Giants - Jaguars 1999 Preseason
Game 2 - at home, 7 pm ET OK
Giants Fans Who are these Jaguars anyway?
Hot
Team
Some Giants fans know
them only as the hot AFC expansion team that regularly beats up on us. They generously
supplied us with the means of fulfilling some very necessary tight end requirements,
and that in itself is an interesting story. Somehow the Jaguars could afford
to let a player who finished fourth on their club with 38 receptions slip away,
while the Giants feel that this very same player is just about one of the most
important additions to their team. The
Jaguars let Pete Mitchell go via free agency and replaced him with Kyle Brady
from the NY Jets. They feel that Kyle is a better blocking tight end then Mitchell,
and they are deep in talented receivers anyway.
Giants fans who thought that acquiring Pete Mitchell meant getting rid of Howard
Cross should think again about what the Jaguars did. They showed just how
important it is to them to have a blocking tight end on their team, and the Giants
have one of the best blocking tight ends in the league in Howard Cross. They will
be using Cross and Mitchell in an effective two-tight end set. This could
be a case where both teams actually made the right move. By the way, don't
tell Pete Mitchell he can't block or you'll have a nice argument on your hands,
and Coach Fassel agrees with him. Pete will also benefit from working with
Howard Cross who has 11 years in the business and grow into his spot as Howard
closes out his career. Back
to the Jags The Jacksonville Jaguars have come very far in a short
space of time. Their four year history includes three straight trips to the playoffs,
including an AFC Championship Game, and they finished 11 - 5 last season.
Now that John Elway has retired and is no longer available to lead the Denver
Broncos, the Jaguars have a shot to go all the way in the AFC
The Jaguar team has a new look on defense this year, thanks to the addition of
coordinator Dom Capers who used to be the head coach of the Panthers. The
Jaguars lost both their talented line coaches, and Head
Coach Coughlin was looking for someone who used a more aggressive style of play
on defense and Capers, his old rival, is a good fit. Dom
Capers, ran the Pittsburgh Steelers defense from 1992-94, when it gave up fewer
points than any other team in the NFL. He is the master of zone-blitz schemes
and has already sparked the Jaguar defense. The
Tie In Last season when Capers was
head coach of the Panthers, Kerry Collins, told him his heart was no longer into
being the club's quarterback. Six days later, Kerry was cut and put on waivers,
and is now with the Giants. Collins is supposed to have it all worked out
now, and might have a strong desire to show Capers that his head is back in the
game, but it looks like he will be sidelined with a minor foot injury while the
Giants use this "opportunity" to give their third string QB Mike Cherry
a deep long look, and with a better supporting cast. Back
to the Jags The Jaguars got off to just as good a start as the Giants
did in preseason last week, beating George Seifert (Dom Capers replacement), and
the Carolina Panthers 35-10 in their exhibition game.
The Panthers get a chance again on Sept. 19 when the Jaguars travel to Carolina
to play them for real in their regular season home opener. On
offense, the Jaguars are looking to Mark Brunell, who returned to practice Thursday
after missing Wednesday's session with a groin injury, to continue to hit his
receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. This plan will be delayed a bit
as McCardell, who caught touchdown passes of 43 and 44 yards in the first quarter
of Friday's 35-10 exhibition victory over the Carolina Panthers, suffered a leg
injury near the end of practice Thursday and will not play against the Giants. The
Giants have Jim McNally as their new offensive line coach. They really needed
to make a change, and as evidenced by the game last week, the players have really
taken to his style of play which is also billed as "aggressive".
So this week, football fans will be treated to the new aggressive offense from
the Giants going up against Capers swarming attacking defense. Who says preseason
isn't exciting? What
else about the Jaguars? The Jaguars have an amazing 21-3 home record
over the last three seasons. The Jaguars became the first AFC Central team
other than the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the division since 1993, and now they
have the same Defensive Coach on their team that the Steelers had during that
time. Cleveland fans take note, and get your autographs now. After four
years of football, only 11 players are left from the Jaguars original team. Team
Histories Giants beat the Jaguars
in their first preseason contest, 24-17 Jags won the second preseason game.
Last year in preseason, Jags won 24-10. In
the only regular season match-up in 1997, Jags won 40-13.
Notes: The Giants will use Kent Graham and the first
string for the first half. Mike Cherry will quarterback the second half.
Preaseason star of last game, RB Sean Bennett will get the start. Those
not expected to play this Saturday for the Giants: CB Jason Sehorn, RB Gary
Brown, DT Charles Estes, CB Conrad Hamilton, WR Joe Jurevicius, RB Raymond Priester,
RB Joe Montgomery and CB Kelvin Suggs. Everyone
- Enjoy this game, but it's still preseason. - Mikefan The
Story Last Week We
don't need no stinkin' Running Backs!!
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