All through the bye week, the sentiment was that this 3-3 was radically different from the 3-3 record the 2008 Jaguars posted. This team's arrow is pointing up, last year's was down. Despite having the same record, it was clear these were two very different teams.
However, a similar challenge lay ahead for both teams. In 2008, the Jaguars were to play the win less Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. It seemed simple enough, win those two games, along with a trip to Detroit, and the ship is righted. In 2009, the Jaguars had to go to winless Tennessee and then come home to play the 1-6 Chiefs. Win those two games and at 5-3, we could officially say this team was a real contender.
In 2008, a disaster occurred. The team went up to Cincinnati and proceeded to lay an egg that would even make a Kiwi cry in pain. It was the de facto last game for Mike Peterson, the player who perhaps embodied all the positive qualities of the Jack Del Rio era. That was followed by another loss to Cleveland, and everyone knows the rest of that story.
This year, the Jaguars went to Nashville to take on an 0-6 Tennessee team that they had just beaten 37-17 a few weeks earlier. A win would've guaranteed the Jaguars a non-losing divisional record for the first time in years and set them up for a potential playoff run. Again, a massive egg was laid, though no one outside of Nashville and Northeast Florida noticed because of Brett Favre.
Once again the Jaguars were handed a seemingly golden opportunity and proceeded to give a collective "eh." Things like what happened on Sunday is why this town seems so apathetic towards this team. If it doesn't help itself, then why should the town help it?
What is it about this team that makes it always go the opposite of where you think it's going. Play well against the Colts, blown out by Arizona. Win back to back divisional games only to struggle since. It's simply maddening that this team can't be figured out week to week.
Whether it was the play-calling, the line play, the quarterback play, things have to turn around somehow. I forgot who said it, but someone on this site described last year's scenario as "Test taken, test failed." Right now, the Jaguars are on the border between a D- and F. If they want a passing grade, they'll need to take care of business against the Chiefs.
-Jonathan Loesche