Inconsistency has been a hall mark of the Jaguars under Jack Del Rio. If there has been a more Jekyl and Hyde team since 2003, I would like to see it. However, there has been at least one constant under Del Rio, a poor start out of the bye week.
The most quoted statistic this week is going to be the Jaguars 2-5 record in post bye week games under Del Rio, including the last two seasons.This will be the 6th straight year the Jaguars have headed into their bye week with a win, yet the team is only 1-4 in that stretch following the bye week.
With a Houston team that has it's back against the wall coming into Everbank Field this Sunday, will the Jaguars finally start bucking the trend?
The seven games the Jaguars have played following the bye week under Del Rio are listed in the table below. Years when the Jaguars won heading into their bye week are bolded.
| Year | Opponent | Result |
| 2003 | Tennessee Titans | L 30-17 |
| 2004 | Detroit Lions | W 23-17 |
| 2005 | St. Louis Rams | L 24-21 |
| 2006 | Houston Texans | L 27-7 |
| 2007 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 17-7 |
| 2008 | Cleveland Browns | L 23-17 |
| 2009 | Tennessee Titans | L 30-13 |
The Jaguars loss to the Titans in 2003 was understandable as the Jaguars were stil digging themselves out of salary cap hell, and the 2004 win vs Detroit should've been a positive sign. However, starting in 2005 is when the worries about the Jaguars after their bye week began.
The loss to the Rams was the Jaguars only loss to a losing team in 2005, and was their only loss in an eight game stretch. In fact, the only other teams the Jaguars lost to were Denver (which finished 13-3), Indianapolis, and New England.
The last two years have been especially troubling. The 2008 season made the turn from disappointing to train wreck during the loss to the Browns. The Jaguars had a 3 game road trip vs Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Detroit. Win those three games, the team would've been 6-3 and the ship might've been righted. Instead, the Jaguars had to comeback from a 17-7 deficit, which fell short when a last second pass went through Matt Jones' hands.
In 2009, the Jaguars went up to Nashville and were soundly out coached, nothing more.
Simply put, over the last 5 years, the Jaguars have been soundly out played and out coached coming out of the bye week. The team looks lethargic and the play calling has usually been a tad off. Why is that?
When I see that the Jaguars had a good portion of the bye week off, I have to wonder if this trend is going to continue on Sunday. Who knows, maybe some R&R will get the team back mentally and physically to make a dark horse run at the playoffs. Yet history says Jaguar fans should prepare for disappointment.