The Jacksonville Jaguars

[I-10east]

That KC game had an attendance of 59,416; Short of the 2012 average at Everbank Field 64,984.

There's a 'trifecta' of good news in 2014 that will create some significant buzz.

* Unless Gabbert gets reincarnated into a high level NFL quality QB, we're gonna get a QB in the NFL draft.

* The Everbank Field renovations in 2014, scoreboards, swimming pool, NFL Red Zone etc.

* The Jags 2014 home schedule is gonna be VERY attractive; With the usual suspects, PIT, DAL, NYG, CLE(brings a good crowd) and one yet to be named AFC East team (Either NE, MIA, NYJ or BUF). Of course one of these five games (minus the AFC South) will be played in London.

www.fbschedules.com/nfl-14/2014-jacksonville-jaguars-football-schedule.php

[funwithteeth]

What are the chances Gabbert starts another game? Unless Henne performs worse—which at this point isn't possible—why put Gabbert back in once he's cleared to play?

[KenFSU]

^ Completely agree I-10.

2013 is going to be a tough storm to weather, but 2014 has all the makings of a true relaunch.

I kind of expect crowds to hover near 60,000 on the season, but I could realistically see every home game next season selling out (contingent on a new QB, of course).

[I-10east]

^^^I wonder how that Cardinals game is doing attendance-wise so far. With them not exactly having a die hard, ready to travel fanbase, typically that game is hard to sell out.

[I-10east]

What are the chances Gabbert starts another game? Unless Henne performs worse—which at this point isn't possible—why put Gabbert back in once he's cleared to play?

Anything is possible. You can't keep a vet like Henne in there if he continues to lose miserably game after game. He only won one game last year just like Gabbert, so lets not make him out to be some QB of the future or something. I personally thought that Gabbert played hurt, which is no one's fault but his. IMO many people overly-criticize Gabbert with these minimalistic pet peeves, like getting sacked (O-Line's fault most times) and the so called 'chuck & duck' (with enough hits, anyone would do that with a porous offensive line). My thing is hit a wide open Ace Sanders and not the guy wearing red; Same goes on the goal line interception TD. Those INTs are unacceptable. 

[Shwaz]

What are the chances Gabbert starts another game? Unless Henne performs worse—which at this point isn't possible—why put Gabbert back in once he's cleared to play?

Anything is possible. You can't keep a vet like Henne in there if he continues to lose miserably game after game. He only won one game last year just like Gabbert, so lets not make him out to be some QB of the future or something. I personally thought that Gabbert played hurt, which is no one's fault but his. IMO many people overly-criticize Gabbert with these minimalistic pet peeves, like getting sacked (O-Line's fault most times) and the so called 'chuck & duck' (with enough hits, anyone would do that with a porous offensive line). My thing is hit a wide open Ace Sanders and not the guy wearing red; Same goes on the goal line interception TD. Those INTs are unacceptable. 

I feel like the QB position in the NFL has been rewritten over the last few years and i'm not talking about the read option... I'm talking about expectation. I can't think of single QB playing at a high level that needed 3 years to develop. Nowadays you pretty much know what you've got by season 1 of a rookies career. The franchise QB's started strong and keep their teams competitive, mediocre QB's stay mediocre and bad QB's get shuffled out.

I fully understand the Jags plan though, to ride out their investment and hope for improvement but honestly... who was the last QB to turn his career around?

[Bridges]

* The Jags 2014 home schedule is gonna be VERY attractive; With the usual suspects, PIT, DAL, NYG, CLE(brings a good crowd) and one yet to be named AFC East team (Either NE, MIA, NYJ or BUF). Of course one of these five games (minus the AFC South) will be played in London.

www.fbschedules.com/nfl-14/2014-jacksonville-jaguars-football-schedule.php

We'll play either the Giants or the Cowboys in London next year.  So we will lose one of the big draw teams.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

What are the chances Gabbert starts another game? Unless Henne performs worse—which at this point isn't possible—why put Gabbert back in once he's cleared to play?

