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Jacksonville
JAGUARS
2002 Record: 6-10
Head Coach: Jack Del Rio
first season
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TEAM LEADERS
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Passing
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Mark Brunell
245-416, 2,788 yards, 17 TDs, 7 INTs
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Rushing
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Fred Taylor
287 carries, 1,314 yards, 8 TDs
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Receiving
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Jimmy Smith
80 catches, 1,027 yards, 7 TDs
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Kicking
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Danny Boyd
5-5 FGs, 7-7 PATs, 22 points
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Schedule | Roster |
Statistics | Stadium
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By B. Duane Cross, SI.com
Mark Brunell, thanks for the memories. David Garrard, we’ll never know what might have been. Hello, Byron Leftwich!
If anyone believes Leftwich is not Jacksonville’s QB of the future, here’s a news flash: No. 7 picks aren’t clipboard-carriers for long. (Are you listening, Chris Redman?) And new head coach Jack Del Rio owes Brunell – or Garrard – nothing; he cast his lot with Leftwich moments after Minnesota played hot potato with the pick on draft day.
One look at the Jaguars’ offseason signings shows there were several holes to fill, but give J’ville credit, the money was well-spent: FB Marc Edwards; WRs Jermaine Lewis (a key return specialist), J.J. Stokes and Donald Hayes; G Jamar Nesbitt; LBs Mike Peterson and Keith Mitchell; and DE Hugh Douglas.
Combining deft free-agent moves with a solid draft has put the Jaguars on the fast track to a potentially sustained run of success.
DE Hugh Douglas – Defense was the offseason focus for Del Rio (wouldn’t expect anything less from a former linebacker, would you?). Douglas was the biggest fish landed, but don’t overlook LBs Mike Peterson and Keith Mitchell.
Still, Douglas is the marquee name added to the NFL’s No. 19 defense. Jacksonville’s ‘D’ was on the field an average of 31 minutes, 21 seconds per game last season, sixth-most in the league. Combined with former first-round DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson, Douglas will have plenty of chances to go one-on-one with offensive linemen.
Douglas had 12 ½ sacks last season, the third time in five years he’s reached double digits. However, if you believe in numerology, he doesn’t fare well in odd-numbered years -- only 6.375 sacks since 1995.
RB Stacey Mack – The Jags rushed for 19 TDs last season – nine by Mack. It remains to be seen if Mack is the latest bruising back to leave a team (see: Lorenzo Neal in Tennessee) and its premiere RB suffers (like Eddie George). After subbing for Fred Taylor two years ago, Mack now resides in Houston and is slated to push Jonathan Wells for the starter’s job.
RB Fred Taylor -- Surprise, surprise, Taylor played all 16 games for the first time in his NFL career in 2002. When he's healthy, he's among the most dangerous running backs in the league because he can score from anywhere on the field, whether as a rusher or a receiver out of the backfield. Last year, he rushed for 1,314 yards and eight TDs. He should match those numbers if he's healthy again, plus he'll have more chances to score with goal-line back Stacy Mack now in Houston. It's not impossible that he could flirt with 2,000 all-purpose yards if everything is right.
QB Mark Brunell -- He's never been a superstar fantasy quarterback, and he's always been a bit overrated because of his scrambling ability. And even then, he hasn't scored more than two rushing TDs in a season since 1997. While he doesn't throw many interceptions, he doesn't throw many TDs either. (He's topped out at 20 twice in his career.) While Brunell will be inspired thanks to the presence of first-round pick Byron Leftwich, he still doesn't have enough weapons to make him a major fantasy threat.
WR Donald Hayes -- He was nonexistent in New England last year, but maybe he can turn his career around as he battles for the No. 2 wideout position opposite Jimmy Smith. The 6-foot-4 Hayes had his best year in 2000, going for 926 receiving yards and three scores for Carolina. Among his competition is ex-49er J.J. Stokes, who's been in the league for years but never lived up to expectations.
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>> Jaguars will make the playoffs because ...
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The addition of 49ers cast-off WR J.J. Stokes will take some of the pressure off under-appreciated Jimmy Smith, allowing Mark Brunell to have one final big-stat season before leaving J’ville.
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>> Jaguars will not make the playoffs because ...
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Brunell will get injured and David Garrard and Byron Leftwich will struggle. Or that odd-year numerology will again strike Fred Taylor; he’s never topped 1,000 yards in those years.
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