I'm writing this minutes after one of the most dramatic finishes to a Jacksonville Jaguars game in their history. Only one word can describe that end...WOW!
So as my heartbeat reaches a healthy rate once again after 10 minutes of being above 200bpm I'm still struggling to gather my thoughts. However, one thing keeps coming to me over and over: we deserved it.
This really was a game of 4 quarters. After a great first quarter display by the defense to keep the Houston Texans to 3 points, the offense stepped it up in the second quarter to score 14 unanswered points. At half time I thought the Texans were on the verge on quitting. It all seemed too easy, it all seemed to good. It was.
If anyone reads Vic Ketchman's in-game blog he made a brilliant point (when doesn't he?) about his love for young teams because they play for their jobs. It was spot on; the young Jaguars were playing for their jobs.
The problem with young teams however, is that they don't always know how to finish, and the inconsistent Jaguar kittens' heads re-emerged in the second half. Combined with a Texan team that took their heads out of their you know what, the defense regressed back to the soft coverage, big-play-allowing unit it has been all season long. Within one and half minutes the Jaguars secondary had given up 180 yards through the air. Luckily, 77 of them were called back. The Texans did score and I was left asking "What the hell?".
Houston scored again after a Jags drive stalled and had to punt. 14 points unanswered. At this point I was ready to call it in. "Write it up - the Jags defense does it again."
The 4th quarter however brought around an even complexion to the game. Both teams were moving the ball, David Garrard was having another great day, MoJo was pounding out some good yards and the play calling, for the most part Jack, was perfect. We had a chance to end it. Send in the money. Josh Scobee had already pushed one wide right, but he won't miss twice. The second one was even uglier. I have better looking hooks off the tee than that.
So Houston moves the ball with ease in to position to kick their own game winning field goal and tear the hearts right out the chests of all of us watching. Don't you love the consistency of inconsistency? A brilliant strip tackle by Sean Considine causes a fumble and the Jags recover with 8 seconds remaining. A quick out to the sideline and David has a chance; he has the arm. Tack on 5 yards for a stupid, thanks Antonio Smith, offsides penalty and David definitely has the arm.
He has time...time...time... He has protection, he heaves it....
Mike Sims-Walker is up, he cant make it, Glover Quin makes, what on any other play would be, a great piece of pass defense, batters it away, straight into the arms of Mike Thomas and he walks a yard into the endzone.
PANDEMONIUM ENSUES.