My Maurice Jones-Drew Blog

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a few moves during the off season that led many to wonder whether they may once again contend for the playoffs in 2009.

David Garrard seems to improve a bit with each season, the team acquired pro bowl wide receiver Torry Holt, and despite the absence of Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the finest talents at the running back position in the NFL, and this would be his year to fully shine. A few other key acquisitions bolstered a roster that looked like it was ready to contend.

The team headed to Indy in week 1 of the NFL season. While the team usually plays some pretty good football against the Colts, beating the Colts on their own turf is a tall order, especially in week 1 while emotions are running high.

The Jaguars nearly came away with a win despite the challenges, falling by only two points to the Colts in a 14-12 loss. The team seemed to play efficient football, and limited the effectiveness of Peyton Manning, one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the game.

Week 2 was somewhat disappointing after the solid week 1 effort. The Cardinals, who had fallen to the 49ers in week 1, visited Jacksonville and ripped apart the Jaguars defense at the seams, winning by a 31-17 margin. Kurt Warner was 24 of 26 at quarterback, and such a high completion rate raises some serious questions about the defense in Jacksonville. Can this team turn things around? Week 3 at Houston will be another tough test, so the Jaguars may find themselves in an unpleasant hole from here.

As the season winds down for the remaining NFL's regular season i have noticed that the rookie of the year award candidates are very much up for debate, I personally think the leading candidate is Marques Colston of the New Orleans Saints. He continues to be productive week after week he's currently the leader in receiving yards for rookies at 869 yards, that's over 300 yards more than the runner up in this category. Marques Colston is also the leader in receiving touchdowns for all rookies with 7, and he's also second in receptions for all rookies trailing his teammate and preseason favorite for the rookie of the year honors Reggie Bush.

Let's talk about some of the other very talented rookies, such as Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans he is beginning to emerge as a playmaker now that his playing time has increased. Vince is currently second among all rookies with touchdown passes at 8, he's currently third in passer ratings among all rookies at 63.9%. Vince also remains in third in passing yards among all rookies with 1323 yards. Let's not forget about Matt Leinart the Left Handed gunslinger from the Arizona Cardinals, Matt became the fulltime starter a couple of weeks into the season. Matt seems to be catching on quick to the NFL's aggressive style of play; Matt currently is the leader among all rookies in passing yards with 1753, second in passer ratings at 69.6 and third in passing touchdowns with 7. Lets take a look at Reggie Bush and his impact he has had on his team, Reggie currently leads all rookies in receptions with 64. Reggie also has over 431 yards receiving which is fourth among all rookies, and he is currently second among all rookies in punt return average with 9.2 .

Take your pick and cast your vote I've made mine.

Other Players to Watch:

Bruce Gradkowski, Joseph Addai, Maurice Jones-Drew, Santonio Holmes, & Laurence Maroney

Are the best years of the Jacksonville Jaguars behind us? The Jaguars were the talk of the NFL in the late 90s but in recent years these cats have fallen on hard times. When new coach Jack Del Rio came aboard however, things started to change slowly but surely. In 2006, the Jaguars finished with a record of 8-8, and one year later they peaked with an 11-5 season record and a trip to the playoffs. Could 2008 be the year that the Jacksonville Jaguars finally commands respect and makes a serious play for the championship?

There have been some notable transactions in the office thus far, including the trading of wide receiver Troy Williamson to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 6th round draft pick. The team also lost Ernest Wilford, Marcus Stroud, Bobby McCray and Sammy Knight. The team did receive a few extra draft picks as well as acquisitions like wide receiver in Jerry Porter of the Oakland Raiders, cornerback Drayton Florence of the San Diego Chargers and quarterback Cleo Lemon of the Miami Dolphins. However, Jacksonville fans were far more interested in the team's draft selection for 2008.

Some of the notable draft picks include defensive end Derrick Harvey, defensive end Quentin Groves, linebacker Thomas Williams, defensive back Trae Williams and running back Chauncey Washington. Harvey's draft pick was met with some hesitant response due to his size though his pass rushing ability is unquestioned. Groves recently had heart surgery but has been cleared to return at 100%, while Washington received some negative attention for his blocking abilities.

