A Jacksonville Jaguar Fan’s Random Thoughts
As we sit and watch other guys play games we wish our guys were in, all you can do is mull over things. Random things. Silly things. “What if…” things. Stupid things. Luckily I have a forum in which to unleash all these thoughts out into the world without amazingly expensive therapy sessions. So please step into my mind and enjoy where my mind will be during the Championship Games. Watch out for that first step…It’s a DOOZY!!!
Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Since 2000, the Jacksonville Jaguars have drafted three QBs in the NFL Draft (1st rounders Byron Leftwich and Blaine Gabbert, 4th rounder David Garrard). They combined professionally to throw for 30,892 yards, 169 touchdowns, 120 interceptions, and an average passer rating of 77.0 combined. Tom Brady was selected in the 6th round in 2000. Professionally he has thrown for 49149 yards, 359 touchdowns, 134 interceptions, and a career passing rating of 95.7. As they would say in Boston…”That’s WICKED stupid!!!
Since entering the league in 1995, the Jags has selected only five quarterbacks ever through the draft. That was with, aside Mark Brunell, some of the most underwhelming QBs in the NFL. The New England Patriots, just in the Tom Brady tenure, has drafted six QBs. This proves the point I made in a prior article. If you don’t draft a QB every 2 years or so, even if you don’t need one, you’re dooming the future of your team.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Seahawks had a combined 23-41 record in the four seasons leading to 2012. That year they drafted Russell Wilson in the 3rd round and he shocked the world by earning the starting position over the highly paid free agent Matt Flynn. Since then, the Seahawks, including playoffs, have gone 26-9, Wilson has gone 16-1 at home, and has Seattle on the brink of the Super Bowl. Why am I telling you the history lesson on the Seahawks? The Jaguars have had a combined 19-45 record over the last four seasons leading up to 2014. A good QB can turn a team’s fortunes around quickly. I’m just saying!!!
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
I still to this day get goosebumps thinking about a dream I had after the 2011 NFL season. The Jags had limped to a 5-11 record. We had fired coach Jack Del Rio toward the end of the season. It was clear the interim coach Mel Tucker wasn’t the answer. Blaine Gabbert had just put up statistically one of the worse QB seasons in NFL history. (no exaggeration…look it up!). Finally, it became clear that the only owner the Jags had ever had, Wayne Weaver, was selling the team to a very successful business man named Shahid Khan. He was a self made millionaire known for his business savvy, marketing ability, and for being willing to spend money to make money. I think I had loaded up on all-u-can-eat sushi one night and went to bed thinking about my beloved Jags. What were they going to do? Suddenly I heard on the radio that Khan had digged DEEP into his pockets and convinced Peyton Manning to sign his free agent contract with Jacksonville. But it wasn’t the chance to play with MJD, or to put it to the Colts as a division rival that convinced him to sign. No…it was because Khan also threw enough zeros together to convince Tony Dungy to come back to coaching. Then word came that Reggie Wayne, wanting to stay as Manning’s number one WR and his desire to get closer to his family, signed a cap friendly deal to play with the Jags. I had never been so excited!! I was climbing the walls. THEN MY DAMN WIFE WOKE ME UP!!! You know the rest of the story…I like my dream better.
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
The Jags selected Denard Robinson with the 2nd pick in the fifth round in last year’s draft. I like the kid. He has mad skills. He not elite in any one area but has unlimited potential in many. He is also supposedly a great guy in the locker room and on the sidelines. a real “rah-rah” player and I like that. The one thing that keeps staring me in the face is the player taken just 4 picks before him. I wish the Jags had been able to draft Marcus Lattimore, the RB out of South Carolina. Now many will say this is a truly stupid statement. That the 49ers, the team who drafted him, had such a deep team combined with multiple draft picks, could afford to draft a player that was going to be “redshirted” for the season. Lattimore is recovering from some horrific knee injuries that derailed a brilliant college career. I contend that a team that was not anticipating any real success could also afford to take a player that wouldn’t help them at all this year. It’s also wasn’t going to happen because you would have had to deal a pick to move up and you just can’t do that with an already injured player. I tell you though. I have a feeling that the 49ers have taken their next Frank Gore. Another player who came into the league with serious injury concerns. Gore has been their most consistent offensive presence for many years. When I see interviews with Marcus, he just seems inspiring. I have faith he will do everything to get on that field. I feel his participation just in practice will inspire teammates and coaches alike. I would have loved to have him on the Jags.
So there are my random thoughts. I hope it helps you get through another week…Is it May yet?