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This often overlooked team packs a ferocious bite.
Before the 2004 NFL Season, I decided to take an up and coming team from each conference under my wing and follow them on their quest toward a playoff berth. The Jacksonville Jaguars were my AFC team in that year. With iron-man quarterback Byron Leftwich at the helm, the Jaguars just seemed ready to make the leap into the post-season. Although they fell short of the goal that year, I had so much fun following the team that I've continued to write pieces for them. Below you will find some articles that I have written describing my journey with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS JUNGLE ARCHIVES
Jacksonville Jaguars 2007 Archive
Since 2004 I had watched the Jaguars slowly climb back to being an elite NFL team. Mid-way through the 2006 season, they looked poised to continue their upward trend, until some late-season collapses destroyed their playoff hopes. Now with most analysts predicting David Garrard and the Jags to continue their downward spiral, it's time for Jacksonville to get a chip on their shoulder and prove them wrong on their way to the post-season.
The Jaguars proved that it's impossible to make it to the post-season with both hands wrapped around your neck. That's right, the Jaguars choked away their season. Despite losing to the lowly Redskins, Bills, and Texans (twice), Jacksonville was still poised to make a run at the playoffs heading into Week 15. The three consecutive losses which followed left the Jaguars stunned and their fans to wonder what could have been...
After just missing the playoffs in 2004, the Jacksonville Jagaurs were ready to reload and take another shot at the post-season. Fans were confident that they would reach their goal as long as quarterback, Byron Leftwich could stay injury-free. While that didn't happen, backup David Garrard was able to steady the team during the second half of the season and lead the Jaguars to a 12-4 record and a playoff berth.
The Jacksoville Jaguars were my NFL sleeper pick in 2004. While in most people's opinion, the Jags were a year away from contending, I admired the character and work-ethic of this team and gave them my vote of confidence. Although the Jaguars ultimately fell short in the end, it was still a great season and a sign of things to come.