It's obvious to see that the Jaguars are beefing up their defense, which concerns some experts but actually strengthens the confidence of Jacksonville fans who remember that the Jaguar's offense in 2007 was exceptional. Fans and management credit Del Rio with the Jaguars' dramatic turn around-in fact he has already been extended to 2012! The Jaguars may be clawing their way to the Super Bowl soon enough and in 2008 they are surely one of the most important teams to watch.

David Garrard has definitely stepped into his roll as starting quarter back with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. With a tag-team duo of running backs in Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew tearing down the field, their is plenty of hope for a post season. Although the Jacksonville receiving core lacks the luster of some of the established air shows, they are all talented enough to move the chains 10 yards at a time. There is no question that this team revolves around the strength of the running game. If their running duet can stay healthy, they will unleash a ground and pound attraction that will explode on the highlight reel week after week.

If you want to catch the Jacksonville Jaguars in action then contact Direct TV, the satellite television provider. They offer Jacksonville Jaguars coverage through a variety of channels and special features. For instance, the Direct TV NFL Sunday Ticket and channels like the NFL Network, NFL Sunday Snap or Highlights on Demand give you %100 complete coverage. You can watch over 200 games in a season, with 14 games outside your local area every Sunday. You can watch special enhanced games that provide detailed scoreboards as well as a Player Tracker that gives you all the latest statistics on teams and players.

Coming off a 5-11 season in 2008, not much was expected of the Jacksonville Jaguars last season and many thought it would be the final year on the sidelines for Coach Jack Del Rio and his staff. But after starting 0-2 last season, the Jags started playing over their heads - yet would also throw in an occasional stinker.

For example, the Jags won division games against Houston and Tennessee to get back to.500 but then got blasted 41-0 by a bad Seattle team. A close win versus the Rams followed that, but then the Vince Young-led Titans crushed the Jags in Week 8. So at 3-4 the playoffs looked unlikely, but then Jacksonville lost only once in the next five games to get to 7-5 and pretty much became in charge of its own destiny. However, the wheels fell off in the final month, with the Jags finishing on a four-game losing streak to miss the playoffs once again.

This season could be franchise-altering in many ways. Certainly Del Rio will be a goner if the Jags suffer another losing season - he nearly took the USC job. In January, Del Rio said quarterback David Garrard was in the "middle tier of quarterbacks in the league." And he's probably right considering Garrard has thrown 30 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions the last two seasons and been sacked 84 times. Also, owner Wayne Weaver questioned Garrard's leadership skills. This could very well be the QB's final season in Jacksonville.

This season Del Rio wants to open up the offense more after it ranked 24th in the league in scoring last year. The problem is that the Jags have an iffy offensive line at best and possess no real weapons on offense other than Maurice Jones-Drew and emerging wideout Mike-Sims Walker.

The defense was by far the bottom of the league last year with only 14 sacks (fifth-worst in NFL history) - a few individuals had more than the Jaguars in 2009. The team hopes it helped solve that problem by drafting Cal's Tyson Alualu at No. 10 and signing Packers free agent Aaron Kampman. Of course, many panned the Jags for picking Alualu too early and Kampman is coming off major knee surgery. Jacksonville will shift from a 3-4 to a 4-3 in an effort to get more pressure.

And the franchise's north Florida future could be affected this year. A lousy season and more empty seats - the Jags face blackouts for every home game - means we could see the team moving to Los Angeles very soon.

The NFL picks list Jacksonville's 'over/under' for NFL season win totals at 7. Let's break down the 2010 Jacksonville Jaguars schedule:

Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, Denver, 1:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, at San Diego, 4:15 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, Philadelphia, 4:05 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, Indianapolis, 4:05 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, at Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Monday, Oct. 18, Tennessee, 8:30 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, at Kansas City, 1:00 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, at Dallas, 1:00 PM
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, Houston, 1:00 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, at NY Giants, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, at Tennessee, 1:00 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, Oakland, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, at Indianapolis, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, Washington, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at Houston, 1:00 PM

This ranks as the fifth-toughest schedule in the NFL with an opponents' 2009 winning percentage of .535 (137-119). There are five games against playoff teams.

