Defensive tackle Marcus Stroud (groin) and Matt Jones (hamstring) are both out for Sunday’s game with the Jets.  Losing Stroud will hurt, but the Jets are not a good running team so it won’t hurt as much as it would if the Jags were playing someone like the Falcons.  Ernest Wilford will need to step up in Matt Jones absence, but he’s done it before so I wouldn’t be to worried.

The jags have to beat the Jets for a new reasons. One being that my mom’s favorite teams is the Jets. Also, They are on a two game losing streak and they have to break it. They won’t have a lot of their starters. Wimbush, M. Jones, Stroud, Whilley, and Darius didn’t practice on Wednesday so we might be down a few players. But Leftwich is a beast so we still have a chance. The Jets are doing well too, but I think we can stop them! GO JAGS!!

This is a must-win game for both of these teams.  I know it’s early but neither team can afford to drop to 2-3 to start the season.

The Jets would like to be more balanced on offense, but it’s hard to do when you’re only averaging 3.0 yards per carry rushing the ball.  The Jags defense is tough against the run only allowing 82.3 yards rushing per game and 3.4 yards per carry.  The Jets bread and butter on offense is their passing game that is averaging 239.0 yards per game thru the air.  Chad Pennington is looking great so far this season (1,015 yards passing, 102.3 QB rating) and his receivers will test the Jaguars physical secondary.  WR Laveranues Coles (30 rec, 412 yards) and Jerricho Cotchery (18 rec, 284 yards) have had fine seasons so far, but Pennington will have to be aware where CB Rashean Mathis (4 INT) is at all times.

The Jets defense has been very bad this season (140.5 yards rushing, 237.8 passing) and the Jags should be effective doing whatever they want.  I have a feeling the Jags will lean more towards the run with Fred Taylor (256 yards rushing) and Maurice Drew (118 yards rushing).  WR Matt Jones will probably not play, so Ernest Wilford (13 rec, 147 yards) will need to step up so the Jets don’t double cover emerging WR Reggie Williams (21 rec, 243 yards).

My gut feeling tells me to take the Jags at home, but this team is pretty gritty so I’m not so sure.

Byron Leftwich is a warrior that never says die.  Leftwich has a weird throwing motion, but somehow he makes it work.  Leftwich has completed 86 of 136 passes (63.2%) for 893 yards with 5 TDs and 5 INT.  Leftwich is also a big, strong QB that can get a yard when you need one.  Leftwich has run for 2 TDs so far this season.  Leftwich has a QB rating of 79.1 and that’s probably about the highest it will get because he’s a riverboat gambler that tries to fit the ball into tight spots that he shouldn’t.

The Jaguars lost a tough game in OT to the Redskins on Sunday.  Byron Leftwich completed 21 of 35 passes for 289 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT.  RB Fred Taylor had a rough game as he only ran the ball 7 times for 16 yards (2.3 ypc).  Maurice Drew carried the ball 3 times for 3 yards, but he caught 3 passes for 53 yards and a TD.  WR Reggie Williams continued his solid play with 5 catches for 93 yards and 2 TDs.  TE George Wrighster caught 5 passes for 53 yards.

The defense just couldn’t stop the Redskins, who did whatever they wanted to on offense.  The Skins ran the ball 40 times for 152 yards (3.8 ypc).  The Skins completed 18 of 30 passes for 329 yards thru the air.  S Donovan Darius had 9 tackles, LB Mike Peterson had 9 tackles.  Safety Deion Grant had 8 tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass defensed.  CB Rashean Mathis had 5 tackles, 1 pass defensed and a interception.

The Jags need to forget this tough loss and regroup for their next football game.