Question Time With Big Cat Country: Better Know The Jacksonville Jaguars!

by River City Rage on Sep 24, 2008 12:16 PM CDT Comment 29 comments

NOTE FROM TIM: Let's give this exercise a try instead of Marroncito, Solis, and/or I bogarting the question thing with the opposition. If you've got any questions Jaguar-related, post 'em in the Comments here and Chris will do his best to provide the knowledge we desperately seek.

Greetings and Hello!

I'm Chris, the Jacksonville Jaguars blogger at Big Cat Country, and your upcoming opponent this weekend. Well, I'm not actually your opponent, I don't know that I'd even have a shot as a kicker were I to play Football, but that's neither here nor there. Anyhow, I'm writing you today to open up a thread for questions and answers about the Jacksonville Jaguars. Feel free to ask me anything about the team, what to expect this weekend, etc, and I'll do my best to provide accurate and entertaining answers throughout the week.

Also, I would like to know if there's a particular charity that the Houston Texans are focusing on for Hurricane Relief. I've been through quite a few storms with my time in Florida and know how long getting things back to normal can take. I'm trying to organize a contribution from BCC to the relief fund. I assume the Red Cross is who the Texans are supporting, but if it's something different, let me know.

That said, let's get some questions!

-Chris

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Comments

Charity

That’s an awesome gesture, Chris, and I need to post about it on the main page. Bob McNair is spearheading an effort for donations through Texans Helping Texans, and any help anyone sees fit to give would be much appreciated.

Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...

by Tim on Sep 24, 2008 1:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dirty little secret time.

Your humble Jaguars narrator is actually a born Texan, out of Plano. I left before my football awakening though. It does lend to a pretty big hatred of the Cowboys though, something we may have in common.

So it would be a Texan helping Texans…

-C

Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!

by River City Rage on Sep 24, 2008 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

For being born in Southern Oklahoma and not being a Cowboys fan.

by tehGrindCrusher on Sep 25, 2008 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

MJD and FT

With their energized running game, are the Jags just gonna run us to death like the Steelers did? Or do you see a passing attack being the primary means of offensive production?

by BigTexBD on Sep 24, 2008 1:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, it'll be the run.

The Jaguars won’t stray far from their bread and butter, which is a heavy dose of Taylor and Jones-Drew. Now, we “should” see Jerry Porter make his first regular season appearance, which might make things interesting as far as passing goes.

But I’d expect a whole lot of running. Taylor on first down, Jones-Drew on 3rd, Greg Jones on occasion, maybe a little Montel Owens, top it off with a little David Garrard running up the middle on 4th and short and you’ve got a ground game to worry about.

Unfortunately, our passing game gives much to be desired, so if you can put 10 guys in the box, you just might stop our ground game.

-C

Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!

by River City Rage on Sep 24, 2008 2:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's nice to see...

The jags have sucked almost as bad as us this year, and yet there’s still a spry optimism spewing from him. Must be nice. Guess it’s always good to have SOMETHING to hang your hat on.
I’m actually not being facetious here. surprisingly.

Finally... Games that matter!! (fuck vince young)

by beefy on Sep 26, 2008 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pass Rush

The pass rush was one of the main areas of focus for the Jags in the offseason and has been one of the problem areas for the Texans offense so far this season. How do you see it shaping up?

by Vega on Sep 24, 2008 1:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ask Peyton

He was sacked or knocked to the ground 11 times. There were times when he was very flustered by the pressure, and the Harvey/Groves picks are a big part of it. The Jaguars are getting to the quarterback more than ever, though it’s not showing up as sacks. Manning threw some sloppy balls with the pressure, so that’s a good sign.

Not so good for Matt Schaub, but good for us.

-C

Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!

by River City Rage on Sep 24, 2008 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Matt Jones

I saw some highlights on the NFL Network yesterday of a play where Matt Jones was running an out route and stopped to try and snort the sideline chalk. Has this been a recurring problem for Jones, and shouldn’t he be required to play for the Cowboys?

by Scott on Sep 24, 2008 2:53 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs

Say waht you will about Jones.

Without his ability to get us a few critical first down conversions, we’d have lost last week. So I’ll forgive him for the time being.

It’s amazing what getting caught with Coke will do for a guys effort.

-Chris

Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!

by River City Rage on Sep 24, 2008 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

heh

Nice one, Zima Tim.

by bigfatdrunk on Sep 24, 2008 5:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Best. Scott. Comment. Evar.

So you're saying that now I have to think of some witty Sig that will be applicable across all the SBN sites? Go Texan Horn Stros!

by Shake on Sep 25, 2008 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have To Admit...That's Pretty Strong

Question: Should I make it official and create a “Zima Tim” user profile?

Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...

by Tim on Sep 25, 2008 5:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly

I’m just surprised it’s taken you this long to do it.

And on another note, I’m also disappointed that there are no “Jay yells at Bud” stories from this trip.

So you're saying that now I have to think of some witty Sig that will be applicable across all the SBN sites? Go Texan Horn Stros!

by Shake on Sep 26, 2008 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jay

Tragically, Jay was at a bachelor party in Vegas and did not make the trip with us this year. He briefly talked about catching a 1 a.m. flight to Nashville on Sunday morning in order to join us for the game, but he did not have the stones to follow through.

Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...

by Tim on Sep 26, 2008 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My turn!

Is it true that all Jaguars fans hate America, mom, and apple pie?

And, as a follow-up question:

Reversion to the mean was definitely expected with Garrard after he threw only three picks in 12 games last year, but has he reverted too far? And what are your realistic expectations for him the rest of the way (none of this MSM-esque “Vince Young will throw for 14,000 yards and 82 TDs in 2008” stuff)?

by bigfatdrunk on Sep 24, 2008 5:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

and, ummmm...

obviously, the first one is a joke.

by bigfatdrunk on Sep 24, 2008 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chris can be busy at times so I’ll take a few. With Garrard, they talked about in pre-season that he would become a more aggressive passer. That combined with the fact that he signed that fat new contract over the offseason I think led him to throw a few balls he wouldn’t have thrown last year. That said, he seemed to regain form against Indy, including the last drive to get us the Field Goal.

-John

by FSBlueApocalypse on Sep 25, 2008 2:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Defense

Are the Jaguars a blitz happy team? If not, do you think that they’ll blitz more than normal to try and take advantage of Schaub’s early shakiness?

by Dragongem on Sep 24, 2008 6:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

We didn’t used to be, but we now have Gregg Williams, Washington’s old DC, as our DC. Williams is known as being a blitz happy, which the Jags wanted, and came to bite us in the ass week 1 when we blitzed on 3rd and a mile and let a screen go for 40+ yards. The last two games it seems the Jags have reverted to the usual defense the play of your basic cover 2.

-John

by FSBlueApocalypse on Sep 25, 2008 2:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Williams

is also overrated as hell and, while he blitzes a lot, plays a react defense rather than an attack defense. Jim Johnson would have been a great fit for the Jags. Williams was one of the worst possible choices.

Yay, sports.

by MDC on Sep 25, 2008 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another

What’s your take on David Garrard’s quote that the only reason the Texans have beaten the Jags so much is because the Jags took the Texans lightly?

That ain’t something a QB should admit, is it?

by BigTexBD on Sep 24, 2008 6:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sigh

That Garrard quote is so not a big deal. It’s far more of an indictment of his own team than it is the Texans. Could you really blame anyone for taking the Texans lightly in past years? I can’t.

by HoustonDiehards on Sep 24, 2008 7:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Question...

had you read this before the season, would you have thought I was nuts? Reading it now, do you find me eerily prescient?

Yay, sports.

by MDC on Sep 24, 2008 7:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

1. Stroud is no longer the 3 time pro bowler he was in his prime. The injuries he sustained lowered him from an elite player who will sadly probably finish as a journeyman at best. In addition, Rob Meier could have started for 3/4ths of the teams that play a 4-3 defense in the league imo.

2. No one thought Garrard would have another year of less than 5 interceptions. It goes with the territory. As for the receiving core, this is why the Jags have been a run first team always. Hopefully Jerry Porter can actually do something with that.

3. Convient he can’t find the link about Reggie Nelson. Every article I read was that Nelson was going to for a lack of a better term, “Play center field” which is what is his best ability is. Though some of the other concerns about Williams I addressed in a previous response.

4. This team got its first playoff win since retiring Dan Marino last year. It was expected to build off that.

-John

by FSBlueApocalypse on Sep 25, 2008 3:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

1. Stroud has looked damn fine in Buffalo so far. Meier is still weak at the point of contact and, while better than Travis Johnson, is not capable of giving you what Stroud will give Buffalo (and would have given you). This whole “he’s injured and no good” thing only holds so much water and when he’s playing very well in Buffalo it just sounds silly.

2. Jerry Porter is not a #1 WR. He might have been for a week or two five years ago, but he’s not now. The team, as always, has zero WRs that are good enough to sustain any kind of passing attack. The fact that you prefer to run first isn’t really germane to the point being discussed, but it’s worth noting that even run-first teams will have to throw the ball 40% of the time or so.

3. Why would I make up that statement? Even Jags.com has said that Williams intends to use Nelson on blitz packages and up near the line of scrimmage a lot, not in center field. Williams tempers that with statements about how Nelson won’t be asked to support the run as much as Sanders does (because he can’t), but he is not going to be playing deep and ballhawking as much as you seem to think.

4. Yet some people, myself included, predicted they would not. Which is exactly my point—-you thought winning one playoff game last year meant you would be in the playoffs for sure and do better this year. Yet you ignored a lot of evidence as to why that would not be the case.

Yay, sports.

by MDC on Sep 25, 2008 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

1. I’ll take my chances with the Jags medical staff. They have been pretty good(Outside of Leftwich) of figuring out if a guy if damaged goods or not. If Stroud somehow makes it through the 17 week season, then I’ll recant my statement.

2. Jerry Porter has been in the blackhole of Oakland for most of his career. While I’m not going to say he is going to put up Randy Moss numbers, judging a guy by his time spent in Oakland currently is futile.

3. Please link to some, all the one’s I’ve read have pointed to using Nelson at his best, which is playing center field and reacting to the QB. Which has been what he has been doing mostly this year.

4. And I predicted they would go to the Super Bowl, even taking my Teal and Black glasses off. Opinions are like A-holes. All the arrows pointed up for the team this year until the O-line was decimated by injuries.

-John

by FSBlueApocalypse on Sep 26, 2008 12:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs