep before he gets hit, but just as Garrard's pass, it's a lobber and it gets knocked down. Intended for Battle. :32 remaining. Niners come out in the Gun again for one more try for this first down. Smith dumps it off to Gore over the middle, who gets stopped 6 yards short and the Jags call a timeout. Witherspoon returns the punt to the JAX 25.

On 1st and 10, it's a false start on the Jags. 1st and 15 from the 20, and they just hand off to MJD who gets stopped for no gain, and they let the clock run out and we're headed to overtime!

Overtime

The Jags win the toss and get the ball first. Witherspoon returns the kickoff to the 27. Garrard hits Sims-Walker on the quick pass for an 18 yard gain and they're on their own 45. Another quick pass this time to the right to Lewis, who has a 15 yard gain, another first down, and he has now passed 100 yards receiving on the day. Ball on the Niner 41. Out of the gun, Garrard throws the slant route to Jones who runs out of bounds after 6 yards. 2^nd and 4. Garrard dances around in the pocket, no pressure at all. After seeing nothing, he scrambles up the middle. But he doesn't slide, and instead he takes a HUGE hit from Patrick Willis, and he fumbles! Parys Haralson picks it up and the Niners have possession! Ball on the Jaguars 35.

Smith hands off to Gore up the middle for a 3 yard gain. Gore again up the middle for 5 yards. 3rd and a little more than 1 on the 44. Gore fights up the middle for a nice 3 yard gain and a first down. Gore up the middle for a 2 yard gain to the 49. 2nd and 8. On the screen play, Smith gets smashed as he throws and the ball flies up and nearly gets picked off by Daryl Smith. 3rd and 9. In the gun, Davis moves from the TE spot and motions out to the left next to Morgan. Smith takes the snap, has Crabs on a deep out post route, but he waited a bit too long as he catches it out of bounds. 4th and 9.

Lee punts it into the end zone. Play action to MJD, who goes out for a curl route, catches the pass, but then gets plowed by Bam Bam but holds on for an 8 yard gain. MJD up the middle on 2nd and 2 for 3 yards and a first down. Garrard with the fake to MJD, throws it out left, but Bly comes up and knocks it down. 2nd and 10. Out of the gun, Garrard gets the snap, has some time, and throws a deep ball. Thomas is the intended receiver and somehow got matched up with Parys Haralson who just can't keep up and has no help from a safety. Thomas comes down with the wide open catch on a perfectly placed pass, and has room to run, and he does. Touchdown Jags on the 69 yard TD reception. What a heartbreaker. Jaguars win 34-28

Post Game Stats

JAX - 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 6 - 34

SF - 0 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 0 - 28

Jacksonville -- Stat - San Francisco

448 - Total Offense - 423

95 - Rushing Yards - 197

353 - Passing Yards - 226

18 - First Downs - 16

4 - Turnovers - 2

7-12 (58%) - 3^rd Down - 5-15 (33%)

34:12 - TOP - 32:51

Alex Smith -- 65.6 RTG 22-42 (52%) 241 YDS 2 TD 2 INT David Garrard - 82.9 RTG 20-36 (55%) 359 YDS 3 TD 3 INT

Frank Gore - 22 ATT 195 YDS (8.8 YPC) | 6 REC 59 YDS Maurice Jones-Drew - 24 ATT 81 YDS (3.3 YPC) | 3 REC 61 YDS 1 TD

Arnaz Battle -- 4 REC 41 YDS Marcedes Lewis - 6 REC 101 YDS

Brandon Jones/Vernon Davis- 1 REC TD Mike Thomas -- 3 REC 86 YDS 2 TD

Manny Lawson - 5 TK (3 TFL) 2 Sacks Terrance Knighton - 5 TKL (3 TFL) 2 Sacks

Takeo Spikes - 4 TKL 1 INT 3 knockdowns Justin Durant - 8 TKL (1 TFL) 1 INT

Dre Bly/Parys Haralson -1 INT Brian Witherspoon - 2 TKL 1 INT (TD)

Post-Game Thoughts
Well this game definitely did not disappoint as far as exciting goes. These teams were back and forth all game trading blow for blow. But even 256 total yards from Frank Gore, containment of Maurice Jones-Drew for the most part, and 4 turnovers from Garrard could not lead the Niners to a victory in this one. The defense did not make plays when they needed to in key situations; mainly on 3rd down and the offense could not take advantage of the chances Garrard was giving them left and right. The big plays made the difference in this one, and the Jags had just one too many. Let's hope tomorrow brings us a different result.

