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Steelers-Jaguars Recap
2008-10-08 15:17:00 I?ll preface this post by writing that I have no idea what Al Michaels or John Madden said during Sunday night?s Pittsburgh Steelers-Jacksonville Jaguars game. I have not read recaps of the game by Pittsburgh newspapers, national sports websites or the Pittsburgh sports related blogs listed on my links list. The following are my comments, thoughts and pictures from attending the game live.This picture was taken a half hour before game time. Notice the large banner covering two sections on the top left and the Jaguars banner behind the end zone. Apparently, these seats and several other sections throughout the stadium are completely covered during the entire season to help the team avoid blackouts. That would never happen for the Steelers. Oh, Jacksonville has no problem selling these seats for the Florida-Georgia college football game.I really don?t know what to write about these guys. They were loud and somewhat annoying, but overall, pretty cool. Of course, I was not sitti...
By: Sean's Ramblings
Jacksonville Jaguars Minicamp Report: Friday Morning Session
2008-06-06 19:00:00 [Note by River City Rage, 06/06/08 1:45 PM EDT ]:Updated with "mystery player" information. As you probably know, the Jaguars held their first minicamp practice session this morning. Big Cat Country and Jagnation.com had the only live coverage of the practice, and will do so again for the afternoon session at 4:15. Before I break down some of the highs and lows of the first session, I'd like to give a big thanks to Robb and Charlie of JagNation for their hard work during the camp. Before we get into the minicamp report, don't forget to participate in the Brad Meester/Parkersburgh Iowa fund raiser give-away! Read here for more information! Minicamp Notes: Mystery Solved: Unknown Players were: Wide Receiver Rod Gardner, formerly of the Chiefs Running Back Ciatrick Fason, formerly of the Vikings and Florida Gators Wide Receiver Brandon Brezell, undrafted free-agent from UCLA Ryan Hogue, unknown Tight End Marcades Lewis was practicing and participating...
2008 Jacksonville Jaguars Minicamp: How to follow along!
2008-06-06 12:00:00 Good Morning! Minicamp starts in less than an hour. Big Cat Country is proud to have several ways to follow along live and otherwise with all the happenings. Press Play in the box that's just above this text. It will let you listen in on the 90 minute live show with commentary and news, as well as live reporting from Minicamp itself! Live Blog in the Comments. I'm going to post whatever odds and ends we hear in the comments of this post, if you can't listen, read along! Rapid-fire editorial: as soon as camp is over, head back here to get the scoop on what it all means for the regular season! There's no reason that being outside the City of Jacksonville means not participating in the fun of minicamp! Stay Tuned! -Chris -Chris
Jacksonville Jaguars Tornado Relief Contest: How you can help!
2008-06-05 22:22:00 Two weeks ago the Iowa town of Parkersburg was reduced to rubble by a F5 tornado. The community of only 2,000 produced four current NFL players, including Jaguars center Brad Meester. Meester's family lost two homes, four cars, and countless irreplaceable memories, though thankfully nobody in his family was hurt. Brad and the other NFL players; Jared DeVries of Detroit, Casey Wiegmann of Denver and Green Bay's Aaron Kampman played for Aplington-Parker High School, which was completely destroyed in the tornado. The Jaguars and Brad Meester have created a fantastic fund-raiser to help rebuild the community and give the fans a way to participate. This weekend, both on Jaguars.com and at the Minicamp, fans can purchase an Aplington-Parker High School hat for $19.95 Proceeds will go to the Parkersburg Relief Fund. The hat can be ordered online here and will also be sold at Minicamp this weekend. To help with this cause, Big Cat Country has a spec...
Better Know the Jacksonville Jaguars: Defensive Tackle Theo Horrocks
2008-06-03 10:10:00 [Note by River City Rage, 06/03/08 1:04 AM PDT ] Clodknocker was kind enough to do an interview with one of my favorite Defensive Tackle Prospects in Theo Horrocks. Theo, in my opinion, is playing for a spot on the practice squad, unless there is a major shakeup on the defensive line. There are only 53 roster spots, and to add guys like Horrocks could mean a serious deficiency elsewhere. Regardless, he's a serious prospect and someone the Jaguars should develop! -C Better Know a Player: Theo Horrocks! Theo attended Lincoln High in Fayetteville, Tennessee, a small town south of Nashville. Both he and fellow defensive tackle, Lamar Divens, were signed by Vanderbilt. Lamar later transferred to Tenn. State and is now an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. As a true freshman, Theo played in nine games while starting in two. In his sophomore year, he played in 10 games and led the Commodore's defensive tackles with 15 ...
Jacksonville Jaguars Minicamp: What to to watch, Who to watch, and more!