Anything is possible. You can't keep a vet like Henne in there if he continues to lose miserably game after game. He only won one game last year just like Gabbert, so lets not make him out to be some QB of the future or something. I personally thought that Gabbert played hurt, which is no one's fault but his. IMO many people overly-criticize Gabbert with these minimalistic pet peeves, like getting sacked (O-Line's fault most times) and the so called 'chuck & duck' (with enough hits, anyone would do that with a porous offensive line). My thing is hit a wide open Ace Sanders and not the guy wearing red; Same goes on the goal line interception TD. Those INTs are unacceptable. 

I feel like the QB position in the NFL has been rewritten over the last few years and i'm not talking about the read option... I'm talking about expectation. I can't think of single QB playing at a high level that needed 3 years to develop. Nowadays you pretty much know what you've got by season 1 of a rookies career. The franchise QB's started strong and keep their teams competitive, mediocre QB's stay mediocre and bad QB's get shuffled out.

I fully understand the Jags plan though, to ride out their investment and hope for improvement but honestly... who was the last QB to turn his career around?

This is going to make me sound completely like a Gabbert apologist, but who cares?

Aaron Rodgers?  Had a limited yet successful college career at Cal and sat behind the Legend from Hattiesburg for 3 years.

Tom Brady?  4 years at Michigan, didn't even start until the final 2.  Sat behind Bledsoe for a season before starting his inspirational career for late round draftees.

Alex Smith?  Another 1st rounder with limited college experience.  Was completely written off as a bust until just last year - his 8th in the league and only his 1st time having the same OC in consecutive years....  Now off to another team, another system....

These are just the immediate ones that come to mind. 

And, let's have a little history lesson:  Gabbert was originally thought to be a #1 Overall pick.  Slid to us after we moved up, and was never supposed to be an immediate starter - limited experience, spread QB, weak-ish division....  He had all the physical tools and seemingly the mental tools.  He was supposed to hold a clip board for 2-3 years and develop behind Garrard.  Didn't happen.

Now, only in his 3rd year, he's on his 4th HC, 3rd OC, 2nd GM & 2nd Owner....  The Alex Smith comparison is inevitable. 

Now, all this said, I'm not even going to try and justify his play on Sunday.  It was atrocious from the first whistle to the last boo.  He missed receivers, he didn't 'feel' the pockets on the occasion that he even had one and overall just had a bad game.  BUT, his teammates didn't exactly help him out.  Dropped passes, whiffed blocks, costly penalties and forced into being one-dimensional. 

He's out this week at Oakland and according to BCC, probably out for the next game as well - at least until his wound closes, but I thoroughly expect Gus and Dave to ride him out the rest of the year and give him every opportunity - there's no risk for them, he's not THEIR pick.  They know what they have in Henne - a serviceable backup that they can keep around next year if/when they draft a guy in the 1st or 2nd round.  Henne isn't a starter, but he makes a damn, fine safety blanket.

[copperfiend]

I fully understand the Jags plan though, to ride out their investment and hope for improvement but honestly... who was the last QB to turn his career around?

The current Jaguar regime has little invested with Gabbert. Khan, Caldwell and Bradley inherited him. Had this past draft's QB class been better, it is likely they would have drafted his replacement. Bad luck and bad timing bought Gabbert an extra year to prove himself, which he clearly isn't.

[Wacca Pilatka]

^^^I wonder how that Cardinals game is doing attendance-wise so far. With them not exactly having a die hard, ready to travel fanbase, typically that game is hard to sell out.

The Jaguars designated that the "Salute to Service" game, meaning about 5,000 tickets will be donated to military members (with corporations probably stepping up to buy and donate more tickets later).

[Shwaz]

What are the chances Gabbert starts another game? Unless Henne performs worse—which at this point isn't possible—why put Gabbert back in once he's cleared to play?

Anything is possible. You can't keep a vet like Henne in there if he continues to lose miserably game after game. He only won one game last year just like Gabbert, so lets not make him out to be some QB of the future or something. I personally thought that Gabbert played hurt, which is no one's fault but his. IMO many people overly-criticize Gabbert with these minimalistic pet peeves, like getting sacked (O-Line's fault most times) and the so called 'chuck & duck' (with enough hits, anyone would do that with a porous offensive line). My thing is hit a wide open Ace Sanders and not the guy wearing red; Same goes on the goal line interception TD. Those INTs are unacceptable. 