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 11 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:03:49 -0000

It's been a rather eventful week, hasn't it? There's a new head coach, new starting quarterback and maybe some new hope for the future. Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills' fantasy prospects are still quite dim for the rest of the season. The Bills head down to northern Florida to take on the 5-4 Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday. It'll be another difficult matchup for the Bills, especially for the run defense.

There aren't many fantasy players of significance for either side in this game, but we'll take a look at anyone who might have some value. Head on in after the jump for a review of all the individual fantasy players of note for Bills at Jaguars.

Quarterbacks
Ryan Fitzpatrick - Fitzpatrick was named the starting quarterback twice this week, by two different head coaches. That's odd and probably caused a few winces out of many Bills fans this week, but not as cringe-worthy as Fitzpatrick's play on the field this year. He's completing less than 50% of his passes at just 4.7 yards an attempt. His quarterback rating checks in at 49.8, which is slightly better than JaMarcus Russell's 47.7. Fitzpatrick has been that bad. It's hard to believe this guy is believed to give the Bills a better chance of winning, but such is life in Buffalo. Don't bother with him and don't bother keeping Trent Edwards anywhere near your roster either. Verdict: Sit 'Em

David Garrard - Garrard's had some good moments this year and overall his stats look pretty solid. However, he's been an up and down fantasy option, but has could be a borderline starter this week. He's thrown a touchdown pass in just four games this season (same as Edwards), but has done a good job racking up yards as he's averaging 232 yards per game. In league's where passing yards are weighed more heavily, Garrard has more value. Look for him to continue his modest success this week. Touchdowns could remain an iffy proposition, but he should be in line to reach his average yardage total. He's a potential starter in deeper leagues and you could do a lot worse this week. I'd rather go with someone else, though. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Running Backs
Marshawn Lynch - Lynch continues to see his production decrease as the Bills offense continues to struggle. For the fourth consecutive game, Lynch's rushing yardage was less than the prior game. He finished with just 37 yards on 9 carries last and had a long carry of just 7 yards. Simply put, he hasn't been a fantasy option this year. He did add four receptions for 18 yards last week, but its hard to imagine him having much value behind the current Bills' offensive line. He will remain a flex option at best and until he puts up some big numbers, I can't envision using him. Keep him on your bench and hope a change in mindset at the head coaching position might provide him more opportunities. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Fred Jackson - Jackson was a little more involved last week against the Titans, but a good chunk of his production came late in the game when the score was out of hand. The Bills got him involved in the passing game again (3 receptions for 23 yards) and he actually threw a touchdown pass out of a beautifully designed Wildcat play. His value in the rushing game is quite limited at this point, so unless the Bills being using him more as a receiving again, he's probably not much of a flex option either. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Maurice Jones-Drew - If it wasn't for the spectacular Chris Johnson, MoJo would be the top scoring RB in most fantasy setups. He's been excellent in his first go-round as the Jaguars every down back. He leads the NFL in touchdowns with 12 through nine games, is fourth in the NFL with 860 yards rushing and has also added 32 receptions for 220 yards. He's lived up to his status as the number two player taken in many fantasy drafts this year. Expect it to continue against the terrible Bills run defense this week. A week after Johnson racked up 232 total yards and a pair of touchdowns, Jones-Drew looks every bit capable of matching that. Verdict: Start 'Em

Wide Receivers
Lee Evans - Evans once again had a solid fantasy game last week posting 4 receptions for 50 yards and two first half touchdowns. Quietly, despite overall horrific numbers, Evans has been somewhat useful the past month putting up 222 receiving yards on 15 catches and 4 touchdowns the past four games. I still can't recommend starting him at one of your WR spots, but he does look like he'll be a good flex option from time to time. This week, against the Jaguars 26th ranked pass defense, is one of those weeks. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex

Terrell Owens - Owens' 85 yards receiving last week were the most he's put up in a Bills uniform. Is that a sign of things to come or just a fluke? I think it's most definitely the former. Last week was just the third times he's put up 50 or more receiving yards this season, and he still hasn't scored a touchdown through the air since week 2. With Fitzpatrick back under center, expect Owens' struggles to continue. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Mike Sims-Walker - MS-W has been one of this fantasy season's top free agent additions. He's been one of the biggest surprises so far this season, and looks to continue his success this week against the mediocre Bills' pass defense. Sims-Walker has caught a touchdown in 4 of his 7 games, and has six or more catches in 5 of those games. For the most part, he's been a consistent performer and David Garrard's favorite receiver. He's an every week starter and has played like a borderline #1 WR all season. Don't take him out now. Verdict: Start 'Em

Torry Holt - The veteran receiver hasn't scored a touchdown all season, but has put up a solid 35 receptions for 485 yards thus far. Unless Sims-Walker gets hurt or suspended again, Holt doesn't have much value in fantasy lineups. Keep him on the bench. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Tight Ends
Shawn Nelson - With Derek Fine placed in Injury Reserve earlier this week, Nelson assumes the starting tight end role a lot sooner than many Bills fans expected. He hasn't exactly earned that role, but has a chance to prove himself over the final seven games of the season. Expect him to get more and more comfortable every week and with his athleticism, he could bust a big play at any time. Wait to see it first before you even consider adding Nelson to your bench. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Marcedes Lewis - The former first round pick has really disappeared after a solid first month of the season. He's a guy that routinely flashes big time ability, but never seems to be able to put it together. Unless you are desperate, look elsewhere. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Rian Lindell - Lindell continues to have a quietly efficient season. Too bad that doesn't mean much for fantasy owners. Look elsewhere for your kicker, especially to a good offensive team. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Jose Scobee - Scobee has hit just 10 of 16 field goals this year and has scored seven points less than Lindell so far this year. That should tell you all you need to know about whether to go with him this week. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Defense/Special Teams
Buffalo D/ST - Jairus Byrd had another interception last week and he's about the only thing good about this unit at this point. With a poor pass rush and weak return units, it's hard to imagine even using a bench spot on these guys. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Jacksonville D/ST - Another very poor fantasy option, the Jaguars defense has been pretty ineffective totaling just 7 interceptions, 6 fumble recoveries and just 8 sacks. Even against the bumbling Bills offense, they aren't worth the pickup. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Sleepers
Buffalo - This space will remain vacant for the Bills until a guy outside of Jackson or Evans puts up some numbers. There aren't many options here for Buffalo.

Jacksonville - Mike Thomas (WR): Thomas is the Jaguars 3rd WR and actually has 23 receptions on the year for 220 yards, while adding another 70 yards rushing. He's the primary punt returner and has returned kicks this year in addition to his WR duties. For teams that pick up fantasy points for return yards, Thomas is a deep option.

*****

There are only a few weeks left of most fantasy regular seasons, so this week is of utmost importance. Keep rolling with your studs (MoJo, Sims-Walker) and consider your matchups for the other players in this game. With the bye weeks past us, it's unlikely you'll be using any of the other players in this game, but take a look at Evans, Jackson, Lynch, Garrard and Holt if you must. As always, good luck and use the comments section to discuss your fantasy issues. Go Bills!

Jaguars 24 Jets 22: A New Low

John B — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:40:03 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

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The Jets are 4-5 after their 24-22 loss to Jacksonville in the Meadowlands today. That makes 5 losses in 6 games. It's the 4th of those 5 to be decided in the final 2:00. It's yet another crushing loss in a season that started so well.

More after the jump.

The Bad:

Kerry Rhodes: I've officially had enough of hearing Kerry talk about how great he is. Tone it down until you back it up on the field. Despite the defense's success, he hasn't transformed into the playmaker many expected. He was burned on the decisive play that set up a chip shot field goal.