2008-06-02 08:23:00 Minicamp is this weekend, and with it comes the high-water mark of the dead zone. After minicamp closes on Saturday, it's just three OTA's till the meetings end, the coaches take some time off, and all eyes fall toward the end of July. Minicamp is more intense than OTA's, but still not the real contact of training camp. Avoiding injury is the number one concern, obviously, but for the Jaguars representing the more crowded spots of the roster it's also their first shot at establishing momentum toward securing the roster spot. Life on the margins is hard in the NFL, and with the hard cap of eighty players, there is very little room for error in securing reps that mean anything. The playbook develops a little bit more as will some of the defensive scheming, but it's still largely a passing camp, and the focus will be on the skill position players to a large extent. I'm of the belief that it's better to study the running game on film rather tha...
In The Red Zone: Why Kyle Brady Was Cut
2008-05-31 01:00:00 Seems the reason the New England Patriots released tight end Kyle Brady in February because he had several mental lapses last season and even at one point abruptly left the team only to be coaxed back. According to the Standard-Times website, Brady who was considered among the most intellectual players on the team had a hard ...
By: Random Thoughts
BREAKING: Jacksonville Jaguars team to beat in AFC South
2008-05-27 18:01:00 Contrary to other reports , the Jacksonville Jaguars have used the 2008 offseason to announce to the division that they are the team to beat in the AFC South. While the Indianapolis Colts deserve the respect due to a six-time division winner, there is no reason to assume that the reigning champs have done enough to hold their position at the top of the South. Yes, this article intended as a bit of Counter Battery fire toward my good friend and Indianapolis Colts writer over at Stampede Blue. Big Blue Shoe, as he calls himself, delights in mocking our Jaguars whenever possible, in what can only be a defense mechanism to the pain and suffering that Jacksonville is going to give their team in 2008. And we can forgive him, it's merely one step in the Kubler-Ross "Stages of Grief ": In this case, our fellow Colts fans are deeply in denial of the changes and progress made by the Jaguars during this offseason. Denial manifests itself in peculiar ways in a fanbase,&...
Contract Extension: Jacksonville Jaguars extend Defensive Tackle Tony McDan
2008-05-21 22:22:00 Jacksonville Sports Radio 101XL just reported that the Jaguars have agreed to a Contract Extension with Defensive Tackle Tony McDaniel. The 6-7, 310 third year player is an imposing, albeit developing player on the roster. McDaniel has played in 15 games in his career, but missed 12 last season due to injury. The Jaguars would not have traded Marcus Stroud if they did not believe that Tony McDaniel would develop into a force on the defensive line. Terms are not disclosed, as usual, but I will post them as soon as they are leaked. This is the third extension in the last few days with defensive tackle Rob Meier coming to terms with an extension along with tackle Richard Collier Defensive End Paul Spicer was offered a contract, but did not come to an agreement. -Chris
Unnamed Sources say Jacksonville Jaguars for Sale
2008-05-20 18:51:00 Now, let me set the record straight: I do not believe what I am reporting. I am merely passing along what Michael Silver reported on Yahoo.com. In his article about the St. Louis Rams being for sale, he mentions that "unnamed" league sources claim that the Jaguars owner, Wayne Weaver, has sought buyers for the team. He then debunks said source by quoting Eddie DeBartolo: One high-ranking league source says the Jacksonville Jaguars are another team that might be sold and relocated to L.A. and that owner Wayne Weaver has solicited potential buyers in recent months. But DeBartolo discounted the possibility of purchasing the Jags, saying, "I think (he'll sell) every year, but it doesn't happen. I get the feeling that Wayne really wants a Super Bowl, and every year he keeps thinking, 'It's gonna be the year,' and he decides to keep them." It's that time of year. Every offseason there's a rumor, a quote, a statement from somewhere that the Jaguars are for sale and the...
2008 Jacksonville Jaguars Roster Breakdown: The Wide Receivers
2008-05-20 12:00:00 In recent years the Jacksonville Jaguars have faced a "yeah, but" problem with their offense. The solid running game, the productive line play, even with the quarterback problems, the sore thumb of the Jaguars offense is the Wide Receiving Corps. Despite having two first round draft picks in Reggie Williams and Matt Jones, the Jaguars have not yet found the heir apparant to Jimmy Smith, and even throughout the outstanding 2007 season lacked the receiver that guaranteed a double team and that would strike fear into defensive game planning. While the Jaguars went through an offensive explosion last season, there are still question marks surrounding the receivers. Will Reggie Williams repeat his 10 touchdown and 600 yards or was those merely outliers? Will Matt Jones wake up or stay in Jack Del Rio's doghouse? The offseason only added to those questions as the Jaguars charted an aggressive course to surround quarterback David Garrard with as many weapons...
Jacksonville Jaguars OTA News and Updates:
2008-05-19 12:00:00 On Monday, the Jaguars will begin their third session of Offseason Training Activities (OTA), with eight more practices until their Mini-camp on the weekend of June 6th. These OTA sessions are critical in building a cohesive and strong football team because there is so little time in training camp to build relationships and put units on the same page. Remember, the 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars open their season in Tennessee, and then play the Colts and Texans in the first month of the regular season. Without a strong start, the Jaguars could find themselves hopelessly behind in the critical AFC South division race before Christmas Decorations appear in the Avenues Mall. Jaguars.com's Vic Ketchman, a writer any Jaguars fan is familiar with, is chafing at the interest in the teams OTA"s, which is terribly off-base. While yes, these are just "underwear" practices, there is a feeling of importance that cannot be brushed aside, as Vic is wont to do: If I may, I&rs...
