Practice Makes Perfect

The common adage does not apply to the Jaguars’ quarterback mediocrity at this point.  Jason Love did a good job of checking us fans before we speak earlier, so we should all be cooled off now and not in ludicrous speed.  But what of these fans screaming for the head of our beloved David Garrard?

The options for the Jaguars at quarterback are thus: David Garrard, Blaine Gabbert, Luke McCown, and bring Todd Bouman around again because we love him.  So far David Garrard has failed to impress with the first team (18/33, 205 yards, one pick in two outings), Blaine Gabbert has looked like a rookie (26/52, 233 yards, one pick, one touchdown in three outings, one with the first team), Luke McCown has looked great in his one outing (8/9 86 yards, a touchdown), and Todd Bouman has looked like Todd Bouman (2/10, 35 yards, one pick).

So, are things looking painful for the Jags at quarterback?  Sure.  But it is the preseason.  And as everyone knows, the preseason doesn’t really matter at all.  But it does to the evaluators for the Jags, and it hasn’t stopped Gamblin’ Jack from cutting a starter in favor of someone else Leftwich for Garrard).  So, what if that happens?  Who do the Jags go with?

Luke McCown has always been a consistent player in the preseason and has flashed brilliance continually in practice.  But every time he hits the field he looks like a slightly better version of Trent Edwards (Remember him?) and that isn’t saying much.  But his experience in continual practice should allow him to take hits and not collapse from a bad season since he’s a (well liked) perennial backup.

Blaine Gabbert is the future of the Jaguars.  But remember when David Carr was the future of the Texans?  Or when Tarvaris Jackson was the future of the Vikings?  While I think the Jags’ personnel evaluators are better than the Vikings or the Texans (back in the day, now they just look straight mean), bringing in the rookie quarterback could be disastrous.  And with a not so cohesive line right now, it could ruin a kid’s great potential for his career (see David Carr).  Does Gabbert have so much upside that he can start and learn so quickly that it won’t matter that the line is shoddy and the offense will still gell?

Todd Bouman is our journeyman fallback.  We all like Todd, he’s a good Minnesota boy and plays alright football.  But he’s more of  last resort and I figure the Jags would rather run two QBs after cutting Garrard than keeping Bouman on the roster constantly.

So, before we yell for Garrard to leave, let’s think about our options.  Sure Garrard has been mediocre thus far (in the preseason mind you), but what else have we got?

– Luke N. Sims