First Half Defense: The Jets did not force a punt in the first half, and the front seven was completely manhandled. Jacksonville's run blockers constantly sealed their men and gave Maurice Jones-Drew holes to explode through. He almost because the first 100 yard rusher against New York this season in the first half alone.

Last Drive Defense: The pass rush wasn't there. I know this is a great defense, an elite unit. It would be nice if they could get the big stop, though. This is the third time in six games the other team has put together a game winning drive late in the fourth.

Rookie Mistakes by Mark Sanchez: This game was not a total wash for the rookie quarterback. He made some plays that flashed his promise and showed signs of what he will become with more seasoning. There were subtle errors, though, like not elevating the ball Quentin Groves interception. Don't get me wrong. It was an incredible display of athelticism and coordination by Groves. Great, great play. However, part of being a quarterback in the NFL is to make sure a quick throw to a receiver is high enough to get over a lineman. There was the timeout on the goal line he burned in the second half with plenty of time left on the play clock. There were a few attempted throw aways that Jacksonville defenders touched. These didn't affect the game, but it's playing with fire. If you're throwing it away, put it in the second row, not within reach of a defender. These things come with time and illustrate how tough it is to win with a rookie quarterback.

Dustin Keller: I know it's really tough to get on him. His 6 catch, 58 yard day was productive and encouraging. He's starting to emerge in the passing game. There were also a couple of key drops. In addition, a guy with his athleticism ought to be able to make somebody miss or break a tackle every now and then.

Braylon Edwards: Again, tough to get on him with 79 yards on 3 receptions, but his fumble was a killer. So was his drop on the two point conversion after the Jets took the lead in the fourth. It was not an unforced error but still a ball a number one receiver can't let hit the ground. He also never should have thrown it on his option pass. He had open field and a blocker in front of him and could have picked up a first down by tucking and running.

Lowery/Sheppard Combo: Dwight Lowery and Lito Sheppard are good football players. They have been good to very good this season. They had trouble with Torry Holt and Mike Thomas. Darrelle Revis shut down Mike Simms-Walker, but Jacksonville's top wideout scored a touchdown when Revis wasn't on him.

First Play Call: One thing I've always said about Brian Schottenheimer is that he has incredible acumen of X's and O's but doesn't know how to apply his knowledge. It reminds me of this teacher I had in high school chemistry. He was a brilliant guy who knew the concepts inside and out. He just couldn't communicate them so nobody in my class left with the slightest clue about chemistry. The first play of the game made sense on the chalkboard. It ended with Jerricho Cotchery wide open. The problem is it's really too hard for a rookie quarterback to roll left and make an accurate long throw against his body. The result was failure.

Let me talk about the Edwards throw. Part of the blame goes on Braylon for making the throw with open field in front of him, but why would you want him throwing with the game on the line? He's not used to doing it. It's not what he does best.

Darrelle Revis Returning Punts: Let me go on record. This is a horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible idea. I know he was great returning punts at Pitt. I know he had an incredible return against West Virginia. I watched that game and was blown away. There is absolutely no reason for him to be returning punts. By far his most important role on this team is shutting down the other team's best receiver. Why get him hit and potentially injured by running punts back? Is the risk worth the benefit? How much better will the team be with him instead of Jim Leonhard even if he is a little better as a return man? By the way, his long on 2 returns was for 3 yards.

Lack of Intensity: I'm sure we'll hear all week about how Rex Ryan giving the team 6 days off during the bye led to such a sloppy performance. That's a really simplistic explanation, but the poor performance full of mistakes in the first half will give these people plenty of ammo.

Up Men: The Jets got lucky on Jacksonville's surprise onside kick. That's all there is to it. The front line left early. They've been doing it all year. It was only a matter of time before somebody exploited it. The Jaguars executed, and the Jets got a few lucky bounces. It was frustrating to see these guys continue to leave early even after that. This needs to be corrected.

The Good:

Thomas Jones: He hit holes, broke tackles, and grinded out tough yardage on his 77 yard, 21 carry day.