Jacksonville Jaguars Contract News: Defensive Tackle Rob Meier signs 5 year
2008-05-15 22:38:00 Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Tackle Rob Meier agreed to a 5 year contract extension today and became the heir apparant to Marcus Stroud on the defensive line. The terms of the contract, as usual, are unknown, but the numbers are bigger than the 2.095 base salary he was due under his previous contract. Meier, despite my terrible prediction that he might be one of the more vulnerable players on the roster, is a solid defensive tackle that filled in admirably in Stroud's absence. When Stroud went to Buffalo, I assumed that defensive tackle would be a position of need going into the draft, but the Jaguars clearly think differently. With Meier as the counterpart to Henderson, the Jaguars have Tony McDaniel and Derek Landri as the primary rotation in the middle. No matter how you shake it, that's a pretty solid group. I'd expect to see Landri fill in on 3rd downs and obvious passing situations, and I would not be surprised to see Meier/L...
Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive End Paul Spicer Skips OTA's
2008-05-13 19:22:00 From the department of poor decisions: Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Paul Spicer elected to not attend today's offseason training activity (OTA) at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Fred Taylor, a regular no-show, was also absent, though he plans on attending a few between now and training camp. Spicer's absence comes as a surprise, considering the amount invested at his position this year. Spicer led the team in sacks last season, though at 32 years old, is rapidly approaching the end of his career. It is probably contract related : "I spoke to both of them this morning. I’ll let you ask (Spicer) how he wants to present it," Del Rio said when asked if Spicer’s absence is a result of contract discontent. "He expressed that he wouldn’t be here. I expressed that I’d like him to be here." Paul last signed a contract with the Jaguars in 2006, a three year extension. He's due to make 2.5 million dollars this season, and will be a free age...
2008 Jacksonville Jaguars: Historical Roster Breakdown
2008-05-12 18:00:00 The Jacksonville Jaguars offseason training activities start this week and with that begins the battle for positioning toward the final roster. The NFL only allows 53 players on the final roster and an eight man practice squad. I thought it might be interesting as be begin our position by position breakdown to look back at how many players we carry on our roster for each role. Teams are required to have their roster at specific levels through training camp. Because NFL Europa ceases to exist, teams have a hard cap of eighty players under contract. On August 26th, the roster must be cut down to 75 players. The final cut date is August 30th where the roster may only have 53 players. Tracking roster sizes for each position is actually fairly complicated. Players that are multi-functional, particularly on the offensive line, can throw off a count. For the purposes of this analysis, I will treat all offensive linemen together. Cornerbacks a...
In The Red Zone: Patriots News And Notes
2008-05-09 12:00:00 Time for some more New England Patriots news and notes, the mostly Matt Walsh free version: Although this comes from Hashmark’s and it’s our buddy Arlen Specter checking in again: United States Senator Arlen Specter (R.Pa.) issued the following statement regarding the latest news regarding Spygate. Specter has been an aggressor in this saga. Here is the statement: “I ...
By: Random Thoughts
Better Know the Jacksonville Jaguars: An Interview with QB Paul Smith
2008-05-07 22:18:00 As previously previewed , Tulsa Golden Hurricane Paul Smith is one of four quarterbacks on the Jaguars roster. While the top two spots in the Jaguars rotation is without doubt, there is a weakness in the long-term development of a new signal caller. While David Garrard has very low miles for his age, Cleo Lemon is neither a development for the future nor a suitable backup for the next several years. Part of building a team is to keep an eye three to four years ahead. In this case, the signing of Paul Smith as an undrafted free agent just might be the Jaguars "jar on the shelf" at the most premium of premium positions. I recently had the chance to talk with Paul Smith. He is by far the most engaging of all the players I've had the chance to interview, and we talked for quite some time. Unfortunately, the answers to my first few questions was lost due to my inability to properly use my voice recorder. First off, I would like to thank Paul Smi...
2008 Jacksonville Jaguars Signing: Linebacker Lamar Myles
2008-05-05 20:07:00 The Jacksonville Jaguars are a popular team for undrafted free-agents because they have a good habit finding starters in the ranks of the "undraftable". Jack Del Rio fosters an environment of competition in his off-season that allows for players that might lack the draft credentials to have a fair and reasonable shot at making the roster. Remember, the undrafted free agent is playing for his NFL career, just getting a shot to be on the practice squad will increase the chance that a player proves himself to a team and continue to live the dream of playing on Sundays. In Jacksonville, there's a realistic shot of not only going to the practice squad, but to make the final roster and make an impact. To be fair, the Jaguars roster is pretty stacked to begin with this year, but with the lack of draft picks due to the Derrick Harvey/Quentin Groves moves, there is just enough wiggle room to allow a hard working and determined UDFA to make an impact and be on the final ros...
