Better Know the Jacksonville Jaguars: Question Time with Big Cat Country

by River City Rage on Oct 1, 2008 11:41 AM EDT

Good Morning and Greetings!

It is I, the your humble Jacksonville Jaguars Blogger over at Big Cat Country, one of the fine NFL SB Nation blogs we all know and love. I'm dropping by today to open a discussion between BtSC and BCC where I'll answer any and all questions you may have about the Jacksonville Jaguars!

Yup, no matter how obscure, inflammatory, or absurd, I'll be happy to answer anything about the Jaguars for this weeks big game. Our teams have a pretty special history, at least as far as Jacksonville is concerned. Two physical teams who typically beat the snot out of each other week in and week out, every time they play.

So, all that introductionary nonsense aside, who's got a question?

-Chris

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It’s documented on your site that you well know about our injury situation.

What do you think the jags injury situation is this week? Which injuries are the most obvious weak links against the steelers?

by steelguy99 on Oct 1, 2008 11:53 AM EDT 0 recs

Defense...

Should Justin Durant, Reggie Nelson, and Rashean Mathis play on Sunday, the Defense should have a significant improvement over last week. Durant brings a level of intensity and speed to our linebackers that we lacked against Houston. Replacing Rashean Mathis with Will James has a very obvious effect.

On the Offensive Line, Chris Naeole should return to the team, giving us a nearly identical line to what we had last season (at times), as Brad Meester still isn’t ready to return after his bicep injury.

Jerry Porter is someone to watch for on the Injury Reports, if he’s got nagging hamstring issues and misses practice, there might be something there to watch out for.

Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!

by River City Rage on Oct 1, 2008 12:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

still missing

isn’t Vince Manuwai still out? That seems to me a huge blow.

by TheMostViolentTeam on Oct 1, 2008 3:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

Manuwai = IR

Offense wins games, defense wins championships

by JAXDynasty on Oct 2, 2008 9:49 AM EDT up 0 recs

right

so the offensive line isn’t anything like last year I would gander.

by TheMostViolentTeam on Oct 2, 2008 11:41 AM EDT up 0 recs

(This is meant to be an inflammatory comment!)

Are the Jaguars still a physical football team? I’m just looking at stats, but it looks like you guys can’t stop the run very well or get to the QB. And with all your OL injuries, the only team your running backs have been able to run on is the Colts.

There, I said it. The Colts.

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Oct 1, 2008 12:10 PM EDT 0 recs

Yes, I think we are.

While the “stats” don’t show it, the Jaguars are still a hard hitting, smash mouth team, albeit one that had two quality, albeit unknown guards go down with injury and an up and coming left tackle gunned down, all in the first week of the regular season.

That ought to explain why it’s taking a little time to get the running game going.

On defense, yes, this isn’t the 2006 Jaguars. We’re still trying to come together under the new coordinator, as well as rely on two rookies (Harvey and Groves) to step up as quickly as possible. Once the pass-rush clicks, and I’ve seen enough of Harvey to know that it will happen sooner rather than later, you’ll see the Jaguars look like the team of recent memory.

Credit where Credit’s due, the Steelers were the first team to figure out how to shut down the Jaguars, or at least take away the running game and give the ball to Garrard. While it didn’t produce a win for ya’ll in the playoffs, the Jaguars haven’t had a good running game since that game last January.

Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!

by River City Rage on Oct 1, 2008 12:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

Speaking of the devil, what is up with garrard? His interception rate is very uncharacteristic. It looks like the falcons was a sackfest, but otherwise the sack numbers seem to be minimal. Is it because your ground game has suffered and therefore he has had to throw a lot more?

by steelguy99 on Oct 1, 2008 1:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

it all starts with the line

As River City Rage pointed out, our o-line was decimated with three starters going down in week 1, along with our anchor Brad Meester still recovering from a biceps injury. That, paired with everyone putting 8 (sometimes 9) in the box to stop the run has put david a little on edge, and most certainly not in the same comfort zone he experienced last year.

Once the line gets back up to speed, and it will ( Andy Heck = epic), the run will come back and I think you’ll see David’s efficiency return.

Speaking of lines, this week should be great as the Steelers have no pass protection, and the Jaguars have no pass-rush….should be a great game as always!

