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