Which David Garrard do we remember from Thursday Night?
by Jonathan Loesche on Dec 21, 2009 10:03 AM EST
in Meta-Jacksonville Jaguars
69 comments
As I watched the Jaguars at home on TV for the first time in over a year, I saw a game that came to encapsulate the Jaguars season. There were moments of brilliance, such as David Garrard's touchdown strikes to Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas, and moments that made me face palm.
The Jaguars offense in the fourth quarter was the source of much of that frustration. After being carved up all night by Peyton Manning, the defense held on two straight series. Twice, the Jaguars offense was tasked with giving the team breathing room and a 38-28 lead. They responded with a grand total of 8 plays, 19 yards, and one first down.
After the second possession, the Colts got the ball back on their own 35 and Reggie Nelson proceeded to do what he does best, blow an assignment and cost the Jaguars a win.
Reggie Nelson's demise has been cataloged enough, so instead I'll deal with the Jaguars $60 million man. When David Garrard signed his massive contract following the 2007 season, it was expected that Mr.Inconsistent was finally gone. David had the starting job wrapped up in 2006 before forgetting Pac-Man Jones wasn't a member of the Jaguars. David had other opportunities as well thanks to Leftwich's constant injuries, but never managed to break through to show the coaching staff what they wanted.
Enter 2009. Garrard has been the Dr.Jekyl and Mr.Hyde for the Jaguars this season. Part of that has rightfully been put on the offensive line. The young tackles and aging interior allowed him to be the most hit quarterback in the NFL this year. However, he was still able to overcome that on several occassions, most notably in the Jags final drive at the Jets.
Last Thursday night's game against Indianapolis seemingly was David Garrard's season in a nut shell.
Through the first three quarters, it seems that David Garrard could do no wrong. He stood toe to toe with Peyton Manning and the offense scored at will. Garrard threw for almost 200 yards and three touchdowns in the first three quarters of Sunday night's game. His touchdown strikes to Mike-Sims Walker and Mike Thomas were things of beauty.
However, his fourth quarter was nothing of the sort. Garrard routinely missed open receivers or overthrew them with the game on the line. Is that what I've come to expect of him? Yes. Is that what we should expect from a $60 million "franchise" quarterback? No.
David Garrard was given a chance to grab another signature win, to silence the nay sayers, and he proceeded to need 12 ft tall receivers in the closing minutes. David, you've given us plenty of moments to cheer, and plenty of moments to shake our heads. I believe it's time the Jaguars look for another man under center.
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You are right
After taking a good look at his season so far I dont see anything that truly stands out as a guy deserving of a $60 mil contract. Sure hes had some good games this year but do the good performances outweigh the bad ones. I don’t think so. He was given the best WR corp this team has had in years and he has only managed a pitiful 13 tds. I don’t care what Vic says about that, its down right unacceptable. He has 8 fumbles which are always costly and he is only completing 60% of his passes. I know hes under pressure a lot due to the line but its no worse then half of the other teams in this league. Dont get me wrong, hes a good QB and he should be the guy next year too but thats only because the guy that Gene is gonna draft will need a year on the bench to learn. Next year is Davids last. My prediction.
Best Receiving Corps
This team has had in years still doesn’t come close to comparing with the receiving corps of other teams.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
strongly disagree bestjag
our wr’s are very much on the rise. and right now in the middle of the NFL as a group.
by harveyismyboy on Dec 21, 2009 3:42 PM EST up reply actions
No Doubt
They are on the rise. But they aren’t yet elite, as Jagsoldier was implying. Next year I can see them being a divine group, especially if Troy Williamson gets healthy and can play up to his showing this past pre-season.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
Vic said it all season
this is still a weak WR group. We have a STL cast off as a starter. Definitely worth the acquisition, but he’s not as good as most number 2 WR’s. And MSW is no Wayne.
Why exactly did everyone expect Garrard to outperform the best regular season QB of all time? Manning has every advantage at his disposal. He had no rush hurrying his throws. He has better receivers. He has a better pass defense. He didn’t have Reggie Nelson on his team.
Why is it that when it comes to football people forget about logic?
It’s like giving one guy 100 dollars and then giving a second guy 1 dollar and asking him to outbid the first guy at an auction.