Offense wins games, defense wins championships

by JAXDynasty on Oct 2, 2008 9:54 AM EDT up 0 recs

Steelers pass pro vs. Jags pass rush

Sounds like a classic example of the impotent force vs. the unanchored object :)

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Oct 2, 2008 10:11 AM EDT up 0 recs

+1

Woodley is going to have a monster day on their RT. Mark my words.

by TheMostViolentTeam on Oct 2, 2008 11:42 AM EDT up 0 recs

I second that.

Woodley’s going to the Pro Bowl this year.

by Romain El 82 on Oct 2, 2008 4:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

MJD

is he not getting enough touches or is just the line not getting enough push? He seems to be really underperforming this year at least stats wise.

by schnifin on Oct 1, 2008 1:30 PM EDT 0 recs

It's a combination of lack of touches and our line can't block 8 or 9 in the box when they're this battered.

He’s being used alot more in the passing game this season too. He’s our play-maker and We’ll get him the ball.

-Collin
Big Cat Country Writer

by silencecs on Oct 3, 2008 2:29 AM EDT up 0 recs

Love city of Jax.

Good Afternoon RCR,

I live a little more than two hours south of Jax and I love the city and love the stadium, I escpecially love the party boat that takes you from the Landing to the stadium. Even though I am a life-long Steeler fan, I used to go to Jax once or twice a year to see a game. I just love live football. That being said, how do you feel the teams match up this year as opposed to last year? The playoff game was a tough loss for us. Do you expect any bitterness because of that?

by woody71 on Oct 1, 2008 2:43 PM EDT 0 recs

The game looks almost identical...

Your lines are beat-up, your backs are beat-up, and your QB is beat-up. Same as the playoff game.

Our WR’s still suck, our line is hurt again (we lost Naeole last season before this game), and we both need this win badly. Same as the playoff game.

Low scoring and violent… that’s my prediction.

-Collin

by silencecs on Oct 3, 2008 2:33 AM EDT up 0 recs

Question

I haven’t had a chance to see any of your games. What do you think of Groves so far? Is he starting? Is he playing LB or DL? Just curious he was one of the player I was interested in the Steelers drafting.

Had a chance to look at your site. Just a few corrections. We do not have an injury-riddled offensive line. We have just 1 injury, and personally that doesn’t worry me except for depth. Our offensive line is bad. As for Big Ben’s blow up on the offense, that is Leadership. That is what a Leader does. A slap in the face and wake everyone up. He did it in the looker room away from the press and fans. Not complaining to the cameras after the game.

by SteelBuckeye on Oct 1, 2008 6:56 PM EDT 0 recs

From big cat country:

“Two Pittsburgh players are done for the year now, their 1st round pick Mendenhall, and their stalwart RG Kendall Simmons. Simmons is a bigger loss; he is too good to be replaced, thus a drop-off in run and pass blocking is inevitable for the Steeler offensive line. Hopefully we’ll blitz a little less.”

“They are battered and their O-line just lost the equivalent of our Vince Manuwai in Kendall Simmons. He was their right guard and was stout against the pass rush and could over power all but the best. They are hurting badly.”

I know not everyone can know our O-line as well as we do, but that is just way off.

by steelguy99 on Oct 2, 2008 10:35 AM EDT up 0 recs

lol

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Oct 2, 2008 10:55 AM EDT up 0 recs

I wonder how much of simmons love was the announcer’s telling the tale of the apocalypse when he went down on monday night.

by steelguy99 on Oct 2, 2008 1:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

seriously

Madden has always seemed to love Simmons, he always mentions him in games, I’m just not sure he watches the same game…

by TheMostViolentTeam on Oct 2, 2008 3:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

You shouldn't be so down on Kendall Simmons, he was one of your better linemen...

Complete Front Office mismanagement of your offensive line has handicapped your team to a point where it IS a big deal to lose Simmons. You should’ve franchised Fanaca again, you didn’t. You should not have used the transition tag on an undeserving player, you did. Thereby tying up money that could’ve been used to sign competent back-ups. Now you’re talking about starting a former UDFA at RG… not a great thing against a defensive coordinator who uses complex blitzing schemes.

I know from your perspective things can’t possibly be worse than they already are… But the outside world is telling you how bad it is gonna be.

No RB+No O-line = No run game. Forced to throw + Poor pass protection = 5-7 sack game.

If that turns out to be the case you guys will lose.

