Know Your Enemy: Jacksonville Jaguars

2010 was the season that slipped away for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Heading into Week 15, the Jaguars were 8-5, winners of five of their last six, and in position to win a division title for the first time since 1999. The Jaguars needed to defeat the Indianapolis Colts to clinch their division. A win would have given them a season sweep of the Colts, a team they had defeated only five times in 17 previous matchups.

Indianapolis would win 34-24. The following week against the Washington Redskins, the team was without star running back Maurice Jones-Drew who was sidelined with a knee injury. Quarterback David Garrard threw an interception in overtime which led to a 20-17 Redskins victory. In the final game of the season against the Houston Texans, Arian Foster shredded the Jacksonville defense for 180 yards in a 34-17 Houston victory. The Jaguars missed the postseason for the third straight year, and speculation abounded as to whether Jack Del Rio would continue as head coach.

Del Rio would keep his job but Garrard would not. The Jaguars would draft Blaine Gabbert out of Missouri in the first round and Luke McCown was named the starter. Garrard was cut five days before the start of the season.  One area in need of an overhaul was on defense. Jacksonville finished 22^nd in rushing defense and 28^th in pass defense. To that end, the Jaguars signed defensive end Matt Roth, linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session, safety Dawan Landry and former Jets cornerback Drew Coleman.

The Jaguars are coming off a 16-14 victory against the Tennessee Titans.  McCown completed 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards. Jones-Drew carried 24 times for 97 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee running back Chris Johnson only carried the ball nine times for 24 yards. Despite the win, the Jaguars are troubled by injuries, most notably tight end Marcedes Lewis who missed the second half with calf trouble and is out for the game against the Jets. Defensive end Aaron Kampman (knee) and cornerback Derek Cox (chest) are also out.

Wide receiver Jason Hill is also listed as doubtful. The receiver with 55 career catches is in the news after making comments that suggested that the Jets, especially Darrelle Revis, were overhyped.

Recent history has shown the Jaguars to be a tough opponent for the Jets. Their last matchup was on November 15, 2009. Jones-Drew rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown. He would have had a second, but stopped short of the end zone to convert a first down and allow the clock to run down, setting up a last second field goal by Josh Scobee from 21 yards out to defeat New York 24-22. It was Jacksonville’s third consecutive win against New York.