Agree
I like our young WRS but MSW is the only GOOOD (not Elite!) WR we have. Thomas and Dillard on the rise; Holt is the way to become a good coach…
We have MJD and Marcedes (and sometimes Zach Miller) to help the WRs out; mostly Marcedes.
David has his faults but he have no elite WR corp …yet…
Life without knowledge is death in disguise
by Zoltan from Budapest on Dec 21, 2009 4:39 PM EST up reply actions
I'm
Hoping Williamson remains with the team, and has a strong season next year. We need a solid deep threat not named Nate Hughes.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
+1
He didn’t have Reggie Nelson on his team
Especially that one ;)
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
3 years is probable, but
I think Garrard will improve each year.
Why does everyone take it for granted that a drafted QB is a guarantee trip to the SB? NFL Odd’s are he’s a bust.
That would be cool
if he had a twin, they would probably be the best tandem in the league in 3 or 4 years.
Next Year
When we get an interior line and the two OT improve it wont help Garrard as much as numberr 32. Yes, it will help Maurice Jones Drew loads… I watched the Titans game and Chris Johnson didnt do that much special, he simply had huge holes to run in, while even against the Colts MJD did not.
Now back to Garrard… If Vince Young can be so good, so can garrard, and that was a result of the 07 season. The interior liine was monsterous, and Garrard had constant play with 8 in the box, and litlle cover two. Although there are similarities this year, MJD has not been as dominant as Fred and MJD were combined in 07. I point to the O-Line for this, as they have not played steellar. However, next year, get a new interior line ffrom Free Agency and maybe the draft (we could trade up for a second round pick) maybe reggie nelson and a 4th or 5th rounder since guards typically dont go that high.
When MJD getts bigger wholes, hell become this years CJ, and everyone will go crazy about the jags run game allowing Garrard to have an 07 type season. But this season, improvement has seen inbetween numbes for Garrard 13 and 7 (TD and INTs).
Yes eventually we need a new QB, and if Clausen is avaliable when we pick we should absolutely pick hiim and develop him to be a good QB, not play him immediately.
Coupled with an improving defense we should be a improved team next year… but dont forget this season yet… the pats havent been playing too well
One thing to say in Garrard's defense
is that Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis didn’t play full time until the 4th quarter. That makes quite a difference.
Let's just hope that David shakes the colts off quickly...
cause despite the last two losses and thanks to yesterdays games…we are still in pretty good shape! We HAVE to win out and with a baltimore loss to Pitt or a denver loss to philly (both going to be close games) we’re in! The Pats are definitely not the same juggernaut of the past either…
Who thought that these last two games would mean something at the beginning of the year? Keep the faith!
One thing I can say about Garrard
is that he has a good loss of short term memory after doing something bad. I don’t think he’s really that phased by mental pressure in critical situations. He’s confident every time he gets under center, which is more than I can say about a lot of QB’s.
agree 100%
despite the criticism he gets, it seems like he’s not fazed by a whole lot…and never throws anyone under the bus during press conferences even when he gets drilled 10 times in a game…speaking of, don’t want to jinx him but the man has been seriously durable for how many times he’s been hit
I Forget Who it Was
But during the second quarter they absolutely planted Garrard. He got up, and threw a touchdown two plays later.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
I almost
didn’t think he was going to get back up. Especially after the camera panned over to McCown. Guy has heart. Didn’t even cost us a time out.
Agreed
Other than MJD, I would say Garrard has the most heart on the team, along with maybe Sims-Walker.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
Destinys Team
If we win this week i have a feeling were in… I have faith the ravens or broncos will lose
I understand your emotions
but I have to stay with David. Other people’s quarterbacks look better. Ours is on the decline but is far from bad.
Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!
I'M with Terry on this one
David will have 2 more opportunities t oprove. And in the end we will draft a new QB next year.. I guess
Life without knowledge is death in disguise
by Zoltan from Budapest on Dec 21, 2009 2:51 PM EST up reply actions
To prove in NE
that in a tough enviroment he perform well; and even thew jaguars lost there; we say; “Boy David did everything!”
ANd if the Jaguars go (somehow) in the playoffs; than I forgive are the flaws David have…
Life without knowledge is death in disguise
by Zoltan from Budapest on Dec 21, 2009 4:43 PM EST up reply actions
Phsyically I think
Garrard is on the decline, slow one, but a decline nonetheless. But I actually think all this playing time and the addition of Holt is actually helping him become a better QB.