-Collin

by silencecs on Oct 3, 2008 2:59 AM EDT up 0 recs

You are so wrong about simmons. The O-line was and continues to be mismanaged, but if you focus on simmons output it just wasn’t there. Starks is an enormous waste of money, but there was justification for letting faneca go and his replacement at LG has mostly been well up to the task – faneca was not very good last year, despite what Madden says.

While you might have something against starting UDFA’s steelers fans are pretty fond of them when they come to play.

I see what you’re saying about no RB + no o-line, but might I point you to a recently played game where we lost all but our last RB and were using a UDFA as right guard?

Believe me, we know our problems, steelers fans are probably some of the most pessimistic in the league. But simmons being out is not one of them. I hope the jags feel as confident as you do so we can steamroll them.

by steelguy99 on Oct 3, 2008 7:28 AM EDT up 0 recs

+1

Simmons was in a battle to claim the title of our WORST offensive lineman for the past two seasons and he might have been in the lead.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on Oct 3, 2008 9:47 AM EDT up 0 recs

It doesn’t help that the guy at the bottom of our depth chart can ball.

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/10/02/mewelde-moore-gets-his-chance-to-start

by steelguy99 on Oct 3, 2008 9:08 AM EDT up 0 recs

help = hurt

by steelguy99 on Oct 3, 2008 9:09 AM EDT up 0 recs

We're going to come out running

Arians (our OC) is the only one I’m scared of. This is why:

1) Every one knows we lost our top 2 RB’s and our guard, so Jacksonville will look for the pass early.

2) Moore is a good backup, and has done well at other times in his career when he’s started. We also have Gary Russell, a second year UDFA who has looked good in the action he’s seen, and has been waiting for an opportunity to play. Moore could light it up early against an unsuspecting run defense that doesn’t impress me anyway, and Russell could help grind the clock out.

3) Simmons was, by far, the worst RUN blocker on our line. I’m not making this up. It’s been well documented. Don’t listen to John Madden, listen to Jim Wexell or dagger at postgameheroes. He’s probably the 3rd or 4th best pass blocker, but he’s the worst run blocker by far. The best, also by far, is Chris Kemoeatu on the left side, which is where we’ll run unless he pulls to the right side. If Stapleton gets the start, there could be an improvement in the running game. If Essex somehow gets the start, that would make us weaker, but it’s not looking like he’ll get it.

4) If we establish the run, making you respect it and make you stick to rushing 4, Ben’s going to kill you guys. 14-18, 215 yards, 2 sacks, and 2 TD’s. Something like that.

5) You guys will be able to run off us, since our #1t, #3, and #5 DL’s are down (just once I want to be even close to healthy when we play you lucky bastards), but if we get ahead, Garrard’s going to be screwed.

I’m usually not this confident about our games, but I think there are plenty of matchups to exploit. I think there’s a good chance to establish the run, and if we do that, everything else will fall into place, unless we give up 200 yards rushing. We’ll see if that happens with our POS offensive coordinator and our beat up defensive line, but I like our chances.

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Oct 3, 2008 9:09 AM EDT up 0 recs

Groves is a “Pass Rush Specialist” as of right now. He only comes on the field on 2nd and 3rd and long situations. Give him a year or two and he’ll grow into a terror. With Derrick Harvey, I believe he is the same as Mario Williams. He just needs to adjust to the NFL for abit and realize his potential. If he can do that, I firmly believe the Jags have a 15 sack a year DE on their hands.

-John

by FSBlueApocalypse on Oct 3, 2008 1:37 AM EDT up 0 recs

ha ha

If Simmons is STOUT against the pass rush, the rest of our line is going to the HOF. I am not making fun of the guy because I can name about 10 O-lineman across the league, but don’t say things like this if you have no clue how bad Simmons really is. I am sorry but thats like saying Nate Washington is the next Swanny.

by black&goldtilldead&cold on Oct 2, 2008 12:00 PM EDT 0 recs

Here's another source's opinion

STEELERS COY ABOUT LINE PLANS
Posted by Mike Florio on October 3, 2008, 10:38 a.m.

Rookie Rashard Mendenhall’s season-ending injury drew the most attention after Monday night’s overtime win against the Ravens. But guard Kendall Simmons’ season-ending injury could cause even more problems for the team.

Coach Mike Tomlin isn’t talking much about who will take Simmons place. "I really don’t have to [until] Sunday night," Tomlin said Thursday.

Second-year backup center Darnell Stapleton currently has the edge over reserve tackle Trai Essex.

