Despite gutty performance from Todd Bouman, Jaguars fall to Chiefs 42-20

PS: If you only want to comment on how much somebody sucks, please go to the Vent Thread

Coming into today's game vs Kansas City, the Jaguars biggest questions came from the quarterback position. Bouman's last regular season action came in Week 9 in New Orleans, where he handed the ball off to Maurice Jones-Drew for one play. Instead, Bouman delivered a gutty performance that kept the Jaguars in the game.

Instead, the usual formula of turnovers, penalties, and being gashed on defense once again sunk the Jaguars.

The Jaguars bad mojo started on Mike Thomas' first punt return of the game. After returning the ball past the Kansas City 40, Thomas let the ball get punched out and the Chiefs recovered. Then Thomas Jones scampered 70 yards to set up the Chiefs first touchdown.

In fact, the Chiefs ran early and often. Late into the 3rd quarter, the Chiefs had only thrown 8 passes. The Chiefs ran for 236 yards on 42 attempts, for an impressive 5.6 yards per carry. Contrast that with the Jaguars, who only managed 86 yards on 23 attempts.

However, the Chiefs finally did realize what every other NFL team knows, that the Jaguars can't cover a wet paper bag. The Jaguars gave up 190 yards on just 18 attempts, for an embarrassing 10.6 yards per attempt.

In fact, I have to agree with Del Rio's assessment of the defense, the performance was flat out embarrassing. Sloppy tackling, poor angles, and wide open receivers. While this has been the Jaguars SOP on defense for most of the season, it was particularly egregious today.

The Jaguars defensive performance was so poor, I have to say I still don't think the Chiefs are that good of a team. Todd Haley managed to make Jack Del Rio look like a competent game day coach at times. The Chiefs took multiple time outs for no reason, and the Chiefs failed 4th and 2 conversion was so bad Captain Picard would've been to ashamed to face palm.

Speaking of Del Rio, one thing I've noticed that rarely gets mentioned with him is his penchant for terrible replay calls and today was a prime example. On the first call he challenged, it was obviously the ball crossed the goal line before the Chiefs RB fumbled. That timeout would've been real handy when the Jaguars were on the goal line right before the half. The second challenge was just as bad. It was clear Bowe had gotten both feet in from one angle.

I'm not sure if Jack just throws the challenge flag based on his gut or if he really has somebody watching these plays, but something has to stop.

Watching the two offensive lines play, the biggest thing that struck me was the push. Besides Aaron Kampman, the rest of the Jaguars defensive line was neutralized consistently. On the other hand, Tamba Hali and Glenn Dorsey were constantly in the Jaguars backfield. What has me doublely puzzled, the Chiefs have done without overhauling the unit much. Is Andy Heck not everything he was made out to be?

As far as Todd Bouman is concerned, he exceeded my expectations. If you had told me the Jaguars would've only had 83 yards rushing on offense, I would wager the Jaguars had been shut out. Was his pick six bad? Yes. But how much can you expect from a guy who, as CBS loved to remind viewers, "was sitting on a tractor harvesting corn", on Tuesday morning.

In fact, as Zoltan brought to my attention, Bouman was the first Jaguars QB this season to throw for over 200 yards this season. If nothing else, this once again goes to show just how replaceable David Garrard really is.

In some ways, the final score both does and doesn't do the Jaguars effort justice in this game. The Jaguars were never more than a single score away for 56 minutes. Yet the Jaguars defense was gashed so often, and the team as a whole was aided by a lot of Chiefs penalties, that the team never really felt in control of the game.

In the end, the Jaguars played hard and made a game of it. Time to regroup and try to put the nail in the Dallas Cowboy's coffin next week.