Just a heads up to those of you that may have not heard this but former Jaguar great Donovin Darius has signed a one day deal with the organization so that he can retire as a Jaguar. In the wake of Paul Spicer's retirement last week it is both a sad and happy time for Jaguar fans, sad because two players that contributed so much to the team and the fans have hung up their cleats. However, this is a happy time because they have chosen to retire as Jaguars, and that is a sign of class, respect, and honour to the team and the fans.

This week has lead me, as well as most Jacksonville fans, to question Garrard and his future with the team etc. Now in the beginning of the season I said I would give him (and Del Rio) one more chance, hell its a new season so why not a new chance right? Well I have realized that Garrard has become our Rex Grossman or J.P Lossman.

Now if you are going to start quoting the difference in stats etc stop reading now and go read something from Vicky boy at Jaguars.com. When these aforementioned QBs were on their respected teams I remember thinking "Why don't they just get rid of them and move on and get a real QB," and yet people make excuses for them. Well guess what folks we are doing the same thing make excuses for Garrard, he has had 9 seasons and hasn't really improved.

After I realized this, I started to question why this faith and stubbornness in staying with Garrard? Was it the lack of something better? or was it  whats one more season? Well I have come to the conclusion that we have a Garrard addiction, much like a drug addiction. When Garrard is on and we win, we were on the high and nothing could stop us, then the withdrawal and he loses, and then we take another hit when he wins etc.

The solution for this is that both the team and us fans need to go through detox. The withdrawal symptoms will be bad, but we need to get clean and draft a QB so our future will be better and brighter. Trent Edwards can be our methadone and can help get us through the season and then we can shelf him. This could be a long season but hell who owns methadone may not be that bad.

P.S. I am in NO way playing down the seriousness of drug addiction, seriously

I was in Ralph Wilson Stadium for this game, and my first  hand opinion of the game was that it was a moral victory as well as a victory. If any of you have ever been the Ralph Wilson you will know what I mean, but the Bills crowd can really energize the Bills more than more people give credit for.

      After the fumbles by Thomas and Garrard, as well as Garrard;s INT the crowd was insane and the Bills were playing with a tempo T.V. does not justify, and our boys over came all of it. The defense were making plays that shut the crowd up as if someone pushed the mute button. Arron Kampman was a true leader out there and the player we were looking for in the off season. Now my favorite part of the game (besides the final score), Derek Cox. Cox was a BEAST out there, after David Jones was beat on that play by Lee Evans, Cox came in there and just gave the Jags that intensity it needed to play some great ball. Thank the Heavens that Cox is out of the dog house!

      It was a great game to see live, and was worth the countless, unoriginal, crude, and amateur razing and taunting that I experienced from Bills' fans. Oh and by the way, you will NEVER see a crowd turn on their team faster than Bills fans.

Great games Jaguars, you should be proud!

I guess Trent Edwards has come not only to save us from the lack of a good QB but also from Keith Null. According to Fox Sports (Thursday 30th) the Jaguars released Keith Null from the practice squad. I don't know if anyone else has posted this, but I just wanted to make sure that the fear of the unknown didn't consume us. Best of luck to you Null, now how much longer will Boumann be on the roster for?

       Like any true football fan I have been looking forward to the draft and getting excited to the new talent which this team hopefully will obtain. So when I see a new mock-draft posted on NFL.com I jump on it, and to tell you all now I'M SICK OF EVERYONE SAYING WE WILL DRAFT A DE!!!!!!!!!!

      I'm well aware that our pass rush is in dire need of help, but lets look at what has occurred this off season and how that will affect our pass rush. First, the signing of Joe Cullen to the D-line, hopefully he will be able to provide the coaching that is needed to propel our D-line to greatness (or just getting a few sacks a game). The most important attribute he can bring is coaching Harvey in becoming the pass rusher we drafted in the first round. Now I know a lot of people out there label Harvey as a bust, and the first season he was, but look at what he has done this past season under a new D-coord. No he has not gotten the sacks we want, but he has been great against the run and it developing into a good all around defensive player.

     The second off season change has been the addition of Aaron Kampman. I'm well aware that he still needs time to heal, and I'm well aware that he will not solve all of your DE/pass rush problems, but he is a step in the right direction. He provides the veteran experience on the D-line that we need, and will be a great coach for the young DE's like Harvey, and a underrated Julius Williams.

     The now those are the two major off season changes which I saw, if I missed any please comment. Now, should we draft a DE in the first round we will be paying 3 HUGE salaries for DE's, Harvey's, Kampman's and the new guy. Should a DE be the best avaliable player on the board, then I hope Gene goes from him, but I don't think that will happen. There are many DE's in this draft and many other talented players we could grab in the first round. I could go into detail but frankly I don't have the time as I should be writing a history essay right now. I'm sure  Ewdtrey or Zoltan or someone could go through the list.

     Maybe these mock draft analyzers like Brooks don't know that Gene is GM in Jacksonville, and don't know that the days of drafting need in Jacksonville are over (hopefully). Or maybe Brooks and company don't realize that Jacksonville is not made of money. Or maybe they are not on the draft Tim Tebow train? (joke, I personally do not want Tebow).

     Well I guess we will all have to wait until Draft  day, and remember In Gene We Trust

One of the big topics this off season will undoubtedly be the need for a pass rush, with many people saying we need to draft a DE, I however disagree. Greenbay DE Aaron Kampman is a F.A. this season and with him not fitting in the 3-4 in Greenbay he would fit PERFECTLY in our 4-3 defense, a defense he was made for. The guy has serious skill when he has his hand in the turf, he is a DE that is made for the pass rush, not dropping back in coverage like he was this pass season in Greenbay. Now he did screw up his knee this season but he should be 100% by the 2010 season. Kampman has great character, is a team player, and has the skill we need and thats proven skill. If we draft a DE its up in the air if they are as good as they were in colledge. Yes I know DE and all players need to start somewhere, but I'm just saying that there is a great DE out there in F.A that would fit this team perfectly why not gab him?

Lets all face it, DIRK SUCKS!!! Don't give me those oh the players aren't playing hard enough, b/c they are. Dirk has been making terrible calls ALL season and its time he gets his walking papers. His use of Maurice Jones Drew has been terrible, our third down conversion this game has been TERRIBLE. Miami isn't that good, and before someone comments it, yes Miami beat the Pats, but the Pats lost that game, Miami didn't win it.

Now this post is NOT based on the stats of the game, sorry its exam time and I only wish I could get them for you, so if anyone as the facts to back me up or shoot me down please post them, I'm all for the truth.

        So before the season began I was EXTREMELY hopeful and optimistic about our defense, with Mathis health, Cox looking like he should have been a number one draft pick, Considine pick up etc and a new defensive coach (I HATE Williams). The season opener at Indy was not terrible, should some good signs, but that was it and they fell to the bottom of the league. During some of the Jags seven wins the D has had glimmers of improvement like the Houston game (first game second half) and Jets etc but nothing that would make me believe they are becoming elite, or so I thought.

       As I look back on the season so far I see the MASSIVE, and I mean MASSIVE improvement this defense has made, which has been due to the rookies, F.A and vets. Cox and Knighton are shaping up to be extremely talented and skilled football players, and I'll say this now for you critics out there, YES they need improvement, and YES they have been burned. Yet overall they have been playing extremely well considering they are rookies thrusted into starting roles. Next season teams will not be just advoiding Mathis but Cox as well. Oh as for Potroast, the big man can cover recievers!

      The Free Agents, mainly Considine, Stanley, and Ellyison have been very important on this defense. Considine has over come the problems he was having early in the season, and has been showing he is a force on the field. Both Stanley and Ellyison are making the teams that cut them double think that decision, and are playing like they have a new lease on the life of football.

       Now looking at the vets, well Big John has been playing and looking like, well the Big John of old thanks to Knighton. Mathis, well the man is sick, you can't say anything else about him, his talent and skill are AMAZING and anyone who doubts him needs to keep those evil thoughts to him/herself. Harvey has shown the most improvement I think out of anyone on the defense, he is starting to play like the first round pick he is, minus the sacks which I am sure are to follow. Now the only darkside of this article is Nelson...what can I say, personally I think he needs to go, he has failed to live up to this expectations...I know there are those of you out there that love him, well convince me otherwise lol.

       Lest we forget the switch back to the 4-3, and I think I speak for a lot of people out there when I say, "what took you so long." We should all hope the 4-3 is here to stay, and with everyone under the sun switching to 3-4 there should be some nice F.A out there that we can pick up, Aaron Kampman anyone? (free agent at the end of the season).

       Now the defense can slip back to mediocre level of play again, and have bad games, but I think there is a light at the other end of the tunnel, and I think th\t by next season we will be in the top 10, if not top 5 defenses in the league. 

P.S. Any facts supporting/contradicting what has been said are welcome

        For those of you that have read my previous articles, I have always been a supporter of Jack Del Rio, from the off-season to the bye-week. I have always found the positives of every win and loss, wanting to believe that Jack is the man for the job, unfortunately I believe his time has come to leave us.

        Jack has been a great coach, building this team up for the terrible state it was in when he came to the job, and is runs at greatness, however I think he has reached his limit in Jacksonville. I believed Jack was the right man for the job earlier in the season, and I'm not going back on what I said, or believed then, but now things have changed. Our last three games have been terrible, lets just face it.

        The Seahawk loss was sickening to say the least, our defense well... we didn't have one, and our offense well...we didn't have one. Our "victory" over St. Louis was barely that, almost losing to a 0-5 team, with MJD being the only bright spot. Finally we have the lost yesterday, where were actually lost to an 0-6 team, and again MJD was the only bright spot. Jack's coaching has not been effective in developing this team, and yes I know we have 7 rookies on the active roster, with our number 1,2,3,3,5 starting.

         Our defense is terrible, with Nelson being the WORST player on defense, and please don't tell me he is improving, he has had 3 years to improve ok, and if he hasn't yet he won't. Our FS and SS are our biggest problems, we you consider they are the Jacks of all trades, stuffing the run, and pass coverage, and supporting all other positions.