Mike Devito: He played really well in the middle of the line, winning his matchups and getting off his blocks.

Jim Leonhard: He was all over the field with 7 tackles and a sack.

Brad Smith: Made some nice plays on coverage units.

Jaguars Fans on This Site: All week Jaguars fans graced us with their presence here on GGN, and I can't say enough about them. They were classy, knowledgable, and added a lot to our discussion here. In the year and change I've run this blog, I've come across some great fan bases. The Bills and Texans come to mind. The Jaguars fans we came across this week top the list. Congrats on the win. Good luck the rest of the way. Please do continue to stop by.

Halftime Adjustments: The Jets played much more inspired football in the second half.

Other Thoughts:

You really can't say enough about Maurice Jones-Drew. It's been a long time since a football player impressed me like he did today. He's the total package. He's got speed and vision. He hits hits holes. He's bruising between the tackles. He's a threat as a receiver. He blocks well. He's got football intellect and is selfless like when he went down on the 1 instead of padding his stats with a touchdown so the Jets wouldn't have a chance to get the ball back. He was the difference.
David Garrard also gets props. He made the plays on that last drive.
It's funny how things even out. Two weeks ago, the Jets pretty much manhandled the Dolphins but essentially handed them the game by making silly errors. This week, the Jags really had the better of the play for most of the game, but a missed field goal, a guy tripping himself going into the end zone, and a botched exchange from the one foot line were enough to almost gift wrap the Jets a win.
I find this a bit easier to swallow than the Miami game. It's one thing when the opponent plays better than you like the Jaguars did. It's another to constantly shoot yourself in the foot like the Jets did two weeks ago. There was no doubt the Jaguars were the better team today.
It's frustrating because it's clear the Jets are on the verge of being a good team, but they just can't finish games. Kind of like Mark Sanchez. He makes plays that show the ability is there, but it just hasn't all come together yet.

Well, these are surely not the circumstances you want heading to Foxborough. This team is in bad shape after a series of bitter losses. At this point, the Playoffs have begun. The Jets probably need to win their last 7 to make it. How disappointing.

Week 10: Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Jets Game Preview

Jonathan Loesche — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:07:42 -0000

New York Jets (4-4)	Week #10	Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)
	VS.

Date:	November 15st, 2009	Location:	East Rutherford, New Jersey
Time:	1:00 PM EST	Stadium:	The Meadowlands
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Jets -7
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	40.5
Weather:	Mid 50's, no chance of rain	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Gang Green Nation	Coverage Map	Click Here

The Jaguars travel to the swamps of New Jersey for what is in essence a playoff elimination game. Both teams are part of the logjam of 5-3/4-4 teams in the AFC. A win means they get a leg up on one of their main competitors, a loss means they'll need a lot of help to keep their hopes alive.

The last time the Jaguars went against a Rex Ryan defense was the final game of the 2008 season at Baltimore. It was certainly a low point in a season filled with low points. The Jaguars committed four turnovers and were held to only 245 yards in a 27-7 defeat.

Now the Jaguars must find a way to defend against the defense to keep their playoff hopes alive. In addition, the Jaguars must deal with a hot rookie quarterback, much like last year in Baltimore. Mark Sanchez has played well for the Jets so far, but has had his fair share of rookie moments.

Can the Jags go into the Meadowlands and land one of Jack Del Rio's biggest wins in his career, or will they have another quiet flight home?

Jaguars Offense vs Jets Defense

The Jets have an impressive resume on defense. They're the only unit in football that hasn't given up 100 yard rusher, 100 yard receiver, or 300 yard passer all year. The defense is surrendering only 11.5 points in the game, best in the NFL. They come at you from every angle and any one of the 11 players on the field is liable to blitz at any given time.

However, here is something to ponder with the Jets defense. How will the react to getting smacked in the mouth running the football? The only time the Jets defense had genuinely looked bad was when Miami ran at them with the Wildcat. That is where this game is going to be won or lost.

