Jack knows…and he ain’t tellin’
Dec 26, 2007 2007 Season, Predictions Guaranteed To Go Wrong, Super Mario, Teams that aren't the Texans
The second- third-biggest question surrounding this week’s season finale (behind, of course, (1) can we win our franchise-high eighth game and (2) will Mario Williams lead the NFL in sacks) is whether the Jags’ starters will play and, if so, how much?
Jack Del Rio is playing this decision close to his vest.
“I know everybody has their opinion and a theory, and I respect that,” Del Rio said. “I’m not going to get into who I’m going to play, who’s going to play, how much people are going to play and those types of discussions.”
Honestly, no decision here will surprise me. On the one hand, the Jags have wrapped up the 5 seed in the AFC postseason, so they gain nothing by winning this game. On the other, it is a division game and the Texans did sweep the Jags last year, so a little retribution might be enough to keep Taylor, Jones-Drew, and the gang out on the field. My guess is that the starters will start, just to keep up appearances, but will be replaced in the second or third possession. After all, Del Rio certainly wants to avoid a repeat of 2005.
Star linebacker Mike Peterson played and broke his right wrist against the Titans. He played the following week at New England, but his heavily wrapped hand caused him to miss a third-down tackle on Ben Watson that resulted in a 63-yard score and a 21-3 lead.
A somewhat-related fourth question is whether a win against the Jacksonville B-team would somehow cheapen the first .500 season in Texans history. To that, I say “hell to da naw, dawg.” (Which, roughly translated, means “no.”) Resting starters at season’s end is a fact of life in the modern NFL, much to the chagrin of gamblers and fantasy football players. But it is not like the Jags are forfeiting–they will still be running out NFL-quality players who are trying their collective damnedest to win. Just because they aren’t as good as the starters doesn’t change the fact that the game on the field is being played hard on every snap. So, no, the names on the backs of the Jacksonville jerseys will not determine the validity of a Texans win.
They will, however, determine who Mario gets to annihilate. Be afraid, Quinn Gray. Be very afraid.
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December 27th, 2007 at 7:45 am
2.5 — That’s the prediction I’m going with. And it will be enough to capture the title.
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Of course, by Sunday afternoon Iran will have nuked Isreal so that the TV networks, chronic, etc. won’t have to actually give any time to the story. It’s a vast conspiracy, I tell ya.
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December 27th, 2007 at 8:51 am
You’re close, but it looks like Pakistan that’s blowing up, not Iran.
We need to dispatch Mario to the Middle East.
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December 27th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Though Jack may sit people, with the size of game day rosters, he can’t sit too many guys.
I don’t care about sacks as much as contain. The Jags will kill you if you overpursue at the line.
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December 27th, 2007 at 9:33 am
At over 33 rushing attempts per game, the opportunities for sacks are going to be pretty slim. But I will say this, at home, I think we have an opportunity to go up fast and make them play catch-up. Especially if they are going with their B team.
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December 27th, 2007 at 10:04 am
@Steph: I only care about sacks because that is what the media wants to judge Mario by. And I can think of nothing better than him leading the entire NFL in sacks in his second season to shut people up once and for all.
Also, the game day rosters are big enough that he could sit both RBs, Garrard, and a few key defensive players. Which should be enough because it’s not like anyone should be scared of their WRs.
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December 28th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
[...] playoff birth, wisely taking care of business before the last game on the road. Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio is keeping quiet in his approach to resting players for this game, but it’s not likely that the key starters will be getting a lot of [...]
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December 28th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
[...] playoff birth, wisely taking care of business before the last game on the road. Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio is keeping quiet in his approach to resting players for this game, but it’s not likely that the key starters will be getting a lot of [...]
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December 28th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
[...] playoff birth, wisely taking care of business before the last game on the road. Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio is keeping quiet in his approach to resting players for this game, but it’s not likely that the key starters will be getting a lot of [...]