Jacksonville Jaguars: 7th best drafters in the league?
2008-05-01 23:11:00 The Chicago Tribune and Dan Pompei recently embarked on a study to determine who the "best drafters" in the NFL were. While their methodology is a little muddled, they find some surprising results. Like who would have thought the Arizona Cardinals and Rod Graves would be the best overall? The Tribune bases their rankings on the number of picks taken that become starters. It's a "batting average", as they put it. This metric puts the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Jack Del Rio/Gene Smith/James Harris trifecta in seventh place. They Say: 7. Shack Harris/Jack Del Rio, Jaguars Average: .386 (17-for-44) Percentage of Pro Bowlers: 2.2 Their batting average is impressive, but not all of the players who became starters are considered great picks. As a result, college scouting director Gene Smith was recently given more juice in the draft room 38 percent of players drafted become starters, that's not too shabby. Though were these rankings sorted by percentage of Pro B...
Jacksonville Jaguars Undrafted Free Agents: Scouting Report, part 1
2008-04-30 22:11:00 The Jacksonville Jaguars signed quite a few undrafted free-agents after the draft. Many of these guys played at smaller schools or in conferences rarely seen on television. To better acquaint us with these potential Jagaurs, let's take a quick look at their scouting reports to get an idea of who they are and where they might fit in the roster. There is a concerning lack of information about some of these players. If you know anything about them, please feel free to comment and expand our knowledge. The Jaguars have a reputation for turning undrafted guys into starters, though with our roster depth it's a long shot for any of them to make the team. Nevada WR Adam Bishop: Smart player known for hard work in film room and ability to recognize holes in zone defense. Good hands, though small. Tough blocker that takes that aspect of job very seriously. Injury prone, missed time with a stress fracture in left leg and repeated hamst...
Jacksonville Jaguars Draft: Expectations vs. Reality
2008-04-29 06:10:00 There they are, the five selections of the Jacksonville Jaguars 2008 draft. The class that has the imposing task of taking the team over the hump and to the Super Bowl. Derrick, Quentin, Thomas, Trae, and Chauncey have the highest of expectations considering the relative lack of companions in their rookie class. Thomas, Trae, and Chauncey especially. First, let's take a look at what my expectations were for the Jaguars draft and let's see if we did what was necessary. At least one top "10" Defensive End: The Jaguars, in my opinion, must anchor their pass-rush around at least one defensive end rated in the top 10 at the position. If they wait until later, the likelihood of getting the impact that the team needs to bring pressure decreases. I'd say we did that alright. Rather than get one "top ten" defensive end, we got the third and 5th best ends on the board. There are some who had Harvey ranked higher than Ghoulston (though I do...
2008 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars Select Running Back Chauncey Washingto
2008-04-27 23:26:00 With the Jaguars final pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected USC Running Back Chauncey Washington. Jack Del Rio must feel bad for all the UCLA players he's selected early in previous drafts, so he'll make up for it by taking some depth players late. Chauncey was part of a fleet of running backs used by USC in the post-Bush era. In 31 games he started 15 of them, with over 1700 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a 4.8 yards per carry average. He's a classic "north-south" runner that can get first downs and critical yardage. Jacksonville needs to start thinking about what happens at Running Back after Fred Taylor. Because of the Derrick Harvey trade, they did not have the third round picks to go after someone like Kevin Smith. Chauncey, as far as I know, is not the future starting running back, rather he'll be a role guy to build and develop. While I'm not going to completely hate on the guy, he's described as someo...
2008 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars select Quentin Groves
2008-04-27 04:42:00 There he is, Quentin Groves, the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 52nd overall pick. The Jaguars traded a fifth round pick from the 2008 draft and a 2009 7th round pick to move up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quentin Groves, as I previewed here, is a pass rushing defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid known for his speed on the edge. Jacksonville, in two picks, as made Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub and Vince Young soil themselves as the team who could not bring the heat now as two of the top pass rushers in the draft are now in the Teal and Black. Sure, it was expensive to get the two of them. The Jaguars now have two 5th round picks to round out their draft. While I don't think the move reeks of desperation, the Jaguars must believe that these two players will be home runs. If any team learned from the New York Giants, it's the Jaguars who can now field a diverse range of defensive linemen, the scrappy Derek Landri, the monster of John Henderson,...
2008 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars select Derrick Harvey
2008-04-26 22:25:00 In what can only be described as a huge turn of events, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected University of Florida Defensive End Derrick Harvey. The Jaguars traded their 1st, two 3rd, and a 4th rounder to trade with the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore needed to go backwards in order to find a quarterback after the Atlanta Falcons selected Matt Ryan with the 3rd pick. One word Wow. I had no idea this was coming. None whatsoever. The Jaguars, in my opinion, did not have the picks to move up any higher than 17. Were it not for Matt Ryan going to Atlanta, this series of events would never happen. Matt Miller of New Era Scouting gives this analysis: Harvey was the best defensive end in football during the 2006 season. He wasn't as amazing in 2007, having lost three fellow starters on the line. He's a hard charging rush end, but has strength to stand up against the run. He was our #15 player, but has the potential to be an immediate impact Pro Bowl type pass rusher. ...
Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Day 2008
2008-04-26 12:45:00 Here it is, finally, the 2008 NFL Draft. In a few short hours all the speculation and nonsense of the pre-draft season comes to a close. Will Jacksonville find their defensive end? Will we trade up? Down? For Jason Taylor? What I want to do here, before they put Mel Kiper Jr. back in his cryogenic chamber, is establish my expectations for the Jaguars as the draft begins. This will consist of three sections. The first is a "wish list" of what I'd like to see the Jaguars do this weekend. It's going to be a little bit over zealous in that I'll expect more than will probably happen, hence the "wish" part. The second is a run down of draft scenarios for the first three rounds. Finally, the official Big Cat Country "player interest list", which consists of nearly every player connected in some way to the Jaguars. I imagine that we won't get near many of these players, but it'll be interesting to compare who we draft with who...
Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Flashback: 2005
2008-04-25 18:45:00 [EDIT]Now, I'm going to be traveling all day today. With the switch to the new platform, I can schedule my posts, allowing me a great deal of flexibility. Whereas on previous "travel days", you'd suffer from a lack of content, today you get fresh stuff!How cool is that?To start our "draft eve" coverage, let's look back to the 2005 draft and see what sort of treasure and fools gold we found.[/EDIT]There's a rule among the "NFL Elite" that it's a poor decision to grade a draft class until three seasons have passed. In today's "instant history" world, that's impossible as Mel Kiper and the rest of the ESPN Stooges will grade the draft almost as quickly as the pick is made. That's just the demand of the 24 hour sports news cycle playing out in yet another absurd fashion. I understand it, we all want to know that our teams did well, and because of that our media overlords give us what we want.Before we get into the grading the 2005 draft acc...
Jacksonville Jaguars: 3rd Best NFL Franchise, 9th Overall
2008-04-23 23:13:00 In what has always been completely obvious to the fans, the Jacksonville Jaguars were named the 9th "Best Franchise" according to ESPN the Magazine. We were surpassed only by the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. Franchises were graded based on value to the fan and quality of the team. Their Comments: The Jags' one-two punch of price and performance was second to none in the NFL in 2007, kind of like that lethal running back tandem of Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. While the Colts edged the Jags in Bang for the Buck (No. 3 vs. No. 4), scoring tickets for Jacksonville Municipal costs just $49.38 (the league's third cheapest), a cool $21 less than average stubs went for in Indy. Now tack on the NFL's second cheapest lids ($9.95) and the fifth cheapest bee/soda/dog combo ($11, tied with the Saints and Rams). So yeah, Jags fans dig not having to dig too deep into their wallets. The club is deeply invested in the men on the field, too. David Garrard, who put to res...
Jacksonville Jaguars 2008 Schedule: A breakdown
2008-04-15 23:13:00 A deeper look at the Schedule: Week 1: AT Jacksonville Jaguars AT Tennessee Titans: Opening day starts just like last season, except it's in Tennessee's home turf. Last year we looked horrible against the Titans but put together a solid season nonetheless. Winning our division starts winning on the road, opening the season 1-0 and the division 1-0 is very important. No room for excuses here, the Jaguars must come out hot. Week 2: VS Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Home opener against a team the Jaguars beat pretty soundly at home last season. Buffalo's an up and coming team, and it'll be very strange playing against Marcus Stroud, but it's not a reach to assume a win here. Week 3: AT Jacksonville Jaguars AT Indianapolis Colts The crucible of our September schedule is at Indianapolis. It's the Jaguars first trip to the new stadium where hopefully the memories of the RCA dome are behind us. It's unusual for a...
Jacksonville Jaguars 2008 Schedule: A breakdown
2008-04-15 22:13:00 A deeper look at the Schedule:Week 1: AT Jacksonville Jaguars AT Tennessee Titans: Opening day starts just like last season, except it's in Tennessee's home turf. Last year we looked horrible against the Titans but put together a solid season nonetheless. Winning our division starts winning on the road, opening the season 1-0 and the division 1-0 is very important. No room for excuses here, the Jaguars must come out hot.Week 2: VS Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Home opener against a team the Jaguars beat pretty soundly at home last season. Buffalo's an up and coming team, and it'll be very strange playing against Marcus Stroud, but it's not a reach to assume a win here.Week 3: AT Jacksonville Jaguars AT Indianapolis Colts The crucible of our September schedule is at Indianapolis. It's the Jaguars first trip to the new stadium where hopefully the memories of the RCA dome are behind us. It's unusual for a season d...
Jacksonville Jaguars 2008 Schedule released!
