A Long Road Ahead for the Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a few moves during the off season that led many to wonder whether they may once again contend for the playoffs in 2009.

While the team did lose veteran running back Fred Taylor, the Jaguars have a magnificent athlete in Maurice Jones-Drew, and many NFL experts call him a top five running back in the league. This could be an enormous season for Jones-Drew, as he’ll get more carries for the Jacksonville Jaguars than ever before. Many experts are concerned if MJD can handle more work at his size.

Then there’s the acquisition of Torry Holt at wide receiver, adding tremendous strength to the team’s passing game. Holt’s proven himself to be one of the top in the league, but does he still have it considering he’s on the wrong side of 30?

The Jaguars pass defense in one of the worst in the league – in the same division as the Colts, QB Peyton Manning will carve them up. Matt Schaub shouldn’t have a problem either.

The Jaguars nearly came away with a win despite the challenges, falling by only two points to the Colts in a—12 loss. The team seemed to play efficient football, and limited the effectiveness of Peyton Manning, one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the game.

The Jaguars overall are an average team or just below average at best. The 11-5 record in the 07′ season and their win against the Pittsburgh Steelers seems like a distant memory.

Can this team turn things around? Week 3 at Houston will be another tough test, so the Jaguars may find themselves in an unpleasant hole from here. The offense in Houston is a very tough group and will be a handful.

The Jaguars must make things happen in the very near future so MJD’s talents do not go to waste for a team that is going nowhere fast.

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