The Fifth Down: Monday Matchup: Ravens at Jaguars

Ravens at Jaguars, 8:30 p.m. Eastern, ESPN
Line: Ravens by 9?

You know a franchise is in sorry shape when even opponents are nostalgic about its past. Ray Lewis sounded almost misty-eyed last week when he talked about the glory days of the Ravens-Jaguars rivalry. The teams played twice a year from 1996 through 2001 in the old A.F.C. Central and had some memorable meetings, including a 6-3 game in 2000 that featured 10 sacks and only 374 yards of total offense. “You know, we did have some great rivalries with the Jaguars for many years — for many, many years,” Lewis said, pining for the days of Fred Taylor, Mark Brunell and Jimmy Smith.

?Baltimore and Jacksonville now meet every three years, and any “great Jaguars rivalries” have receded into the past. The Jaguars are on a five-game losing streak since their narrow 16-14 win over the Titans in the season opener, with the rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert completing 48.8 percent of his passes while opponents stack the line to stop the team’s one recognizable star, Maurice Jones-Drew. Lewis also had kind words for another figure from the past: Jaguars Coach Jack Del Rio, a former Ravens assistant. “Anytime you play a Jack Del Rio team, you have to know that they’re going to be ready to play,” he said. Even if you’re not certain who they are.

Pick: Ravens?
(Pick does not reflect betting line)

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Video: CBS Video Ravens vs. Jaguars Preview

Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens hope to keep their winning streak alive as they travel to EverBank Field to square off against the Jacksonville Jaguars. NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan and Jason Horowitz take a look at this Monday night matchup.

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Ravens at Jaguars MNF Injury Report

Baltimore

Out: RB Anthony Allen (thigh), LB Dannell Ellerbe (thigh), WR Lee Evans (back), G Ben Grubbs (toe)

Doubtful: S Tom Zbikowski (head)

Questionable: CB Chris Carr (thigh)

Probable: LB Jarret Johnson (back), WR David Reed (finger), CB Jimmy Smith (ankle)

Jacksonville

Out: S Courtney Greene (hamstring)

Doubtful: T Eben Britton (back)

Questionable: C/G Jason Spitz (quadriceps)

Full participation: DT Tyson Alualu (knee), CB Derek Cox (groin), S Dawan Landry (thigh), T Eugene Monroe (shoulder), WR Kassim Osgood (hamstring), RB Montell Owens (knee), G Will Rackley (knee), LB Clint Session (elbow), T Guy Whimper (hip)

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Kampman ready to return for Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have given up some big conversions this season. They are the sort of plays that usually don’t happen unless the pass rush is not effective on the snap in question.

We start to find out Sunday in Pittsburgh if defensive end Aaron Kampman can still be a difference-maker for the Jags in such situations.

Tania Ganguli of the Times-Union reports than Kampman will play for the first time this season on Sunday. He is coming off his second season in a row that was ended by a torn ACL, and he’ll be on the field for 15 or 20 snaps.

He’s a leader who knows how to rush the quarterback. Perhaps he can provide a jolt in a game even the many optimistic Jacksonville fans are having trouble picturing their team winning.

Linebacker Clint Session, meanwhile, has been ruled out with an elbow issue.

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Del Rio not ready to name Jaguars’ starting QB

Published: September 19th, 2011 | Tags: Jack Del Rio, Blaine Gabbert, Bryon Leftwich, David Garrard, Luke McCown

Should Luke McCown‘s errors open the door for an early start to the Blaine Gabbert era?

That is a question facing Jack Del Rio, who had barely sat down for his Monday news conference when the queries about his uncertain QB situation began.

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McCown struggled mightily Sunday against the Jets, throwing nearly as many interceptions (four) as he had completions (six). Del Rio mercifully pulled McCown in favor of Gabbert in the fourth quarter, leading to speculation that McCown’s days as the starter are through.

“We decided yesterday to play Blaine, and that was a decision for yesterday,” Del Rio said. “The next question is, what are you now going to do? The only thing I’d like to say today is we are evaluating the tape and going through, and we have not begun turning our attention to the Panthers yet.”

Del Rio acknowledged McCown’s ineffectiveness against the Jets.

“Luke struggled, no sugar coating that,” Del Rio said. “We cannot turn the ball over in key moments.”

The Jaguars have nobody to blame but themselves for the mess they’re in now. When they surprisingly cut Byron Leftwich before the start of the 2007 season, they had a known commodity in David Garrard. When Garrard himself received the quick pink slip, the Jaguars didn’t have near the same security blanket. McCown’s performance Sunday represented a worst-case scenario for a franchise suddenly facing some steep challenges.