2008-04-15 21:20:00 Finally, after all the waiting, we get our schedule. Like I expected, it's a mixed bag of goodies. No Thanksgiving game, though perhaps the re-tooled Detroit Lions can beat the reviled Titans while I gorge myself on fried turkey and cranberry sauce. Seriously, how poorly does Vince Young have to perform in order for the NFL to realize he's not worth highlighting. Three "Prime-Time" games, but only one of the prestigious Sunday night games. The Jaguars will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, October 5th. That'll be a good one. The we've got a Monday Night Football game against the Houston Texans on December 1st and we also host Indianapolis on a Thursday night game on december 18th. Divisional Schedule As expected, we open the season on the road, this time against the Tennessee Titans. Jacksonville HAS to get out to a fast start if they are to have any shot at winning their division, the Jaguars play at Tennessee and at India...
Jacksonville Jaguars 2008 Schedule released!
2008-04-15 20:20:00 Finally, after all the waiting, we get our schedule. Like I expected, it's a mixed bag of goodies. No Thanksgiving game, though perhaps the re-tooled Detroit Lions can beat the reviled Titans while I gorge myself on fried turkey and cranberry sauce. Seriously, how poorly does Vince Young have to perform in order for the NFL to realize he's not worth highlighting. Three "Prime-Time" games, but only one of the prestigious Sunday night games. The Jaguars will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, October 5th. That'll be a good one. The we've got a Monday Night Football game against the Houston Texans on December 1st and we also host Indianapolis on a Thursday night game on december 18th. Divisional ScheduleAs expected, we open the season on the road, this time against the Tennessee Titans.Jacksonville HAS to get out to a fast start if they are to have any shot at winning their division, the Jaguars play at Tennessee and at Indianapo...
Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Scenario: First Round Cornerback
2008-04-12 04:36:00 Cason, on a blitz, making Trent Edwards cry. Our favorite Jaguars.com writer, Vic Ketchman, was recently on Jaguars' This Week and speculated that the best available player when the Jaguars select at 26 may be a cornerback. He's clearly a little more optimistic than I am because I'm very much concerned that the BAP will be a running back or linebacker, two positions that are less than critical for the Jaguars in the first round. I though it might be interesting to examine where exactly the "experts" predict the top five (or so) cornerbacks will end up. My methodology is not 100% sound because I don't really account for standard deviation other than by removing outliers, but unless my Political Analysis professor drops by, it shouldn't be a problem. What I did, in essence, was take about thirty mock drafts, 10 of which were "experts", the other twenty chosen at random. I removed the highest and lowest outliers and averaged the rest. Now, I know y...
Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Scenario: First Round Cornerback
2008-04-12 03:36:00 Cason, on a blitz, making Trent Edwards cry. Our favorite Jaguars.com writer, Vic Ketchman, was recently on Jaguars' This Week and speculated that the best available player when the Jaguars select at 26 may be a cornerback. He's clearly a little more optimistic than I am because I'm very much concerned that the BAP will be a running back or linebacker, two positions that are less than critical for the Jaguars in the first round.I though it might be interesting to examine where exactly the "experts" predict the top five (or so) cornerbacks will end up. My methodology is not 100% sound because I don't really account for standard deviation other than by removing outliers, but unless my Political Analysis professor drops by, it shouldn't be a problem. What I did, in essence, was take about thirty mock drafts, 10 of which were "experts", the other twenty chosen at random. I removed the highest and lowest outliers and averaged the rest.Now, I know you're s...
Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Prospect: Defensive End Tommy Blake
2008-04-11 01:08:00 The least you should know about Tommy Blake... Height 6-3 Weight 272lbs 40 Yard Dash 4.78 (TCU Pro Day) 20 Yard Dash 2.72 Bench Reps 23 3 Cone 7.16 Compares To: Dwight Freeney-Indianapolis: Yes, that Dwight Freeney. Both are "smaller" speed ends that some scouts projected as "tweener" or 3-4 outside linebackers. Remember though, the comparisons to Freeney came when Blake's playing weight was closer to 255-260 lbs. At TCU's Pro-Day Blake weighed in at 270, with a goal of losing 12 more pounds over the next four weeks. His TCU Pro-Day performance did impress a few people though: ""He did everything, and he worked hard," Green Bay Packers scout Alonzo Highsmith said. "He did what he needed to do and that is prove he wants to play football at the next level, and that he's serious about...
The Jacksonville Jaguars select...
2008-04-09 21:55:00 Defensive Tackle Trevor Laws. The "correct" pick was Jeff Otah, according to my Value Board. As I explain in my reasoning, the Jaguars only get Laws in the early part of the draft is if they trade back into the early second. I like the player though and I think he'd be a damn fine addition to our line. Your thoughts? -C
With the 26th pick the Jacksonville Jaguars select...
2008-04-09 21:24:00 30 more minutes until my pick is revealed! Check Mocking the Draft at 3:00 for the pick. Of course, we'll debate it here as well, but we've got some guys working damn hard on this mock draft, and I'd encourage you to take a peek at what's going on. I think you'll approve of the pick, though I'm entirely open to criticism. -Chris
The Jacksonville Jaguars select...
