Big Cat Country

Jacksonville Jaguars v. Houston Texans: Open Thread

2008-12-01T23:32:37Z

Houston Texans (4-7)	GAME #12	Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7)
	VS.

Date:	December, 1st 2008	Location:	Houston Texas
Time:	8:30 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Reliant Stadium
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Jaguars +3
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	48.5
Weather:	High 63, Clear	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Battle Red Blog	Coverage Map	Click Here
Final Score:	Houston Texans - ?? :: Jacksonville Jaguars - ??

Open Thread:

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans: Final Game Preview

2008-12-01T15:35:08Z

Houston Texans (4-7)	GAME #12	Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7)
	VS.

Date:	December, 1st 2008	Location:	Houston Texas
Time:	8:30 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Reliant Stadium
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Jaguars +3
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	48.5
Weather:	High 63, Clear	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Battle Red Blog	Coverage Map	Click Here
Final Score:	Houston Texans - ?? :: Jacksonville Jaguars - ??

Keep On Fighting:

The 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars are finished for the season. This Monday night game is all about the 2009 squad and the players that will join the reinvention of the franchise. Any player worth keeping will recognize the importance of building as much positive tape as possible, especially considering the heat that will be on this team to quickly build off the remains of this season. Jack Del Rio will be squarely on the "hot seat" in 09, he's got no reason to keep anyone who will keep him from keeping Wayne Weaver happy.

That said, this is still a divisional game, one where Houston would love to embarrass the Jaguars in front of the world and seize the AFC South "Third Place" title. It's "Battle Red Day", which means the Texans will be all Jacked up and ready to play. There's simply too much pride and ego at stake on Monday Night for the Jaguars to do anything other than come out fighting.

Injuries and Etc.

No major injuries on the Jaguars to report. David Garrard is probable with a back injury. That injury might have something to do with how often David is hit and ends the play on the ground, something that the Houston Texans can't get away with. Rashean Mathis and Dennis Northcut are probable as well, with Troy Williamson the only questionable injury.

Houston's injury mystery is over Quarterback Matt Schaub who could return to the field after missing most of the season.

One Matchup to Watch:

DE Derrick Harvey versus LT Duane Brown: Can Derrick Harvey beat a rookie? A rookie that was probably drafted a round too high? If he can't get some pressure against Brown, then there's probably something wrong with Harvey. It's just that simple.

I'll be back later today. I've been traveling all week and have to go catch a flight as I write this.

-Chris

Poll

Who Wins?

Jaguars' Top 5 Monday Night Moments

2008-12-01T12:45:07Z

Tonight marks the return of the Jaguars to Monday Night Football. While it may not be as big as it once was, it's still one last shot at some national exposure before ESPN once again pretends we don't exist.

5. Jaxson De Ville Vs Kordell Stewart

Sadly I couldn't find the pic, but it was just one of the best parts of a classic game between the Jaguars and Steelers. Jaxson would begin his assualt on the NFL rule books by bringing out a doll of Steelers QB and proceed to beat the hell out of it all of 10 ft away from the Steelers huddle. The next day, the NFL instituted policies Jaxson has decidedly said to heck with.

4. We Bullied the Bullies

The Jaguars 9-0 victory over the Steelers in 2006 probably set Monday Night Football back 30 years. A game in which every yard was earned and Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was constantly harassed.

3.Fred Taylor for 6, please

In a 1998 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, then rookie RB Fred Taylor was looking to make a splash on national TV. Well, taking the first play from scrimmage 78 yards for a Touchdown to put the Jaguars up 7-0 certainly did things in style.

2.Mark Brunell makes his triumphant return

Following a devestating knee injury in the pre-season, and soon to be Fred Taylor tradebait Rob Johnson both hurt, the Jaguars needed QB Steve Matthews under center to score an upset victory over the Giants. Then it was announced Brunell would start and Alltel erupted in a manner I can not describe.

1.Bill Cowher's projecticle saliva

In what is still one of the greatest finishes to a Monday Night ever, the Jaguars blocked a potential game winning FG and Chris Hudson scooped it up to return it for a touchdown. What no one noticed until replays later was that the only Steeler to get a hold of Hudson was a giant loogy curtosy of Bill Cowher.