The Jags start with three of four at home, which sounds nice, but that is easily their toughest stretch of opponents this season, including three in a row against potential Super Bowl contenders and the two teams with the best records in the AFC last year. Jacksonville has won four of the past five against Denver, so starting 1-0 is likely. Winning at San Diego seems unlikely because the Jags clearly don't like traveling to the West Coast: they were outscored a combined 61-3 in two games on the left coast last year. On the positive side, the Jaguars have won nine of their past 13 September games under Del Rio.

Following that Colts game comes arguably the easiest three-game stretch of the season and the time when the Jags must capitalize with a minimum of two wins before facing Dallas prior to the bye week. And while Houston should be good, the Jags certainly are capable of winning those back-to-back home games out of the bye. And they better do just that, considering four of the final six are on the road. Jags backers better pray for unseasonably warm weather in New Jersey (Giants) and Tennessee. Why? The Jaguars are 1-8 all-time in games played in temperatures of 27 degrees or colder. By comparison they are 24-10 in games played in 81 degrees temperatures or higher. The NFL betting line says don't rule out an upset at Indy, as the Jags won there in 2008 and nearly did again last year. Indy has won five of six in the series, but Jacksonville usually gives the Colts trouble.

Jacksonville should be able to win six games at home, so can it get two road wins to exceed the WagerWeb total? Obviously those games at Buffalo and Kansas City stand out as excellent chances for NFL Power Rankings matchups. This looks like an 8-8 team, which may or may not save Del Rio, so take the 'over'.

The 2007 season for the Jacksonville Jaguars was suppose to be the stepping stone for bigger and better things. The Jaguars went 11-5 in the AFC South and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers at Pittsburgh (which is almost unheard of) in the Wild Card playoff game.

Since that stunning win the Jaguars have become just another team. A disappointing season followed in 08' with a embarrassing record of 5-11.

The 09' season seems to be an extension of the 08' season, not much has changed. Not all is lost for the Jaguars, they do have one of the premier running backs in the NFL in Maurice Jones-Drew - who at only 5'7' is a threat every time he carries the ball.

MJD might be good for fantasy players but he can't win games by himself.

The Jaguars pass defense in one of the worst in the league - in the same division as the Colts, QB Peyton Manning will carve them up.

QB David Garrard was suppose to take that leap into one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, he is yet to take his game to the next level and has become and average QB.

If this is Garrard's fault or the fact he has no play-makers other then MJD remains to be seen.

The Jaguars overall are an average team or just below average at best. The 11-5 record in the 07' season and their win against the Pittsburgh Steelers seems like a distant memory.

The Jaguars do have two pieces in place that have the potential to be good team once again, Garrard and MJD, it's that the rest of the team is mediocre.

The Jaguars must make things happen in the very near future so MJD's talents do not go to waste for a team that is going nowhere fast.

Self expression is something that us Americans cherish and hold dear because frankly, we are one of the few country in the world that allow you to do what you want, wear what you want and have your hair as long as you damn well please.

This whole long hair controversy started last year when Chiefs running back superstar Larry Johnson tackled Pittsburgh Steelers safety Pro Bowler Troy Polamalu (who has probably the most recognizable hair in the NFL) by yanking on his hair and pulling him out of bounds, it was a sight to see and looked pretty damn painful, but you could make the argument that Larry Johnson was doing everything he could to make the tackle. On the other hand, it was pretty brutal and unnecessary in most people's eyes.

Well, next week all the NFL owners are getting together to discuss what rules they would like to enforce this season and the hair tackle will be one of them. This rule will not require to any football player like Polamalu to actually cut his hair (God knows how much trouble that would cause), but it will require him and all the other NFL players that have hair that cover the name on the back of their jersey to keep their hair in their helmet in what ever means possible.

If this rule does get votes from all or the majority of the NFL owners and get put into affect, you can expect some very mad NFL players like Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Maurice Jones-Drew over in Jacksonville and Robert Gallery with the Oakland Raiders. There will be a lot of unhappy players and may be even protests or some players even sitting out (doubt it, but very possible).

A stronger Jacksonville Jaguars team came back revamped and determined to make an impact in 2009, with some solid offensive weapons in place.