2008-04-09 20:55:00 Defensive Tackle Trevor Laws.The "correct" pick was Jeff Otah, according to my Value Board. As I explain in my reasoning, the Jaguars only get Laws in the early part of the draft is if they trade back into the early second. I like the player though and I think he'd be a damn fine addition to our line.Your thoughts?-C
Jacksonville Jaguars hand coach a new contract.
2008-04-04 04:46:00 Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio has been handed a new contract extension by the franchise. Terms of the deal for the 45-year-old were not released but it will obviously eclipse the five-year deal $6.5 million contract he signed when he joined in 2003. Del Rio has a record of 45-35 in five seasons as ...
By: Blog Hipp
Jacksonville Jaguars offer Third Round Pick for Jason Taylor
2008-04-03 01:35:00 [editor's note, by River City Rage] Props and thanks to reader NASF for pointing this story my direction!Update [2008-4-2 22:2:41 by River City Rage]:: JagsMac and MyTeamCanBeatUpYourTeam from the Jaguars.com Message Boards have an interesting idea. Trade our first and Third round pick for Jason Taylor and Miami's Second Round pick. We move back six spots on the first day and have two (solid track record) Second Round picks, and get Taylor. Not a bad idea, not bad at all... The Miami Herald is offering up another piece of the Jason Taylor puzzle. What makes this one different is that it's not their "blog" making the connection, but rather their actual sports section. The Quote: Even the Jaguars -- who appear at this point to be the team with the most interest in Taylor -- are believed to be willing to give up only a third-round pick. The Dolphins likely would only take a first-round choice or an early second-rounder for him. A third round pick for Jason Taylor, not a ...
2008 NFL Mock Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars
2008-03-27 03:13:00 Previous Five Picks21) Washington Redskins: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida22) Dallas Cowboys: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.23) Pittsburgh Steelers: Branden Albert, OG, Virginia 24) Tennessee Titans: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina 25) Seattle Seahawks: Chris Williams, OT, VanderbiltClick here to see the entire Mock Draft. The Longest Mock Draft in NFL History Continues...A couple of quick notes before I get to the Jags selection.1) I didn?t realize that Tom Ashworth was a free agent that probably wasn?t going to return to Seattle next season. This greatly effects my ?They?re one injury away from Tom Ashworth? argument. So if you read my Seattle Seahawks pick again, please replace all occurrences of Tom Ashworth's name with Steve Vallos. Unless, of course, he?s no longer on the team either (damn you, NFL.com!).2) I still think the Seahawks should go offensive line with their first round draft pick. I hate first round TEs, unless they?re so dominant that their tr...
Breaking News: Patriots Sign Cornerback
2008-03-20 17:15:00 According to profootballtalk.com the New England Patriots have signed free agent cornerback Fernando Bryant to a contract. The contract is reportedly for one year. Bryant, former first round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1999, played the last four seasons with Detroit after five seasons with Jacksonville where he played under Patriots coach Dom Capers when he was the defensive coordinator there. He enters his 10th NFL season having played in 110 games. The 5-foot-11 Bryant is not considered particularly physical but has a reputation as a solid cover corner downfield.
By: Random Thoughts
Byron Leftwich And Gary Coleman One Step Closer To Sharing Cardboard House
2008-03-19 02:25:00 A few months ago I paired Byron Leftwich and Gary Coleman together in a look a like post, but it seems as if their similarities are growing. Byron Leftwich is currently in a career freefall after being regarded as one of the NFL’s brightest up and coming quarterbacks. It isn’t like this was a long time ...
By: Sportaphile
Jacksonville Jaguars News and Notes: Sunburns and Sobriety Edition!
2008-03-18 04:02:00 Ah reality coming back from a week at sea to the grind of normalcy. I sincerely apologize for not being more active on here, but like I've said a dozen times, it was just too slow and expensive. Big thanks to Brian from Buffalo Rumblings for helping me out. Thankfully it was a quiet few days and nothing of real note happened though there's still a few things that we need to catch up with. Jason Taylor Watch: Day 12 It's been 12 days since I reported that the Jaguars were interested in Jason Taylor. Since that happened, Jason has come out and said that he wants to stay in Miami. While I'm glad to hear Jason's wanting to remain with the Dolphins, I still call complete and total BS on any report saying that Taylor's not on the trade block. Seriously, I won't buy that Jason Taylor remains a Dolphin until he suits up on opening day in the Aquamarine and Orange. You know what smells really strange is that Taylor and Bill Parcells have n...
Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent Update: Friday Edition
2008-03-07 08:15:00 We're one full week into Free Agency, can you believe it? This has been, without a doubt, the most exciting "non-game week" I've had since Big Cat Country came to exist. Big thanks to all the commenter's, as well as NASF and Cuffs for all the contributions. What do we know: As of today, very little. I've heard from yet another trusted resource that the team is still in pursuit of Jason Taylor . I'll have more on my Jason Taylor thoughts further down the post. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Jaguars have interest in Safety Eugene Wilson, but there's no visit on the horizon as far as I know. Jaguars Quaterback Coach Mike Shula took Delaware Quarterback Joe Flacco out to dinner at his Pro-Day. Flacco's stock is rising big time after his combine, though he's got some "small school" questions. I'm not sure what to read into this one, so I'll just throw this one out there. New Jaguars Cornerback Drayton Florence got reame...
