Jacksonville Jaguars 2010 Season Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds
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Jacksonville Jaguars 2009 NFL Record: 7-9 Home: 5-3 Away: 2-6
Jacksonville Jaguars 2010 Preview
Things are heating up in Jacksonville, and it has nothing to do with the weather. After the Jaguars’ late-season collapse in 2009, when the team lost its final four games to lose a playoffs pot, owner Wayne Weaver turned up the heat on coach Jack Del Rio. Weaver said the team has been “average” too long and that he expected a playoff berth in 2010. In fact, Del Rio’s record after seven years is an average 57-55. Del Rio jumped on the bandwagon and said he, too, will settle for nothing less than the playoffs. He then called quarterback David Garrard a “middle-tier” quarterback but said he plans to stick with him. With the trickle-down theory in full force, Garrard, who has, in fact, been average since the 2007 season, told a reporter during the offseason he was “feeling the heat under my pants” to produce. But if the defense, which was below average, doesn’t improve, Garrard probably won’t make much of a difference anyway.
2010 Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterbacks
Del Rio insists he will stick by Garrard. This season will determine whether that was a good decision. The veteran from East Carolina has kept his completion percentage over 60 percent in each of the past four seasons, but over the last two years he has a less-than-stellar 30-to-23 touchdown-to-interception ratio. And he isn’t producing in the stat that matters the most – winning. He went 19-11 in his first 30 career starts but is 12-20 since with a 5-11 mark in 2008 and a 7-9 record in ’09. Although Garrard appears to be entrenched in the starter’s role, backup Luke McCown could get a strong look if the siniation starts going too far south. McCown has starting experience and has an arm that’s as strong, or stronger, than Garrard’s.
2010 Jacksonville Jaguars Running Backs
Pro Bowler Maurice Jones-Drew returns as the feature back, which makes this position the most solid on the team. In his first year post-Fred Taylor, Jones-Drew rushed for 1,391 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. In addition, the team is very high on second-year player Rashad Jennings, who struggled early as a rookie but emerged as the complementary back late in the season. In fact, he was one of the few Jaguars who showed improvement during the late-season debacle, gaining trust and confidence from teammates. For the season, he gained 202 yards on 39 attempts for a more-than-respectable 5.2 yards-per-carry average. Fullback Greg Jones doesn’t get many carries – he has a total of six rushing attempts for 36 yards over that last two seasons – but is a bruising hitter who serves as a strong lead blocker.
2010 Jacksonville Jaguars Receivers
The oft-maligned Jaguars’ receiving corps is starting to come together. Wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker stayed injury-free most of last season and started tapping the potential the team saw when it drafted hinl three years ago. Troy Williamson, maybe the fastest player on the team, is coming off a shoulder injury that ended his season early. His speed should be a good complement to Sims-Walker. Second-year receiver Mike Thomas will continue to see plenty of tiine at receiver and kick returner because coaches consider him one of their few legitiinate gamebreaking threats. Tight end Marcedes Lewis has taken huge steps to improve his receiving skills and emerged as a strong leader in the locker room. Lewis might be the most underrated tight end in the league. Second-year player Zach Miller has completed the switch from college quarterback (at Nebraska-Omaha) to tight end, and he made a real impact toward the end of the season. Expect Miller to see much more playing time this year, spelling Lewis and in two-tight end sets.
2010 Jacksonville Jaguars Offensive Line
Tackles Eugene Monroe (left) and Eben Britton (right) are back and ready to build on their baptism by fire as rookie starters a year ago. Still not a finished product, Britton was better than Monroe from start to finish and by the end of the season had seen time at all five offensive line positions. Monroe took his licks early and came on strong toward the end of the year. He already is among the best pulling tackles in the league. The Jags do a lot of cross training on the line, and it could serve them well this season. While the line as a whole is showing improvement, the middle still is a concern. Guard Uche Nwaneri could be called upon to spell aging center Brad Meester, who struggled at times last year. Guard Vince Manuwai now is a full season away from his knee injury and should have more of an impact this time around. The key for the line this season is improving its woeful pass-blocking. Garrard was sacked or knocked down more than 100 times last year, the most in the league. One of these times, he won’t get up.
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2010 Jacksonville Jaguars Defense
The Jaguars will argue they were getting to, and running by, the quarterback, but there’s no denying their pass rush was abysmal throughout the 2009 season. They recorded the fifth-worst sack total in NFL history, and that lack of pressure put the squeeze on the rest of the defense. Del Rio is intent on returning the defense “to its roots” and started by blowing up the front line. His first move was signing free agent Aaron Kampman from Green Bay. Kampman was out of sorts as an outside linebacker in the Packers’ new 3-4 defense last season, but the Jaguars expect him to rediscover his pass-rush prowess at his natural end spot in the 4-3 – if he is recovered from knee surgery. He played only nine games last season. The Jags also sent unproductive end Quentin Groves to Oakland and released tackle John Henderson, but their biggest moves were in the draft, where they used their first four picks on defensive linemen. The local folks were hoping quarterback Tim Tebow would come home, but the Jags spent their first-round pick on defensive tackle Tyson Alualu from California. Don’t be surprised if he quickly becomes a starter alongside second-year player Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton. Knighton, out of Temple, is a presence in the middle, especially against the run, and a Pro Bowl isn’t out of the question if he polishes his pass-rush skills.
The Jags averted a potential problem at this underachieving position when they sent a fourth-round draft pick to Oakland for starter Kirk Morrison. Beyond Morrison and Smith, who recorded 107 tackles last season, there are questions. Russell Allen, an undrafted free agent, acquitted himself well last season, and it won’t be a surprise if he winds up starting full-time, but he’s in only his second year. Justin Durant moved to the middle last year with so-so results, but Morrison will assume that role, allowing Durant to move back outside.
Cornerback is set with second-year player Derek Cox and Rashean Mathis back. Cox still plays like a youngster but got noticeably better as last season wore on. Mathis suffered a serious groin injury, but he is healed and should be as steady as always. Safety is more of a question. The position was a revolving door because of injuries, and the deep backs are suspect because of the play of Reggie Nelson, who seems to have forgotten how to tackle. The team is sticking with Nelson because of his athletic ability, but he’ll have to improve a lot to maintain a starting job. Gerald Alexander, Anthony Smith and Sean Considine all showed flashes last season, but all missed time with dings, too.
Jacksonville Jaguars 2010 Season Prediction
The Jaguars’ arrow is pointing up, but they still have a ways to go. They’ve finished last in the AFC South the past two years. Weaver has laid out his expectations – he expects to see his team in the postseason – and if they aren’t met, Del Rio likely won’t be around for a ninth season. A wild card playoff berth is a reasonable goal, but improvement is needed on both sides of the ball. Garrard must rediscover his 2007 form and the line must start blocking for him. And the offseason moves on defense must translate to more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
We predict that the Jacksonville Jaguars will finish 4th in the AFC South, with a record of 6-10.
Jacksonville Jaguars Betting
AFC South Odds: 8-1 AFC Conference Odds: 25-1 Super Bowl Odds: 50-1
Jacksonville Jaguars Five-Year Win Betting Trends
2005: 12 2006: 8 2007: 11 2008: 5 2009: 7
Bet on the Jacksonville Jaguars
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