Maurice Jones-Drew has to start fast for the Jaguars to have a chance. If he gets going running the ball, that'll force a cocky Jets defense onto it's heels and give David a chance to get throws off. If we come out and throw nine straight times again,we'll likely be seeing Luke McCown because David will be on the sideline with broken ribs.

If MJD can get it going, I expect to see alot of screens to Mike Thomas on the outside as well as to Jones-Drew coming out of the backfield. The way you beat a blitz heavy team is to get them aggrivated and then use that against them.

When the Jaguars do decide to test the Jets through the air, the obvious target is going to be CB Lito Sheppard. Sheppard is coming off a quad injury and the Jets' other corner, Darrell Revis, is one of the best in the league. I would try to get Sims-Walker matched up with Sheppard as often as possible to test the quad injury, while leaving Holt to deal with Revis most of the time.

Jaguars Defense vs Jets Offense

Rookie Quarterback Mark Sanchez came out of the gates like a man possessed. However, he has slid back down to reality as the season has progressed. Sanchez was a turnover machine in losses against Buffalo and New Orleans, throwing a combined nine interceptions.

The Jaguars will need to build on the success against the Chiefs and hopefully get into Sanchez's face early. All the indications are that he'll show you early on how he's going to be. If he gets hot, back by the NFL's #1 rushing attack, we could end up with a repeat of the Seattle game.

As I previously mentioned, the Jets have the NFL's #1 rushing attack averaging over 170 yards per game.The Jets leading rusher is Thomas Jones, who has 704 yards and 7 touchdowns so far this season.

The Jaguars' defensive line will have to be the key to stopping the Jets' rushing attack. John Henderson and Terrance Knighton will have to be getting penetration in the back field to help counter for a weak right edge.

Speaking of that right edge, former practice squad player Bryan Smith will be the starting RDE for the Jaguars. As Collin pointed out in his brilliant two part series, he didn't play all the well against the Chiefs. However, Quentin Groves has been such a liability against the run it's not likely things could get much worse.

The basic game plan for the Jaguars has to be stopping the run and putting the ball in Mark Sanchez's hands. Sanchez hasn't looked great over the last five games and he's never had a situation where he's been expected to simply throw it to win.

Intangibles and Special Teams

If the Jets have the best rushing offense and one of the best defenses in the NFL, then why are they sitting at 4-4? Two reasons, turnovers and bad special teams.

The Jets have committed 15 turnovers so far in 2009, eleven being Mark Sanchez interceptions. However, the Jaguars are even worse. The Jaguars are -3 in the turnover department in 2009. David Garrard has thrown four interceptions in the last three games and he'll need to be careful to avoid more on Sunday.

The Jets' Special Teams melt down against the Dolphins two weeks ago has been well documented. However, the unit has been suspect all season. Mike Thomas seems like he's due to finally break a touchdown on a return and this would be a perfect week to do it.

Josh Scobee has been having something of an off year. Scobee is just 9-14, though 4 of those misses have been from 50+ and another one was blocked. Also, here is an interestining tid bit. Scobee leads the league with 6 attempts from more than 50 yards. The next closest is Mason Crosby of Green Bay with 4, then several kickers with 3. Only 5 kickers have had more than 2 50+ yard attempts this year.

Coaching

Jack Del Rio leads the Jaguars to the Meadowlands for the final time as the stadium is scheduled to close after this year. After almost coughing up a win against the Chiefs, it will be interesting to see how the Jaguars respond to that scare.

Rex Ryan is coming off his first bye week as head coach. In an interesting move, the Jets only had two days worth of practice during the bye week, despite losing four of their last five games.

Player On The Hot Seat

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB

The entire fate of the Jaguars offense rests in his hands. If he can't get things going running the ball, then the Jets will have their ears pinned back the entire game and it could get even uglier than Seattle.

Video Killed The Game Preview

Prediction

Jacksonville Jaguars 28

New York Jets 24

Mike Thomas breaks a punt return for a touchdown, the Jaguars score following a Mark Sanchez interception deep in Jets territory, and get two long pounding drives thanks to Jones-Drew.

-Jonathan Loesche