TKOPA Compares Fred to the All-Time Greats

2008-11-29T09:52:47Z

The Greatness of Fred Taylor

by Tkopa on Nov 28, 2008 11:12 PM EST

The recent interview that Fred Taylor gave indicating the end of his Jaguar days may be at hand made me wonder, how good is Fred Taylor? In a historical perspective, where does he rank?

Let’s start with the list of all-time yards gained running the football. Fred Taylor is currently 19th. If he gains 1,100 more yards he will be in the top ten. I know Fred has 1,100 yards left in him, so right off the bat; we are looking at one of the top ten best running backs ever to play the game.

But do total yards tell the whole story? Marcus Allen played 14 years, Ernest Byner played 14 years. A back can get into the top 50 simply by staying in the game long enough. So let’s change the measurement. Let’s evaluate a running back based on how productive they are in delivering 1,000+ yard seasons. Let’s say a running back is an impact player if 70% of the seasons they play they rush for over 1,000 yards. Now how does Fred rank?

This gives a different look. Of the top 50 running backs, only 14 have achieved a 70% total in seasons played compared to seasons rushing over 1,000 yards. Jerome Bettis didn’t do it, Marcus Allen didn’t do it, and Tony Dorsett didn’t do it. In this metric, the greatest running back is Barry Sanders. Every one of his 10 seasons he rushed for more than 1,000 yards. LaDainian Tomlinson is also a historic running back with an unbroken record 8 for 8, Curtis Martin and Clinton Portis missed only one season. Jim Brown, Walter Payton and Eddie George missed two seasons. Of these three, Walter Payton was the most durable, running over 1,000 yards 11 seasons out of 13. Jim Brown, however, broke the top ten all-time in only 118 games, seven seasons out of nine over 1,000 yards. He played in the era of 12 and 14 game seasons. (And to be fair, he had one season of 996 yards and the other for 942 yards) In the next tier are Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson, Fred Taylor, Edgerrin James, and Jamal Lewis. Edgerrin James and Fred Taylor have 7 times over 1,000 for 70% ratings. Eddie George had 7 out of 9 seasons over 1,000. Emmitt Smith has 11 out of 15 seasons over 1,000 yards for a 73% rating and the all time rushing leader. Eric Dickerson has 8 seasons out of 11 over 1,000 yards for a 73% rating and is a top 10 all time running back.

So my personal ranking of the greatest impact running backs are:

1. Jim Brown

2. Barry Sanders

3. Walter Payton

4. Emmitt Smith

5. LaDainian Tomlinson

6. Curtis Martin

7. Eric Dickerson

8. Edgerrin James

9. Clinton Portis

10. Eddie George

11. Fred Taylor

12. OJ Simpson

13. Ricky Waters

14. Jamal Lewis

15. Corry Dillon

OK the obvious question, Fred Taylor better than OJ Simpson? The truth about OJ is that he had 5 seasons out of 11 that were great with one 2,000 yard season. OJ and Fred are about the same in yards gained and in games played. I gave the edge to Fred because he had more seasons over 1,000 yards and will finish with a higher total yards. The truth is Fred Taylor is every bit as good as OJ Simpson was. I saw OJ play, I watch Fred play, I can tell you the breakaway speed and eyes in the back of the head are similar.

So when we watch Fred Taylor play, do we realize we are seeing one of the greats of all time? I don’t know how he can be called “Fragile Freddie” given his production per season and number of seasons at that very high productivity level. I don’t know that we appreciate this level of talent, or that our junior level Offensive Coordinator knows how to use what he has. Part of our problem this year has been talent level in coaching, including you Jack!

Will we ever see another Fred Taylor with the Jacksonville Jaguars when Fred leaves? Consider this, of the top 20 running backs of all time, 16 were taken in the first round, 13 were top 10 picks. Three were second round choices and one was a third round. The greats of all time are at the top of the draft selections. Do you see the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting a running back in the first round in the near future? I don’t. Given that assumption and the history of where great running backs come from, we probably will not see anyone like Fred Taylor in a Jaguar uniform for 15 to 20 years. It will take someone of Tom Coughlin’s drafting ability to spot that level of talent. That eye for talent doesn’t exist in the Jaguar organization today.