Thursday he was checking the ball down, looking off receivers, going to second and sometimes 3rd reads when given the time, and he got rid of the ball quickly at times, he also read blitzes much better at the end of the year than the start of the year. Those are things that he wasn’t doing as often in past games.
Name one available who you can GUARANTEEE is better ?
And $10M/year for a QB isn’t expensive. Especially when you compare it to some other QB compensation and what will surely come once Manning signs his next contract.
next year
We will draft a QB next year and unless1 that has it all together is availablw when we draft it shoulkd not be a first round pick. We have othewr needs that need to be addressed as well, Garrard is a average QB who with all the right pieces around him could lead us to the super bowl, but that means a top 5 defense , a offensive line that allows little or no sacks, Receivers who never run a incorrect route or drop a pass. Then our running game hitting on all cycklndars
Remenber it is not who you are , but what you do that defines you. GO JAGS
You are talking about Tampa Bay in 2002.
If we want to be that kind of team, I think DG is way better QB, and our D is on that way, if we fix pass rush, holes in secondary won’t be that big.
I don't think
he needs all that. Heck, if we had a team similar to what we had in 07, we could win a super bowl in some years. And we didn’t have great receivers. We didn’t have a great defense. We didn’t even have a great pass blocking offensive line. We had a great running game, and that was it really. Garrard did the rest really.
I agree in part
Has David made us all want to pull our hair out YESSS!!!! But you can’t pin all the season’s ups and downs on him. We have rookie tackles and an offensive line that at times functioned like a sieve. He has taken hit after hit and has gotten up each time and put forth his best. Has it always been good enough NO but, I will say that he has impressed me this season. Would I love to have a Drew Brees or Peyton, Brady, Schaub, I would but you also have to look at those guys as pure pocket passers. With our line as constituted I’m not sure how well or how long they would last. I hope we draft a QB that can be developed and I also hope that we draft some guards, defensive linemen, safeties, defensive backs. We just need to realize that while David has performed poorly this season, think about what might’ve happened had we been able to get defensive linemen at least get close enough to Manning to make him move? Maybe get a sack? If we had a free safety that could actually cover over the top? Had interior offensive line hold up long enough for David to have a good look down field?
This all can’t be put on David. I’m looking forward to a good outing this week from the offense. The Defense will for sure be tested often. I wonder who’s playing free safety this week?
Garrard
Is payed less than Derek Anderson. Still feel bad?
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
It comes down to the fact
that DG is our BEST option for the next 2-3 years at least. We have more pressing needs to draft a QB in the first round, and a later round qb will need a few years to develop. Keep putting the right pieces around him and who knows what DG can do.
No joke
Give him an offensive line like the Titans or Saints, who knows what kind of streak the guy could get on. The reason he threw the interception on Thursday was because of sorry ass Brad Meester stepping on his left foot, which makes it impossible for a right handed quarterback to drive the ball.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
"I believe it's time the Jaguars look for another man under center."
If you just take this sentence, I think everyone will agree. It is time to look for the next young great franchise quarterback. But the majority of teams in the NFL are always in this mode, and if the next young great franchise quarterbacks were easy to find, we wouldn’t make such a big deal about Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers and Matt Schaub. David Garrard is not the best – we all know this. But you rather pay $10 million for Garrard or $11.3 million for Jamarcus Russell or $8.5 for Jake Delhomme? It could be a lot worse.
Is it time to look for someone new? Yes. Is David good enough for now? Yes.
In Gene We Trust.
by MoveThoseChains on Dec 21, 2009 4:17 PM EST reply actions
I'd rather
Have David over Matt Schuab
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
I like Garrard more
but that would be a touch choice. I guess it would have to be determined by what kind of defense I want to run. Ball control, or air it out offense?
I totally agree! If for no other reason
then I’m fairly certain had Schuab taken the hits Garrard has this year, he’d be on IR by now.
Before
everyone starts to praise Big Ben for Sunday’s game winning drive, he threw an INT that was overruled because of an illegal contact 6.5 yds down the field.
Yeah
Ben got more than one “lucky” break on that drive. Refs need to let the players play. They also called defensive holding on the Packers a few plays later, which was a B.S. call. There’s a big difference between good coverage and holding. That was good coverage.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
GENE SMITH ABOUT DAVID
Heading into week 16 of the season, the Jaguars have the league’s 15th-ranked offense, eighth in rushing and 18th in passing. Nearly all of the offensive stats are dramatically improved from last season, yet, fans have been hyper-critical of Garrard, the result of fourth-quarter failures in the last two games.