– Dan Hanzus

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Jaguars lose tight end Lewis

Published: September 11th, 2011 | Tags: Jacksonville Jaguars, Week 1 injuries 2011

Here’s an update from Jacksonville, where TE Marcedes Lewis limped off the field during the third quarter with what appeared to be a right leg injury.

Lewis wasn’t able to put any pressure on his right leg as he left the field with trainers, and was taken immediately to the locker room. The Jaguars have yet to make any official announcement, but it doesn’t look like they will get their top offensive weapon back against the Titans. Lewis had two receptions for 28 yards before leaving.

According to the CBS game broadcast, Lewis is suffering from cramping.

– Frank Tadych

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Jets clinch playoff berth with loss by Jaguars

Published: December 26th, 2010 | Tags: New York Jets, 2010 NFL playoff picture, Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL playoffs

The Jets didn’t take care of business in Chicago on Sunday, but still exit Week 16 with a ticket to the playoffs.

Thanks to the Redskins’ overtime win over the Jaguars, the Jets (10-5) secured a playoff berth and a wild-card slot in the AFC playoffs. The Jets entered the weekend needing a win, or a loss by either the Jaguars or Colts.

So the AFC wild-card slots are filled with the Ravens and Jets, who entered the weekend as the No. 6 seed. The Jaguars and Chargers are still in the playoff hunt, however, as neither have been eliminated from winning their respective divisions.

Here’s a look at all of the clinching scenarios in Week 16, and the current playoff picture will be updated here following today’s games.

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Four Downs: Patient Jaguars can win in Indy

Here’s a look at four items from my film notes of Week 14:

1. I think Jacksonville can go into Indianapolis and win. The Jaguars continue to play to their identity – which is as a power-running football team – as well as anyone in the league. When you look at the 30-yard touchdown run by Maurice Jones-Drew to end last week’s game against the Raiders, it was the perfect example of a team that is patient and believes in the running game. The touchdown came on Jones-Drew’s 23rd attempt of the game, but before that he had eight carries of 1-yard or less. Most teams won’t call a run on second-and-10 there, but the Jaguars did, and it paid off. This is a team that believes in what they do, and they do it well. There’s a lot to defend with the Jaguars’ running game, and the Colts are not good at defending the run.

2. Credit the Patriots for tailoring their game plan to the winter conditions last week in Chicago. People were amazed the Patriots threw the ball in those conditions, but I think there’s a saying in New England that says, “The more it snows, the more we throw.” In snowy conditions on a slick field, offensive players have the advantage because they know where they’re going. Defensive players can’t react or make quick movements. Taking that into consideration, the Patriots shortened their routes to be quicker. Because the defensive linemen couldn’t make quick, explosive moves, they knew Tom Brady was going to get time. He sat there like a statue, throwing quick, 5-yard routes, play after play. Plus, he was extremely accurate, especially considering the conditions. Then in the running game, the Patriots didn’t try to move defenders off the line, knowing they can’t get traction. Instead they turned to the angle running game, getting short, quick angles to seal defenders and create alleys to run in. Shame on Chicago for never adjusting.

3. The happiest I’ve ever seen Eagles coach Andy Reid in his 12 years of coaching was at the end of last week’s win over the Cowboys. Leading 30-27 with 4:22 remaining in the game, the Eagles got the ball at their own 10-yard line. The Cowboys had three timeouts, but they never got the ball back. The Eagles ran nine plays, eight of which were runs, and got four first downs. They ran a perfect 4-minute drill. They got it done by basically blowing Dallas off the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage. The left side of Todd Herremans and Jason Peters is the best left side in football. Peters has been to the Pro Bowl, but I think this is the best he’s ever played. The Eagles went out and executed the drill exactly to how it’s practiced and talked through during OTAs and training camp, and they did it in Week 14 in Dallas — to perfection.

4. Baltimore is keeping pace with Pittsburgh, but the offense is really a mess. The Ravens don’t run the ball well, and they haven’t all year. It’s kind of a head-scratcher. But what the Ravens also aren’t doing is protecting QB Joe Flacco, who has been sacked once every 13 attempts. Going back to the Troy Polamalu sack/fumble play in Week 13, I saw the Texans run the exact same blitz last week. The Ravens made the exact same mistake, and Flacco was sacked and fumbled again. Their response to the Texans’ pressure was to use max-protection with eight-man protection. Twice, they allowed sacks and were forced to throw the ball away multiple times. The whole offense is out of sync right now for the Ravens, and I think they’ll struggle against the Saints because of it.

