2007-08 Season
The Jags have great duo in Mo Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor, who could very well rush over 1000 yards this year. Their offensive line, however, does not feature any game changers coming into the season. The TE position isn’t any better, with only Jermaine Wiggins as a commodity. The defensive line is strong though – probably the strongest with Marcus Stroud and John Henderson pressuring the QB. If he is healthy, Mike Paterson has the potential to lead the NFL in tackles this season. Ticket buyers can expect the usual toughness from the Jags, as well as an improved passing game this season.
Previous Seasons
The Jacksonville Jaguars came into existence in 1995, the same year as the Carolina Panthers. The first year, as expected, was very rough, but new coach Tom Coughlin helped turn the team around and make them winners almost immediately. The Jaguars ended up making the playoffs four years in a row during their run with the last two coming as AFC Central champions. Unfortunately for the city of Jacksonville and the players involved, all four trips to the playoffs finished with losses in the first game, and after the 1999 season (an amazing 14-2 record and #1 seed in the playoffs), the next three seasons saw the team finish 10 games under .500 marking the end of the Tom Coughlin era in Jacksonville. Even after struggling through the last few seasons with a roster no where near as competitive as his first few seasons, Coughlin finished with a 68-60 record in his 8 seasons as head coach of the Jaguars, and in 2004, he was hired as head man of the New York Giants. Jack Del Rio, a former defensive player in the NFL, stepped in to replace Coughlin in Jacksonville, and in his first year as leader of the Jaguars, he compiled a 5-11 record, right about what ownership expected from a weaker team with a first year head coach. Del Rio was also trying his best to institute his own personal system into a team that had worked the same way for almost a decade. In 2004, the Jaguars took a step forward finishing with a 9-7 record and just missing out on the playoffs. This season, the team will use a more complex offense which should keep opposing defenses one step behind while the Jaguars look to get back to the postseason.
In 2003, Byron Leftwich established himself as the quarterback of the future for the Jacksonville Jaguars and in 2004, Leftwich followed it up with a solid season. Leftwich finished the season with nearly 3,000 yards and showed that he can lead the team quite well. Fred Taylor is one of the best running backs in the league when he can avoid the injuries that have plagued him over the course of his young career but the last two seasons have been good ones for Taylor. Last season, Taylor eclipsed the 1,200 yard mark but only found the end zone twice all season. Jimmy Smith is still easily the best receiver the Jaguars have had in their history but this season, he’ll need help from the team’s younger receivers like Reggie Williams, Ernest Wilford, and 2005 first round draft pick Matt Jones. Jones played quarterback in college at the University of Arkansas but possesses a rare mix of speed and size. If Jones can improve his route running ability, he could help lead the Jags receivers this season.
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