"You’d like to have that higher," Smith said of Garrard’s fourth-quarter passer rating of 67.9, which ranks near the bottom of NFL quarterbacks. "All quarterbacks, in the end, are defined by winning."
Garrard has led the Jaguars to late-game rallies to beat the Rams in overtime, the Jets with a walk-off scoring drive and the Bills with a final-minute touchdown pass, and Smith cautions fans that quarterbacks with Garrard’s physical abilities are difficult to find and replace.
"I’m confident in his abilities. I believe we can win with David. Football is a team sport, so you’ll only be as good as the guys around you. To compete at the highest level, you need a good quarterback. I feel, as we grow as a team, David will continue to grow as a quarterback. He’s got all the physical skills to make all the throws," Smith said.
Garrard completed a touchdown pass to Jones-Drew against the Colts that only a few quarterbacks in the league have the mobility to extend the play long enough to make: Donovan McNabb and Ben Roethlisberger, elite quarterbacks, immediately come to mind. Garrard ran to his left, then cut back to his right, outran the rush and then dropped a pass softly into Jones-Drew’s hands in the end zone.
"David doesn’t get enough credit for his toughness and competitiveness. This guy has taken how many shots?" Smith said.
Garrard took several hard shots in the last two games. They are shots that might’ve sent a quarterback of lesser physical endurance to the bench.
MY view: Message to David-We trust you; we like your durability; but please win the games; if you have the chance!
Life without knowledge is death in disguise
by Zoltan from Budapest on Dec 21, 2009 5:34 PM EST reply actions
David G.
Good to hear Smith still has confidence in him. Not great, but still a solid quarterback. I hate to say this, because I’m the “winning is everything” type, but next year is really looking up, despite our tough schedule.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
zoltan i was gonna post that yest.
beat me to it. suck it Dave haters!
by harveyismyboy on Dec 22, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions
The BRUTAL TRUTH
is that for the 2nd straight week, our QB needed a tracheotomy at the end. With a playoff birth on the line – he just can’t find a way to cross the finish line. His inconsistent play has been evident since preseason and is simply not conducive to maintaining winning success at a high level. He had a brillaint 1st 3 qtrs last Thursday – but with the game on the line he had multiple opportunities and simply “couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat”. He just miss WR’s, he missed wide open WRs and simply was not accurate when it mattered most.
I like David, but he’s a complimentary player at best and not capable of carrying a franchise – it just isn’t who he is. We absolutely need a new QB. David will be under center for at least one more season / maybe 2. Hopefully, Gene will find a young stud to groom.
The REAL BRUTAL TRUTH
Is Garrard couldn’t find a way to get his foot out from under 330 pound Meester in less than half a second to drive the ball down field.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
Mike Thomas
WAAS WIDE OPEN ON THE PLAY: I JUST WATCHED IT
He may have gone in for 6 points…
wow meester… wow
interior o-line!
third and fourth round!
by harveyismyboy on Dec 22, 2009 5:23 PM EST up reply actions
Here’s a list of 2009 QB dollars.
http://content.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playersbyposition.aspx?pos=144&order=CapValue+desc
I don’t see a lot of guys below Garrard I’d rather have.
I believe GM Gene will address QB before next season. I wouldn’t expect a big trade or a high pick, but I’ve been wrong before.
Wow, Luke McCown has a higher cap value than Mike Vick
Christian Ponder in 2011! Bring him home Wayne, he can actually play QB in the NFL
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Dec 21, 2009 9:24 PM EST up reply actions
Surpising
Life without knowledge is death in disguise
by Zoltan from Budapest on Dec 21, 2009 10:19 PM EST up reply actions
Which
Is why Mike Vick should be the backup for the Jaguars right now; instead of skinny legged McCown.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
This is GoodGuysTown
QB Dog Killer has no place in Gene’s empire…
Life without knowledge is death in disguise
by Zoltan from Budapest on Dec 21, 2009 11:42 PM EST up reply actions
Everybody
Has a place in Gene’s empire… that is, if you can produce.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
Thanks for the list!
Life without knowledge is death in disguise
by Zoltan from Budapest on Dec 21, 2009 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
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