Hope seemingly ran wild in the first half. This looked like the Jaguar team that looked like the trendy Dark Horse Super Bowl pick of the offseason. It ran the ball while David Garrard his recievers in stride. The defense got pressure and managed to stuff the run. A 14-3 lead was built and it seemed Tennessee would leave Jacksonville 9-1 and the Jaguars could gain the kind of confidence building win to launch a furious wildcard run. Then the 2nd half kicked off and we were reminded why this team is now 4-6, effectively eliminated from the playoffs and now hoping we don't have to pay another Top 10 pick.
This game served as a microcosm of the Jaguars entire season to this point. The hype of the preseason was the 1st half, and the 2nd half served as the cold reality this season had become. This is the kind of deflating loss that we have to wonder if this team is going to simply pack it up for the season.
I hate to really crank up the FIRE COACH X speech, but I think its now appropiate. I believe a 3-3 finish is the minimum Jack Del Rio needs to save his job as the Jaguars Head Coach. Once again, the Jaguars have seemingly been unable to grasp success. We follow a massive win at Green Bay with a shutout against the Texans and the playoffs with it. We follow the most dominating regular season win the Jaguars history against the Colts with 3 losses to kill our playoff hopes.
This season has only magnified those problems into an entire season. It will be telling of his ability to continue being our head coach depending on how we finish the season.
As for GM Shack Harris, it wouldn't surprise me to see headlines reading he was let go a week or two after the season. Ironically considering the events of the last few weeks, outside of Mike Peterson, name one big name free agent we've brought in that's been a big help? Byron Leftwich and Reggie Williams occupy the spaces right after R.Jay Soward on the list of worst 1st round picks, and Matt Jones would be there had he not had a transformation this season.
Congratulations to the Titans on the win.