Fred, some of us understand and know what you are doing. We have been blessed to see you run. I miss that the most this season. If I could see just one more breakaway run for a touchdown, I will love it. God Bless you Fred, we will miss you.

SocalJagsFan sounds off on Freddy T.

2008-11-27T08:52:43Z

Cutting Fred Taylor would be unforgivable

by socaljagsfan on Nov 27, 2008 12:23 AM EST

According to several sources including our own Vic Ketchman, Fred Taylor is concerned about his future as a Jaguar. He said Wednesday that he definitely wants to play another season in the NFL, but he isn’t positive that it would be in Jacksonville. “If you were on the outside looking in, you would think a change is coming,” were the words Taylor used to describe the situation at hand. Next season Fred is due to make $6 million and the only choice for the Jaguars is to pay him or cut him. As we all know this is a league of constant replacement, but there are certain players that just don’t get cut for the value that they bring with experience and leadership.

Fred said only a few days ago, “We’re not a good team. T-E-A-M.” If team chemistry is what Jack Del Rio hopes to find, than the worst thing he could do is cut the player who has the longest tenure with the team and is a highly respected player, if not the most respected player, in the locker room. In his 11 seasons with the Jaguars, Taylor has amassed 11,151 rushing yards and is 18th on the all-time and has poured his heart and soul into this team. Fred has said that he wishes to reach 12,000 yards on his career whether that is with the Jaguars or not, so retirement is out of the question.

“This is where my heart is,” Taylor said, “Jacksonville is all I know.”

In the last few weeks, Jaguar fans have discussed what needs to be done to get the organization back to the winning ways of just a year ago. Many have suggested that Shack Harris deserves to be shown the door, while others believe that Jack Del Rio needs to be fired. I have been a strong supporter of both and I believe neither deserve to lose their positions and they will effectively rebuild the team. However, if Fred Taylor is cut I will instantly lose my faith in the current staff and I will be 100% behind the firing of Del Rio. The removal of such a respected veteran would be an unforgivable move and those responsible should no longer be a part of the organization.

Poll

What does it mean to you if Fred is cut loose at the end of the year?

Happy (Early) Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T22:03:34Z

Hey everybody, just wanted to stop and say Happy Thanksgiving. I know I'm slacking and for the 2nd straight week no Pregame, but right now I need to take the role of Uncle John around the house. Anyways, enjoy your turkeys, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, yams, corn, and of course football (Unless you're the Lions). If I'm not completely hungover following the UF-FSU game I'll see you all Sunday

-John

"The Tao of Shack" Exhibit A : Draft Picks 2003-2005

2008-11-26T08:49:22Z

As you all know, I'm a huge fan/supporter of James Shack Harris. I think the guy's got an eagle eye for talent, however, many of you disagree with me and believe it is time for Shack to be fired. Because of this I've started a new series called the "Tao of Shack" in which I'll try to convince those of you who disagree with me the err of your ways. I know this is an issue that splits our beloved Jaguar Nation. Some feel as I do that Shack needs to stay, while others don't. All I ask is one thing... Just listen with an open mind... enjoy!

Below I've compiled all of the draft picks of the James Shack Harris regime. I'll break it down year by year for you. Our first installment will cover Shack's first 3 drafts with the Jags, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Below the story I've compiled a list of ALL the team's draft picks each year, and the trades that took place that year as well. Being a savvy draft day trader has always been Mr. Harris' forte, and I think a mere glance over the deals he's made is enough to see he is an excellent negotiator. I've only discussed in detail the impact players chosen from each draft, whether they are still with the team or not.

2003's impact players : Rashean Mathis (2nd) Vince Manuwai (3rd) George Wrighster (4th) LaBrandon Toefield (4th).

Two of those players are stars, and 3 are still with the team. Wrighster showed his ability last season and hopefully we'll see a return to form with him back in the line-up. Toefield gave the Jags years of quality running and acted as a decent 3rd down and short yardage back during his tenure with the team. Vince Manuwai was perhaps our best lineman until he went down on IR earlier in the season. He is a beast of a run-blocker. Leftwich was the team's first round bust that year, and was Shack's first pick ever as Jaguars' GM.