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This stretch run will be different for Jaguars

There’s no doubt a lot is on the line right now for everyone involved with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It was easy to see this season was going to be pivotal for the Jaguars. Not only for the coach and the quarterback, but for an entire organization that wasn’t selling out games and had to run campaigns to avoid television blackouts. The team’s future in Jacksonville was also very much in jeopardy.

Everyone knew then that Jack Del Rio‘s job was up in the air. There was a lot of talk about whether David Garrard was the real deal and a franchise quarterback. Another failed season would bring about drastic changes, including the threat of the organization moving. Jaguars fans need to respond, but we all know they’re not going to respond to a team that drops the ball two Decembers in a row.

Last year, the Jaguars went 0-4 after a 7-5 start and missed the playoffs. Entering Week 14, the Jaguars found themselves right back at that 7-5 point. But what leads me to believe the stretch run will be different this time around is not only that Del Rio has taken a different approach, but also because young leaders have emerged for the Jaguars.

Del Rio has become more of a player’s coach this season. As Garrard told me, Del Rio is no longer coming down hard on players at stressful points. He’s enjoying the entire process, including coaching the young players, more this season. I think that manifested itself in the win over the Raiders.

The Jaguars are a young team that is growing up a little bit. I know that Maurice Jones-Drew pulled the team together at halftime against the Raiders and told them their time was now. Then they went out and did it. When Aaron Kampman went down, it was Terrence Knighton who called a meeting with the defensive line. Since then, their run defense has been stellar. When the Jaguars got behind last season, Garrard struggled to be a leader and displayed an inability to bring them back. Now he’s helping the team finish strong late in games.

I’m seeing young players step up and become significant leaders, and it leads me to believe the Jaguars have the right stuff.

Now they have to prove they can do it on the road in Indy, the ultimate test for this organization. That’s no easy task, but they stand one game away from accomplishing it. If they beat Indianapolis next week, you can go ahead and hand a playoff spot to the Jaguars.

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Four Downs: Jaguars are team to beat in AFC South

Published: December 9th, 2010 | Tags: Jacksonville Jaguars, Brian Baldinger, Dallas Cowboys, Four Downs, Jason Garrett, Jon Kitna, LeSean McCoy, Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, Steve Spagnuolo

My weekly look at game film brought up some interesting trends and truths. Four Downs starts this week with why I see the Jaguars winning the AFC South race.

1. In my mind, the Jaguars look like the team to win the AFC South. First of all, the schedule favors them: They face Oakland (6-6), Indy (6-6), Washington (5-7) and Houston (5-7). Next to the Chiefs, no one runs the ball a greater percentage of the time than the Jaguars. They play to their identity better than any other team in the division, running the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage. It was very evident last week against the Titans when they ran 53 times and repeated plays over and over until they could be stopped. That’s the Jaguars’ identity, and they do it better than almost everyone else. Right now the Jaguars are playing the best football in the division and are in the best position to win it.

2. It’s interesting to note that LeSean McCoy leads NFL running backs in receptions by a large margin and is on pace for 90 receptions. McCoy is a benefactor of the Eagles’ speed on the outside, especially last week against Houston. With DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin racing down the field on the outside, they take all the coverages with them, opening up a huge area underneath for screens, swing passes and check downs. The best part about it is Michael Vick’s accuracy. He throws swing passes better than anyone else in the NFL, putting it right in front of McCoy so he can catch it without having to turn around, and giving him more time to make a move on the first defender. The Eagles are excellent in this area.

3. Sam Bradford is garnering a lot of attention for the Rams, and rightfully so. But Steve Spagnuolo has the Rams defense playing really well. Their strength is that they attack the protections of the offense as well as anyone in football and get to the quarterback. It’s the same thing Spagnuolo did with the Giants’ defense on their Super Bowl run. I know Cardinals coaches Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt are smart guys, but they seemed defenseless last week in stopping the overload pressures from the Rams. It’s really sophisticated, but the Rams execute it well.

4. I’d like to give some credit to Cowboys interim coach Jason Garrett. In the four games since he’s taken over the Cowboys, their offense is averaging 36.0 points per game. OK, he did coach the offense under Wade Phillips. So what’s different? The execution out of the Cowboys has been superb. The offensive line is run blocking much better and they’re running the ball 53 percent of the time under Garrett, which takes pressure off of QB Jon Kitna. And Kitna is completing 70 percent of his passes the last four weeks, you can’t get any better than that. He’s even helping his own cause, running 18 times, six of which have gone for first downs. If defenses want to double receivers, Kitna is good at taking off with the ball. He hasn’t been looking like any 38-year-old I know.

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