I feel like the QB position in the NFL has been rewritten over the last few years and i'm not talking about the read option... I'm talking about expectation. I can't think of single QB playing at a high level that needed 3 years to develop. Nowadays you pretty much know what you've got by season 1 of a rookies career. The franchise QB's started strong and keep their teams competitive, mediocre QB's stay mediocre and bad QB's get shuffled out.

I fully understand the Jags plan though, to ride out their investment and hope for improvement but honestly... who was the last QB to turn his career around?

This is going to make me sound completely like a Gabbert apologist, but who cares?

Aaron Rodgers?  Had a limited yet successful college career at Cal and sat behind the Legend from Hattiesburg for 3 years.

Tom Brady?  4 years at Michigan, didn't even start until the final 2.  Sat behind Bledsoe for a season before starting his inspirational career for late round draftees.

Alex Smith?  Another 1st rounder with limited college experience.  Was completely written off as a bust until just last year - his 8th in the league and only his 1st time having the same OC in consecutive years....  Now off to another team, another system....

These are just the immediate ones that come to mind. 

And, let's have a little history lesson:  Gabbert was originally thought to be a #1 Overall pick.  Slid to us after we moved up, and was never supposed to be an immediate starter - limited experience, spread QB, weak-ish division....  He had all the physical tools and seemingly the mental tools.  He was supposed to hold a clip board for 2-3 years and develop behind Garrard.  Didn't happen.

Now, only in his 3rd year, he's on his 4th HC, 3rd OC, 2nd GM & 2nd Owner....  The Alex Smith comparison is inevitable. 

Now, all this said, I'm not even going to try and justify his play on Sunday.  It was atrocious from the first whistle to the last boo.  He missed receivers, he didn't 'feel' the pockets on the occasion that he even had one and overall just had a bad game.  BUT, his teammates didn't exactly help him out.  Dropped passes, whiffed blocks, costly penalties and forced into being one-dimensional. 

He's out this week at Oakland and according to BCC, probably out for the next game as well - at least until his wound closes, but I thoroughly expect Gus and Dave to ride him out the rest of the year and give him every opportunity - there's no risk for them, he's not THEIR pick.  They know what they have in Henne - a serviceable backup that they can keep around next year if/when they draft a guy in the 1st or 2nd round.  Henne isn't a starter, but he makes a damn, fine safety blanket.

Rodgers to me is an unknown because he was going to sit behind Favre no matter how good he practied. Obviously he's a great QB now and who knows what he would've looked like in those first few years.

Tom Brady did get his first start because of the injury to Bledsoe but was obviously the future of franchise by the end of the season.

Alex Smith is still pretty much unproven and mediocre at best. I could definitely see Gabbert getting to his level with in the next 2-3 years... but that's my point. Why wait for a guy to develop when the majority are solid starters from the get-go.

[I-10east]

We'll play either the Giants or the Cowboys in London next year.  So we will lose one of the big draw teams.

I tend to agree with you that it will most likely be one of those two teams at Wembley, although there have been games in the International series when teams within the same conference played each other (non-divisional teams). So there's really no guarantee that it will be a AFC vs NFC matchup.

In 2005 SF played ARI, and in 2011 CHI played TB.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_International_Series

[I-10east]

The Jaguars designated that the "Salute to Service" game, meaning about 5,000 tickets will be donated to military members (with corporations probably stepping up to buy and donate more tickets later).

Good deal.

[copperfiend]

We'll play either the Giants or the Cowboys in London next year.  So we will lose one of the big draw teams.

I tend to agree with you that it will most likely be one of those two teams at Wembley, although there have been games in the International series when teams within the same conference played each other (non-divisional teams). So there's really no guarantee that it will be a AFC vs NFC matchup.

In 2005 SF played ARI, and in 2011 CHI played TB.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_International_Series

If it was an AFC team, it would probably be Pittsburgh. Losing that would be worse than Dallas or NY. If I had to guess, I would say it will be NY.

[I-10east]

^^^Whoa, in 2005 that SF vs ARI game in Mexico City was actually a divisional game, pandoras box LOL. I'll be very surprised if that happens again any time soon.