2004's impact players : Reggie Williams (1st), Daryl Smith (2nd), Greg Jones (2nd, traded up to grab Jones), Ernest Wilford (4th), Josh Scobee (5th), Bobby McCray (7th),

Four players from that draft remain with the team, and I think you already know how important they are. Greg Jones and Daryl Smith are stars on the Jags roster and are still playing pro-bowl caliber football, Greg recently signed a long-term extension and look for Daryl to get his in the offseason. As for Reggie, his knee surgery earlier in the season has really been hampering his ability to create seperation this year. He seemed to be coming into his own last season, as he led the team in touchdown receptions, but he hasn't been able to reproduce that success again this year. The team may very well decide to void the final year of his contract which the have they option of doing because of the contract Reggie signed (Savvy negotiating again).

Ernest Wilford gave us his best years and was the definition of a solid possession receiver during his tenure with the Jags. Josh Scobee is still nailing out FG's and touchbacks every week, so I think he was clearly a great find in the 5th. Bobby McCray was perhaps the deal of the draft. He was taken with a 7th rounder and ended up giving us a 10 sack season. We let him walk in free agency because he wanted too much money. It turned out to be a brilliant move, as Bobby hasn't replicated his success in New Orleans yet... Sometimes it is just as important to know who NOT to give a contract extension to (Just like NOT signing Mike P to an extension in the offseason was an equally brilliant move).

2005's impact players : Matt Jones (1st) Khalif Barnes (2nd) Scott Starks (3rd), Alvin Pearman (4th) Gerald Sensabaugh (5th)

Matt Jones wouldn't have made this list last season, however, his stellar play up to now is reason to believe he's finally "clicking" at the WR position. Khalif Barnes has been a fixture at the left tackle spot for years now, and although he's been in some off the field incidents, he plays well and has allowed very few sacks this season. He shut down Jared Allen last week vs. Minnesota, so you know the guy's got talent. Scott Starks has been a valuable asset to the team since he was drafted in 2005. He's fast and has been an excellent CB for the Jags. If he wasn't on IR, he'd of been playing instead of "Will James". Do you think that would have made a difference in a few games?

Alvin Pearman was the very definition of an NFL utility man. He was solid in pass protection, was a third down change of pace back, and even returned punts. Alvin's greatest gift though... the draft pick we were able to trade him to the Seahawks for. Talk about a return on investment! Finally, the last impact player drafted was Gerald Sensabaugh. Gerald is now our starting SS and has regained his form this season after having surgery on both his shoulders and finishing last year on IR. The guy is a punishing tackler and will likely be resigned in the offseason.

All in all, I'd say that through the first 3 years of Shack's tenure, the Draft definitely wasn't his weak point. The guy has an eye for talent and nobody finds better small school players than James Harris does.

Next Installment : Draft History Part two, 2006-2008

2005
1.21	WR	Matt Jones	Arkansas
2.20	OT	Khalif Barnes	Washington
3.23	DB	Scott Starks	Wisconsin
4.26	RB	Alvin Pearman	Virginia	from NYJ; trade draft picks 2005 4.22; rec'd 2005 4.26, 6.11
5.21	SS	Gerald Sensabaugh	North Carolina
6.11	WR	Chad Owens	Hawaii	from NYJ; trade draft picks 2005 4.22; rec'd 2005 4.26, 6.11
6.20	OLB	Patrick Thomas	North Carolina State
7.23	CB	Chris Roberson	Eastern Michigan
2004
1.09	WR	Reggie Williams	Washington
2.07	OLB	Daryl Smith	Georgia Tech
2.23	FB	Greg Jones	Florida State	from GB; trade draft pick 2004 3.07 and 4.06
3.23	LB	Jorge Cordova	Nevada-Reno	from GB; trade draft pick 2004 3.09 plus rec'd draft pick 2004 4.22
4.22	DT	Anthony Maddox	Delta State	from GB; trade draft pick 2004 3.09 plus rec'd draft pick 2004 3.23
4.24	WR	Ernest Wilford	Virginia Tech	from BAL; trade WR Kevin Johnson
5.05	K	Josh Scobee	Louisiana Tech
5.18	CB	Chris Thompson	Nicholls State	from NO; trade CB Jason Craft
5.27	OT	Sean Bubin	Illinois	from HOU; trade draft picks (was from TEN; trade draft pick 2004 2.08, 3.08, 4.07 and 5.06 plus rec'd draft pick 2004 1.27)
7.48	DE	Bobby McCray	Florida	compensatory pick
2003
1.07	QB	Byron Leftwich	Marshall
2.07	CB	Rashean Mathis	Bethune-Cookman
3.08	OG	Vince Manuwai	Hawaii
4.07	TE	George Wrighster	Oregon
4.35	RB	LaBrandon Toefield	Louisiana State	compensatory pick
6.03	DE	Brandon Green	Rice	from CHI; trade draft picks
6.06	SS	David Young	Georgia Southern
6.20	OT	Marques Ogden	Howard	from CHI; trade draft picks (was from NE; trade draft pick 2003 1.13 plus rec'd 2003 1.14)
7.04	RB	Malaefou MacKenzie	Southern California	from CHI; trade draft picks

