Bob Sanders stuffing Greg Jones: Something we won't see on Sunday!
There's not much good news around the Jaguars lately. Maurice Jones-Drew has an ankle injury that we'll learn more about today, the problems on offense still have no answer in sight, and there's this looming game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday that quite frankly has the season on the line for the Jaguars.
That said, Indianapolis has some injury issues of their own. Bob Sanders, he of the Bob Sanders Beatdown Defense, he who's absence allowed the Jaguars to put 375 yards on the Colts in 2006 will not be playing on Sunday, or probably the 5 Sundays after that due to a high ankle sprain. Let me say this right off the back, I hate playing teams when they have injuries to their best players, because it allows for excuses if things turn out poorly. I'll be mighty pissy on Monday if the Jaguars win and all I hear is "well, if Sanders had played things would be different". So any Colts fans that think I'm getting happy and excited over an injury can be quiet now.
Actually, the crazy thing about Indianapolis this season is that they're having their share of struggles. Releasing Ed Johnson, their not so smart Defensive Tackle, has left them with defensive tackles averaging 282 lbs, as a comparison, the Jaguars average 311. If there was to be a game where the Jaguars rediscovered their running attack, it would be this week. If there was a game where the Jaguars could restore their confidence, it'd be this week.
That said, they still have Peyton Manning. Without Manning, the Colts would be 0-2 and facing the same "must win" that Jacksonville is staring down. Though, much like the Jaguars, the Colts have had their share of offensive line injuries, including losing Tony Ugoh to a groin injury. Their Center, Jeff Saturday may make his first start of the season after a knee injury in preseason, so that might give them the same boost on the line as the Jaguars will get when Brad Meester returns.
So there you go, the first little peek at what the Jaguars are facing this Sunday. For the best and by far most passionate Colts writing out there, please visit Stampede Blue! If you're new to Big Cat Country, you should know that I started blogging about the Jaguars over there as the "token Jaguars fan" and to get rid of me they had to give me my own site. So go over there, talk a little jazz, say hello to Big Blue Shoe, and get ready for a kick ass week of cross-blogging!
-Chris