Jacksonville Jaguars Re-Sign Guard Maurice Williams!
2008-03-06 19:05:00 From Jaguars.com: The Jaguars have re-signed offensive lineman Maurice Williams, effectively addressing the void at right guard that would've occurred had Williams signed with another team in free agency. Whew, that was close. I though we were going to be a bit too thin on the Offensive Line after cutting Chris Naeole and possibly losing Mo Williams to free agency. Instead we'll keep the multi-position guy and shore up our Right Guard spot while being able to fill in at tackle as well, just in case. Now, if you combine the Jason Taylor speculation with this signing you get the Jaguars in a fantastic position to draft the best available player in the first round, almost no matter what. If it's an offensive lineman, we need the depth. If it's a defensive end, we can use that too. If it's a Defensive Tackle, the more big guys the merrier. As long as it's not a Wide Receiver, we're set. Retaining Maurice Williams continues the "Best Off-Season EVER"...
Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agency/Draft Update
2008-03-06 17:39:00 I don't think anything I write here can possibly top the Jason Taylor story, but here goes. Brett Favre Press Conference:Just in case you're interested...Click here to see Favre's press conference streamed live. What do we know? The Jaguars Will Not resign DT Grady Jackson. This must mean that the Jaguars are happy with what they have at Defensive Tackle and feel that they don't need him as a backup big guy. I liked the way he played in Jacksonville, and I loved how small his jersey numbers looked on him. I'm going to take a leap of faith and assume that there's a reason why the team wouldn't keep him around. If not, there's gonna be hell to pay. Jacksonville made three HUGE signings on Wednesday. By huge, I mean huge camp fodder at best. OT Pete McMahon, OT Ryan Gibbons and Long Snapper Brett Goode were all signed by the Jaguars. All three have been with the team before, all three have been cut by the team before. T...
Informed Speculation: Jacksonville Jaguars to trade for Jason Taylor
2008-03-06 03:13:00 Jason Taylor: Future Jaguar? Update [2008-3-6 0:52:0 by River City Rage]::I added some emphasis, just for clarity. Update [2008-3-5 21:36:41 by River City Rage]::The Phinsider was kind enough to give us a scouting report on Jason Taylor, I've added a Scouting Report section! From the Rumor and Speculation Department: The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to make a play for Miami Defensive End Jason Taylor. It's becoming absolutely clear that the next move will be to trade for and sign the veteran Defensive End. Jason, who will be 33 at the start of the 2008 Season is a fantastic player on the trailing edge of his career. Currently the Dolphins deny that Taylor is on the Trade Block though it's becoming no secret that Taylor is available for the right price. A 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick, to be specific. Taylor has also expressed a desire to be on a championship caliper team, though he'd never come out and say it and hurt his sta...
Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent Update:Tuesday Edition
2008-03-05 07:19:00 Sorry, very long day. Short Entry. The Bears will not match the offer for Jimmy Kennedy, making him a little bit more depth on the defensive line. Speaking of the Bears, the Jaguars are interested in Brendan Ayanbadejo Ayanbadejo would be a special teamer, and the Jaguars really don't need help in that department, so I don't see that happening. I have little to say: Yeah, I was a little lazy today. I spent two hours shoveling snow, and with the Brett Favre Love-Fest, I just didn't have much to report. I'm sorry for the slow day. Tomorrow will be better. -Chris
Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent Update: Tuesday Edition
2008-03-04 07:02:00 What have we accomplished?: Today, as expected, was a slow day as far as signings. Jacksonville did extend an offer to Bears Defensive Tackle Jimmy Kennedy, but a very small one ($755,000, $50K signing bonus). Chicago will have seven days to match or the Jaguars get the player. Two points: One, how crazy is it that three quarters of a million dollars in salary is considered "very small", and two, Kennedy is a depth signing, possibly even a camp body. I don't regard this as a signing of note. The release of Chris Naeole was interesting but not surprising. Jacksonville is going to have to do a pretty significant amount of work on the offensive and defensive line, but holding onto a player that is pretty badly hurt isn't going to help us. Free Agent News of Note: The Tenneesee Titans are getting eviscerated on their defensive line through Free Agency: Defensive Tackle Randy Starks: Signed by the Dolphins Defensive End Antwan Odom: Signed by Cincinnati ...
Once You Go Black?. [The Jacksonville Jaguars]
2008-03-04 03:05:00 So, I noticed that the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Cleo Lemon to be their backup quarterback today. This news may not have meant much to anybody but it sparked a question for me. I literally could not remember the last time I saw a white person as the Jags quarterback. Surely there had to be a ...
By: Sportaphile
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