-Collin

Poll

Are you a "Shack" fan, or is it time for him to pack his bags?

Throwback Story... Offseason Report on Shack

2008-11-26T08:04:48Z

James "Shack" Harris... One helluva VP

by silencecs on May 15, 2008 10:18 AM PDT in Better know

Shack comes from the Deep South during a time of segregation and played quarterback for Grambling in college. The Buffalo Bills drafted him in the 8th round in 1969. Shack tells this story about signing his first contract...

"Now, when I stepped into that office, I'd never had a conversation with white people before. The general manager, the director of personnel, they have these white shirts and ties. Coming from the South, I didn't look anybody in the eye. I looked down at the floor. They said they needed me to sign this contract. If I didn't, I was going to have to go to Canada. I wasn't going to get any more money, they said. My coach was asking for too much. They've got the papers out, the pen. What do I do now? I tell them I need to call my mama. They said go ahead. I called Coach. I don't know what he told them, but they backed down. We eventually got that thing up to about an $8,000 bonus and a $15,000 salary"

James Harris: I wouldn't get any work in during practice, but they'd keep two or three of us afterward to throw. That was my time. I was ready for it. Every night, I stayed in and studied. I wasn't going to let them say black quarterbacks were dumb. Then I pulled a muscle in my stomach.

Back in those days, if you got hurt, they were going to cut you. Every day, about five or six in the morning, they'd knock on the doors. You'd hear it down the hall. They'd knock on the door -- bam, bam, bam. That meant they're cutting you.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blackhistory2007/news/story?id=2762569

Sounds like a different world from today's NFL. Still, you have to recognize that anyone who goes through all that would have a lot of resolve. It's really amazing how far the NFL has come since those days.

Enough depressing history lessons... Let's examine Shack's career.

A veteran with over 30 years experience in the NFL, Harris played quarterback for 12 seasons before embarking on what is now his 20th year in personnel. His personnel career began in 1987, as a scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987-92). From 1993-96, Harris served as assistant general manager of the New York Jets. Named director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens in 1997, he spent six years with the Ravens where he earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens’ victory in Super Bowl XXXV in 2000.

That was one heck of a team Shack put together. Those Ravens absolutely destroyed everyone defensively. Now I grant you their offense wasn't great from a passing perspective... It was adequate though, and their running attack with Jamaal Lewis was devastating. Harris has a very high opinion of JDR's evaluation ability and says as much in an interview.

Q: How's your relationship with Del Rio?
It's great. Jack and I go way back to Baltimore. It's good because Jack is a good evaluator. So many head coaches are not evaluators. Jack will watch tape. So many head coaches might watch just a few plays, but Jack will do the detailed tape watching that allows you to make a decision. Jack is a good football guy. He played the game and understands things from a player's perspective and a coach's perspective. So we get along well. We feel that we have an excellent staff.

That relationship has produced quite a bit of fruit and is the core reason for the Jaguars' success. Let's look at some of his picks.

Leftwich - Bust

Matt Jones- Bust

Marcedes Lewis - Lookin' Good

Reggie Nelson - Lookin’ Good

Rashean Mathis - STAR

Daryl Smith - STAR-lite

M. Jones Drew - STAR

Those are only the first two rounds. Players like Clint Ingram (3rd) or Sensabaugh (5th) came in later rounds. Let's not forget about all the un-drafted free agents the Jags sign and end up contributing. Players like that keep your special teams strong, your bottom line down, and your salary cap with plenty of room.

