They say finding the starting point when writing something is the hardest part. It certainly holds true for trying to write about the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now I can see why people in Jacksonville aren’t so quick to snatch up tickets to see this team. It’s a team with only 1 real superstar and a 7-9 record last season.
I guess the best place to start would be with the quarterback, but it’s the same story for David Garrard before every single season. Will he emerge to become a big-play quarterback and a leader for the football team? Well, every single year that goes by is more evidence that Garrard may not be able to positively answer that question. Unfortunately for Jags fans, Luke McCown isn’t going to push Garrard for the spot, so it’s either sink or swim with the number one.
Maurice Jones-Drew represents the one superstar on the team, but he just can’t be counted on to do it himself every single game. Opposing defences would stack up against the run and force the Jags to either beat them through the air or rely on Jones-Drew and the offensive line to do some stellar work. With that in mind, it’s amazing the kind of numbers Jones-Drew was able to put up. Just imagine what he could do in a talented offence. Based on the offensive line that they have heading into this year, it’s even more imperative that Garrard step up.
The problem for Garrard or even Byron Leftwich, the starter before him, was that the Jags haven’t been able to find replacements at the wide receiver spot ever since the departures of Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell from a few years ago. They haven’t found them this year either, although Mike Sims-Walker might be a nice piece by himself. Marcedes Lewis needs to live up to his pre-draft expectations so that Garrard can have a good outlet at the tight end spot.
Defensively, the Jags have some talent spread around the field thanks to a couple of off-seasons acquisitions and the 2010 draft. The defensive line needed some much needed boosting considering they were at the bottom of the league in sacks last season with only 14. Less than a sack per game isn’t going to cut it. The second-worst team was Kansas City at 22.
Aaron Kampmann comes over from Green Bay to take over one of the end spots and the Jags also drafted Tyson Alualu with the 10th overall pick to take over at the defensive tackle spot. Kirk Morrison now patrols the middle of the field after being picked up from Oakland in the off-season and Rashean Mathis is one of the more under-rated corners in the league.
Two players to watch out for in camp are Mike Thomas and Derrick Harvey. Thomas has a good rookie campaign a year ago and is now expected to be a starter at the wide receiver spot. He needs to find a way to elevate his game for himself and the team. Having a second threat at wide receiver could go a long way to helping this team reach the playoffs. Harvey was the 8th overall pick in 2008 out of Florida and was expected to terrorize quarterbacks with his athleticism. So far, he’s only picked up 5.5 sacks in two years. The defensive line needs to be better and so does he. It’s time to live up to those expectations.
2010 Prediction: 8-8