"Right now, Darnell is getting more snaps than Trai and has a more recent history," Tomlin said. "Trai has been concentrating quite a bit on being the swing tackle. We haven’t made a final decision."

Sean Mahan was traded before the season, in the wake of losing the starting center job to newcomer Justin Hartwig. But for the trade, Mahan would likely be the replacement for Simmons.

The Steelers are not considering moving right tackle Willie Colon to guard and using Max Starks at tackle. And that’s a shame, given that Starks is getting paid $6.895 million to ride the pine. In our view, the Steelers’ decision to slap the transition tag on Starks, while letting Alan Faneca walk away for no compensation, was one of the worst maneuvers in the history of the current free agency system.

by silencecs on Oct 3, 2008 1:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't see anything in there about Simmons being a good player

Mahan would have given us more depth, and the DEPTH is a concern. It doesn’t change the fact that Simmons was the 4th or 5th best guy on a lousy line. Simmons would have gotten killed by Henderson, and Stapleton probably will as well, so it’s about the same either way. The problem comes if one or two of our average linemen go down now and have to get replaced by really below average lineman. There’s nothing in the article except saying Stapleton will probably start and a randomly severe knock on the front office by a guy who has only a cursory understanding of the situation.

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Oct 3, 2008 2:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Just pointing out that he gave the same opinion I voiced.

This was published after my piece too, so others share my opinion. I understand you probably have a better view of the O-line situation being you’re a fan of the Steelers, but I still say you are under-valuing Simmons. There will be a drop-off between Simmons and Stapleton, that’s a guarentee. Being an offensive lineman is a dirty and difficult job, it’s tough to appreciate their responsibilities and skill levels and I think you’ll see Stapleton really struggle this week. The guard position requires a lot of smarts and frequently requires pulling blocks to be performed. A pulling guard’s block can make or break a running play, and it is as much timing as it is athleticism. Hence my point that you lost big when you lost Simmons. We’ll see on Sunday though
-Collin

by silencecs on Oct 3, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

I can’t recall the last time I’ve seen simmons pull, let alone effectively.

Lots of people have the opinion that simmons is a huge contributor, but none of them are steelers fans.

by steelguy99 on Oct 3, 2008 4:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Let me say first that I hate fantasy football...

but heard a snippet on ESPN somewhere that your D is giving up huge chunks in the passing game…is this down to the aformentioned rookieness, or did I mishear?

Can we actually expect to see a passing game this week versus you guys?

Probably not, Jack D probably threatens your guys with another axe in the dressing room stunt…its my theory on why you always play us so tough ;).

by SCSteeler on Oct 2, 2008 9:03 PM EDT 0 recs

Last year and this year we’re very susceptible to short passes, which has to do with scheme and methodology. The D is pretty concentrated on stopping the run and long passes and in doing so they tend to give up lots of 5-10s, and a frustratingly large amount on 3rd downs. This is annoying to watch as a fan. I don’t know anything about giving up “huge chunks” though.

Our starting #2 CB has been out and our #3 has stepped up, played lights out, and decided to catch the other teams ball. The jags might be able to get a passing game going, but they’ll have to do it against the #4 (by footballoutsiders) / #3 (by yardage) pass defenses. It’s actually more stout than our run D, which is being affected by our old and injury-prone D-line.

by steelguy99 on Oct 3, 2008 7:35 AM EDT up 0 recs

He was directing that to Jacksonville :)

by Chicago Steeler on Oct 3, 2008 11:50 AM EDT up 0 recs

I shouldn’t be allowed near my computer in the morning.

by steelguy99 on Oct 3, 2008 12:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

This year the Jags have been very susceptible to the pass. We managed to buy Matt Schaub another week of starting for the Texans when he doubled his season yardage numbers against us last week.

-John

by FSBlueApocalypse on Oct 3, 2008 9:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

Jags injuries

Hey Jags folks, are Florence and Nelson going to play? Any idea how bad their injuries are?

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Oct 3, 2008 2:44 PM EDT 0 recs

According to Yahoo

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without half their starting secondary against Pittsburgh on Sunday night. Safety Reggie Nelson (knee) and cornerback Drayton Florence (groin) will miss the game, coach Jack Del Rio said Friday. Nelson bruised a knee two weeks ago at Indianapolis when he collided with teammate Brian Williams and sat out last week’s game against Houston.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on Oct 3, 2008 4:19 PM EDT up 0 recs