Diminishing powers may convince Harris to bolt from Jacksonville

When Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver hired vice president of player personnel James “Shack” Harris in 2003, Weaver bestowed upon him the final authority over personnel matters. Whether or not he’s officially still the ultimate decision maker is unclear, but word we’re hearing is that Harris’ days in Jacksonville may be numbered. Recently promoted executive director of college and pro personnel Gene Smith is viewed as a rising star within league circles, and Weaver is prepared to expand Smith’s powers even more to ensure he’s not tempted to bolt Jacksonville — Smith was a serious candidate for the Falcons’ GM job that eventually went to Thomas Dimitroff. While it’s unlikely Harris would be fired, a diminishment of authority could convince Harris to leave on his own, especially considering he harbors resentment toward Weaver for firing director of pro personnel and close friendCharles Bailey while promoting Smith.

This perspective is exactly right. Shack has been too successful to be cut loose, but he may indeed leave for greener pastures. Below is an interview excerpt from last year that only solidifies the above point.

FTU: What about [James] Harris' status? His first pick [Leftwich] didn't work out, and some of the other first-round picks haven't lived up to expectations.

Weaver: This business is not an exact science. We're not the first club to have to cut a first-round draft pick. James Harris has done a good job. We've had some first-round draft choices that haven't reached their potential, but we think some of these guys are still a work in progress. Look at the whole body of our work. Our drafts have been pretty good.

Hmmm, does that sound like an owner who thinks his VP is lacking in evaluating ability? Not a chance.

Lets examine Shack's character and what he's done for the community.

In May of 2003 and again in June of 2004, Sports Illustrated named Harris one of the top 50 most influential minorities in sports. In March of 2005, Harris was named one of the 50 most powerful blacks in Sports by Black Enterprise. He was awarded the Fritz Pollard Alliance’s Paul “Tank” Younger award in March, 2006 for his outstanding efforts over the years to help level the playing field and improve life for minorities. Also, later that year, he founded the Shack Harris Doug Williams Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth.

I think you all know where I stand Harris, however, I realize he is a bit controversial and some of you may not agree with me, but here's my view on the guy.

-Collin

[Editorial Note: This is a reprint of an article I did on Shack during the offseason and I thought it'd be a good way to start the "The Tao of Shack", hope you enjoy!]

Del Rio Makes a Statement by Cutting Two...

2008-11-24T22:45:20Z

The Jimmy Kennedy experiment is officially over. Kennedy was cut today along with Milford Brown, an offensive guard signed after the slew of injuries occurred on the o-line. Jimmy Kennedy was one of the "calculated risks" taken by Shack Harris. He was a signed from the Chicago Bears for only 50k more than his salary as a restricted free agent demanded. The Bears opted not to match the contract and therefore the former 12th overall pick became a Jaguar for only 750k for a one year deal. Jimmy Kennedy had played well in spurts, but like many members of the defense, a lack of consistency was his downfall.

Del Rio has started cleaning house already, and I love it. I may be reading too much into this move, but I think there may have been a disipline issue involved with Kennedy's release. I really felt like the guy was playing fairly well, definitely better than some of our higher paid D-linemen (remember, Kennedy was only making 750k). Why cut the guy when you may suffer an injury at the position, unless he's made some serious mistake off the field. This may be just a statement to get everyone's attention that underperforming won't be tolerated. One way to show a team you mean business is to cut players mid-season who aren't playing up to their ability level. If it was just one player being released, I'd say it's to make room for a replacement punter. However, since Milford Brown was cut as well, it shows there is more going on here than meets the eye (Milford could've been cut to make room for a punter and Kennedy could've stayed). Either way, another "calculated risk" by Harris hasn't panned out. Logically, the move was solid with very little downside, unfortunately, it didn't pan out and Jimmy wasn't able to resurrect his career on the "First Coast".

The Jags now have 51 players on their roster and will likely sign a punter and move a WR off of the practice squad in anticipation of Matt's imminent suspension. What do you guys think is going on here? Has anyone heard of any discipline problems with Kennedy lately?

-Collin

[Editorial Note: I didn't even consider that this might've been done to make room for the two PUP players not on the active roster, Jeremy Mincey and George Wrighster.]