         Our offense has the talent and the potential, but it doesn't have the coaching, Koetter doesn't use the tools he has at his disposal. The passing game is secondary to our rushing game, not the other way around like Dirk sees it. I'm not attacking our WR corp at all, they are the best group have have had since Jimmy Smith. Holt, Sims-Walker, Thomas and Dillard  are great, but our strength lies in MJD.

         Through all this we have Jack, just standing on the sidelines doing nothing to improve this team. If I have to watch one more of his "oh well we lost, it was good, we need to improve" press conferences I'm going to scream. Does he even care anymore? In all reality we knew this would be a rebuilding year, but is Jack the one to do it? I remember there was an article a month or so ago that brought up the same point but I disagreed, will know I see the reason behind the arguement. Jack has stalled, stuck in neutral, at an impass, however you want to call it, he has had his time here, he brought us to the playoffs, but he can't keep us there and thats the problem.

       Jack is a great coach and I am thankful for all that he has done for this team, but its time to move on. I wish him all the best of luck, but he is no longer the best for Jacksonville. Jack can no longer direct and lead this team the way he did two seasons ago. We need someone with that fire in their belly and their heart, someone that can shape this young team into the dominate force in the AFC south and the NFL as a whole. It is time to move on, and that means without Jack than so be it, and should he turn this team around than great, and I can say when I;m wrong, but until that happens we need someone new at the helm.

I know right know our team has a lot going on right, with rookies, lack of offense and defense for that matter, but this up coming game against Houston calls for us all to get PISSED off. I don't know what you but I'm sick and tired of those pains in my *** beating us! Last season, when we lost to them in Houston, I couldn't believe what I was seeing, like this is a team that should NEVER see over 8-8 and we get our butt handed to us. Its time we start raining on their parade and kick their *** in their house. I know we can despite the injuries b/c this is a grudge match and everyone knows that all bets are off. Oh and come on, their bloody "Red Day" crazy, BS, but the red will hide their bleeding from the brutal, beating we NEED to give them. They don't belong in the playoffs and they were lucky as hell to get past the Titans (and I HATE the Titans) so lets show them that the Jaguars are elite, and lets give them a game to remember.

Last night I was watching the Indy/Fins game, hoping Indy would lose, and I noticed something that pissed me off more than Indy stealing victory. Everytime Miami got a first down I thought I heard OUR "move those chains, move those chains, move those chains HUHH." Now if this is a common saying in the NFL ok, but I have been to Lambeau, Ralph Wilson and Jacksonville stadiums and I have only heard that in Jacksonville. So if I am wrong then so be it and I'll let it go, but if not WHAT THE HELL MIAMI!!!

 Where are the other WR's we drafted? All off season we have been hearing about these new, fast, and talented WR's we drafted. I haven't seen or heard about Thomas, or Dillard? I have been longing forward to seeing Thomas' speed ever since we drafted him, and the idea that Dillard had better numbers than Crabtree made my mouth water. My final thought here is why did Mike Walker change it to Sims-Walker? He is trying to be a Maurice Jones-Drew?

Week One has come and gone, there was some very bad things(i.e. Monroe's blocking), yet some very good things, Britton's blocking and Cox.

Was I pissed off that we lost last week? Hell yes. I've waited since Feb. to see the teal back on the field, but I'm so sick  people getting all down on Jack, David, and our team in general. We have a great team, and I'm not just saying that b/c I'm a die hard fan, but b/c we have one of the best if not the best running back in the league, we have a young offensive line that will soon dominate defenses, and we have a defense that has come back from one of its worst years to keeping Manning to ONLY 14 points!

Like Jack said, a moral victory isn't enough and that is true for the team, but for us we need to take that moral victory and yell it from every roof top. I know our team gets a bad rep.and we don't get the respect that we deserve. See I live in Niagara Falls Ontario Canada and I think I'm the only Jags fan in the province, and I deal with more Bills, Steelers, Patriots, and even Browns fans that doubt our team then I care to remember. I work with a Browns fan who always busts my chops for always thinking that the Jags will win, saying I need to wake up to reality. Well you know what I'm awake and I see a team that is kickass and needs its fans to support it at every turn.

We need to stop doubting our team, like with Hayward out we will have no pass rush, and that Harvey is a bust. I know Harvey is a pain to look at but I know he will break out this year, I can feel it in my bones, and I think he should know that the Jaguar fans believe it too. I'm not say stop calling a spade a spade, all I'm saying is we need to start looking at the glass as half full and not half empty. Take the Hayward injury, we need to look at it as "hey maybe this will be Harvey's chance to show his worth, or allow Juluis Williams to show how it was a mistake for all those teams that didn't draft him."

So stand together, wear the teal with pride, and when someone says that the Jags sucks or that they will do nothing this year just say MOJO BABY!

-Messina

Can someone explain to me and to everyone else out there why it is taking so long to sign Monroe? I know the 20+ million upfront is one of the big issues but how close are we to making a deal? We all remember last season with Harvey holding out, and how that affected his play all season (he always seemed under-developed last season). We need to get this guy in camp ASAP, hey i thought he was supposed to challenge Tra for left tackle?