While the team did lose veteran running back Fred Taylor, they Jaguars have a magnificent athlete in Maurice Jones-Drew, and many NFL experts call him a top five running back in the league. This could be an enormous season for Jones-Drew, as he'll get more carries for the Jacksonville Jaguars than ever before. Then there's the acquisition of Torry Holt at wide receiver, adding tremendous strength to the team's passing game.

The Jaguars lost a very tough game in Indianapolis against the Colts to open up their 2009 football season. The Jaguars always seem to give the Colts a hard time, but this would obviously be a challenge, especially considering where the game was played.

While the Jags almost won this game, they fell just short, losing a 14-12 squeaker in the fourth quarter. This was a frustrating loss for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the team simply didn't have enough in the tank to overcome the Colts.

During the team's second week of football, the Jaguars hosted the visiting Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals, last year's NFC conference champions, also set off their season on a bad note as they lost to the 49ers during their first week of football. Things didn't look good for the Jaguars in week two either, as they lost to the Cardinals by fourteen points. With a match up against the Texans next, more challenges await.

As we enter the last few weeks of the NFL season, is it better to be playing excellent football, or does it even matter? A year ago at this time the Colts were the favorite to win the Super Bowl with the best record in the NFL and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. There were questions as to whether it was better for coach Tony Dungy to rest his starters and coast the rest of the way, or to put the pedal to the metal.

Dungy chose to rest some starters. They lost two of their final three regular season games (0-3 ATS), barely beat a terrible Arizona team at home in the finale (17-13), needing a late TD, then lost the first playoff game to Pittsburgh, 21-18 as a double-digit favorite. They finished 0-4 ATS their final four games and looked listless in the first half of the playoff game. And those same Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl, winning their final 8 games (7-1 ATS).

This time of year, it's better to be playing your best ball AND be healthy, which is not always easy to do in the rough and tumble world of the NFL. Think back two years ago: The 2004 champion Patriots went 12-0 SU, 9-3 ATS down the stretch. The 2003 champion Patriots went 15-0 SU, 12-3 ATS their final 15 games. In 2002 Tampa Bay went 9-2 SU, 8-3 ATS their final 11 games while winning the Super Bowl. The 2001 Patriots went 11-1 SU, 10-1-1 their final 12 games. You get the picture.

Even more revealing is that Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher and Bill Belichick didn't "coast" or give star players rest. In the 2001 finale, Belichick pushed his team in a 38-6 rout of a 1-15 Carolina team. In the 2004 finale, the team had nothing to play for, yet after a 7-7 halftime tie with a bad San Francisco team, Belichick sent the starters back out for the second half in an eventual 21-7 win. Again, that game was meaningless, but it was more important to the coaching staff to execute and play well.

Which leads me to this 2006 season. The Colts are again the favorite to win it all as far as oddsmakers are concerned, but this team is not playing well, losing three of its last four games. Making matters worse is HOW they've been losing. The run defense is last in the NFL. They got run over for 219 yards two weeks ago in a 20-17 loss to Tennessee, then went belly-up Sunday as the Jaguars ripped through them with a surprising 44-17 victory. Jacksonville rushed for 375 yards! Jacksonville rushed 17 times for 251 yards and three touchdowns during the first half alone. Maurice Jones-Drew (166 yards) ran so much he started cramping up in the third quarter and had to get intravenous fluids. RB Fred Taylor was equally effective against the league's worst run defense, gaining 131 yards on nine carries before leaving the game with a sore right hamstring. Indy is now 1-4 ATS its last 5 games, and I can't see how Indy can match up with LaDainian Tomlinson & Co.

Speaking of the Chargers, San Diego continues to flex its muscles, riding a 7-game win streak, with a balanced and powerful offense that is 5th in the league. The Ravens are doing it on the other side of the line with a terrifying defense. The Ravens are 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS after Sunday's impressive 20-10 win at Kansas City -- a team fighting for a playoff berth and one with a great home-field edge. The Ravens forced three turnovers and sacked Trent Green four times. It was only the second December home loss for the Chiefs since 1995! The Ravens have allowed 10, 0, 13, and 10 points the last four weeks (4-0 under the total).

If you're looking for a sleeper team that might be getting hot at the right time, take a look at the Bengals. Cincy is 4-0 SU/ATS the last four games, including a win over the Ravens. It's more important to play your best football this time of year, with the REAL season just around the corner. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.