Jags-Vikes Postmortem

2008-11-24T00:28:57Z

Yeah know, I started writing this column to rant and rave on how our season has gone downhill, how free agent acquisitions have become expensive mistakes rather than helpful players, and how today exemplified the term "Giving the game away." Then I looked at my icon and realized "Why So Serious?"

I'm a 20 year old with a nihilistic since about life who happens to like the Jaguars and has an internet connection. I write for a site that's currently debating about whether or not this team's head coach, GM, defensive coordiator, and probably at some point the waterboy should be fired. I sincerely doubt Mr.Weaver is going to have a revelation reading something I write and call me up to offer the GM job to me.

Just take a step back, smell the fresh air, and see that things as they are. The Jags are simply a 3 hour break we get 16, hopefully more, times a year from our lives.

That all being said, we still can't sign a good free agent to save this team's life and outside of some solid play by the defense despite the score, I wonder if this team has packed it in.

Also, it's officially Rivalry Week here at BCC, GO NOLES!!!

Minnesota Vikings lead Jacksonville Jaguars 20-10: 2nd Half Open Thread

2008-11-23T19:59:11Z

Minnesota Vikings (5-5)	GAME #11	JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-6)
	VS.

Date:	November 23, 2008	Location:	Jacksonville, FL
Time:	1:05 p.m. ET	Stadium:	The Jack
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Vikings +2
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	40.5
Weather:	High 65, Clear	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Daily Norseman	Coverage Map	Click Here
Final Score:	Minnesota Vikings - ?? :: Jacksonville Jaguars - ??

Keep Talking:

Minnesota Vikings vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Game Time Thread!

2008-11-23T17:08:57Z

Minnesota Vikings (5-5)	GAME #11	JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-6)
	VS.

Date:	November 23, 2008	Location:	Jacksonville, FL
Time:	1:05 p.m. ET	Stadium:	The Jack
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Vikings +2
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	40.5
Weather:	High 65, Clear	Injury Report:	Click Here
SBN Coverage:	Daily Norseman	Coverage Map	Click Here
Final Score:	Minnesota Vikings - ?? :: Jacksonville Jaguars - ??

Inactives and Injuries:

The Jaguars go into this game in good health with no real surprises on the injury report:

William James, Omare Lowe, Chauncey Washington, Thomas Williams, Drew Miller, Milford Brown, Jimmy Kennedy and Troy Williamson.

Matt Jones will be back, so David Garrard will be comfortable with his 7-yard-slant safety blanket.

So you're saying there's a chance?

Yes, if the Jaguars win this game there is still a bizarre mathmatical chance that they stay alive in the playoff hunt. So win the game. All you'll have to do is run the ball on one of the best defensive lines in football and stop the run against the best running back in the NFL.

How hard could it be?

This will be a game where it's very clear early on if the Jaguars are playing to win the game or if they're going through the motions and looking toward next season. Lazy tackling, dropped balls, allowing yards after the catch, these are the things that indicate giving up. You'll notice me get very upset in the live blog when I start to see people turning off the lights before the end of December.

Leadership:

When this game is over, I'd like to see the emergance of the "next leader" of the Jaguars. Mike Peterson is leaving, so who's going to step up and be the vocal and emotional leader on the defense? Is it someone like Daryl Smith in the middle? Is it the impact and violence of a Clint Ingram tackle that gets the defense going? Someone needs to rally this team and make a statement, this has to happen today.

On offense, we know who our leaders are. David Garrard guides the ship, but it's Maurice Jones-Drew who keeps the heart beating.

On Troy Williamson:

Word of advice: Don't offer to fight your former coach during a game where you won't even be playing.

We'll be live blogging the game, so if you're not AT the game, feel free to join us here!

-Chris

Ask Gonzo from The Daily Norseman

2008-11-19T23:01:55Z

In Big Cat Country, dreams stay with you. . .

But enough 80's music for now. I'm Gonzo, the head blogger at The Daily Norseman, and the purpose of this FanPost is to allow you fine folks to ask any questions you might have about the Minnesota Vikings. Our team is going through what can best be termed as a disappointing season thus far (much like your team is, it would appear), and we've got some interesting stuff going on, so I'm sure you guys will have some good questions for me.

Have a good day and a good week, folks!