22-year old rookie QB Blaine Gabbert replaced Luke McCown after the first two games and he struggled.  The Jaguars were 4-10 (28.6%) with Gabbert at QB in 2011.  He played in 15 games (14 starts) for the Jaguars last year and he completed 210 of 413 passes (50.8%) for 2,214 yards with 12 TD passes and 11 INTs (65.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 48 times for 98 yards (2.0 ypc) in 2011.  The Jaguars have faith in Gabbert as their QB of the future.  In Gabbert’s defense……he had a lousy set of WRs and TEs to throw to in 2011.

30-year old Luke McCown couldn’t hold onto the starting QB job too long.  He started the first two games of the year for the Jaguars and they were 1-1 in those games.  McCown played in 4 games (2 starts) for the Jaguars last year and he completed 30 of 56 passes (53.6%) for 296 yards with 0 TD passes and 4 INTs (39.0 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 7 times for 23 yards (3.3 ypc) last year for the Jags.  McCown has now played in 20 games (9 starts) in his NFL career so far and he has completed 184 of 316 passes (58.2%) for 2,035  yards with 9 TD passes and 14 INTs (68.5 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 29 times for 184 yards (6.3 ypc) so far in his NFL career.  McCown is 2-7 (22.2%) as a starting QB in his NFL career.  I look for the Jaguars to try to upgrade on McCown as the backup QB before the 2012 season begins.

48-year old head coach Jack Del Rio was given an ultimatum before the 2011 season began……make the playoffs or get a new job.  With that in mind, Del Rio is in big time trouble.  He decided to switch QBs and go with rookie Blaine Gabbert, who is clearly not ready for the big time.  The Jaguars are now 2-6 on the season as they are only averaging 12.4 points and 242.6 yards per game offensively.  The Jaguars are now 67-69 (49.3%) during the regular season under Del Rio.  He is likely going to get the axe at the end of this season, if not before.

The Jaguars could really use some more help from the return games to help set up the offense with better starting position.  RB Deji Karim does the heavy lifting on kickoff returns for the Jaguars.  He has returned 20 kickoffs for 468 yards (23.4 avg) so far this year for the Jaguars.  Montell Owens (1 return for 13 yards) and Zach Potter (1 return for 0 yards) have also gotten chances to return kickoffs but they have not done much.  Rookie WR Cecil Shorts (12 returns for 50 yards, 4.2 avg) and WR Michael Thomas (8 returns for 49 yards, 6.1 avg) have handled the punt returns this year for the Jags.  The Jaguars have returned 22 kickoffs for 481 yards (21.9 avg) and 20 punts for 99 yards (5.0 avg) so far this year and that’s pretty pathetic!

The Jacksonville Jaguars really need their WRs to step up.  Mike Thomas has caught 28 passes for 309 yards (11.0 avg) with 1 TD grab so far this year, but he has not been very consistent.  Jason Hill has turned into Blaine Gabbert’s favorite receiver.  Hill has caught 18 passes for 301 yards (16.7 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Hill is by far the best downfield receiver on the Jaguars roster.  Mike Sims-Walker was just recently re-signed by the Jags.  He caught 1 pass for 11 yards in his debut for the Jaguars last weekend.  He is a solid player, so he should help the passing game going forward.  Jarrett Dillard (5 rec, 51 yards) and Chastin West (1 rec, 16 yards) also need to step up for the Jaguars.

21-year old rookie QB Blaine Gabbert played a lot better last weekend against the Bengals.  They hope that trend continues this weekend against the Steelers, but that’s not going to be too easy.  Gabbert has played in 4 games for the Jaguars so far this year and he has completed 48 of 97 passes (49.8%) for 608 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 INTs (71.2 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 12 times for 28 yards (2.3 ypc).  If Gabbert is going to have a legit shot to excel, the Jaguars are going to need more guys to step up offensively other than just Maurice Jones-Drew and Mike Thomas.

This looks like the perfect time to make the switch at QB from 30-year old Luke McCown to 21-year old rookie QB Blaine Gabbert.  Opposing QBs have a 124,7 QB Rating through the first two games against the Jags’ opponent this Sunday (the Carolina Panthers).  Gabbert replaced McCown late in the game against the Jets and he completed 5 of 6 passes (83.3%) for 52 yards without a TD pass or INT (102.8 QB Rating) in his NFL debut.  McCown has played in both games for the Jaguars so far this year and he has completed 23 of 43 passes (53.5%) for 234 yards without a TD pass and with 4 INTs (30.6 QB Rating).  McCown also has 6 carries for 14 yards (2.3 ypc).  Head Coach Jack Del Rio hasn’t named a starting QB for this Sunday at Carolina, but you have to think it will be Blaine Gabbert.

The Jaguars signed 31-year old DE Aaron Kampman to a huge contract last summer and he played in 8 games for the Jags last year in which he had 25 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss and 2 passes defensed.  He missed the second half of last season after he blew out his knee.  He still isn’t ready to play for the Jaguars and they are really lucky that they signed 28-year old DE Matt Roth late this summer.  He has played in 2 games for the Jaguars so far this year and he already has 4 tackles and 2 sacks.  The Jaguars need Roth to keep up the good work while Kampman is out of action.

The Jaguars are now going to roll with 30-year old Luke McCown as the starting QB due to the release of David Garrard earlier today.  McCown hasn’t started a game since the 2007 season with the Buccaneers.  He has played in 16 games (7 starts) in his first 7 years in the NFL and he has completed 154 of 260 passes (59.2%) for 1,739 yards with 9 TD passes and 10 INTs (74.8 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 22 times for 163 yards (7.3 ypc) so far in his NFL career.  McCown is only 1-6 (14.3%) as a starting QB so far in his NFL career.  I have a feeling that Garrard was cut because McCown will be easier to replace during the year.

It seems like head coach Jack Del Rio is never content to have 32-year old David Garrard as his starting QB.  That is a shame because he is still a decent QB and he proved it last season.  Garrard played in 14 games for the Jaguars last season and he completed 236 of 366 passes (64.5%) for 2,734 yards with 23 TD passes and 15 INTs (90.8 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 66 times for 279 yards (4.2 ypc) with 5 TD runs last season.  Garrard has now played in 86 games in his 9 years with the Jaguars and he has completed 1,406 of 2,281 passes (61.6%) for 16,033 yards with 89 TD passes and only 54 INTs (85.8 QB Rating).  Garrard has also carried the ball 380 times for 1,746 yards (4.6 ypc) with 17 TD runs in his NFL career. 

27-year old  Trent Edwards was claimed off waivers early last season from Buffalo and he was awful.  Edwards played in 4 games for the Bills & Jags last season in which he completed 55 of 101 passes (54.9%) for 521 yards with 2 TD passes and 5 INTs (54.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 14 times for 58 yards (4.1 ypc) last season.  Edwards has now played in 36 games in his NFL career and he has completed 561 of 927 passes (60.5%) for 6,019 yards with 26 TD passes and 30 INTs (75.4 QB Rating).  Edwards has also carried the ball 78 times for 330 yards (4.2 ypc) with 3 TD runs in his NFL career. 

38-year old Todd Bouman even got a start for the Jags last season due to all of the injuries they suffered at QB.  Bouman completed 18 of 34 passes (52.9%) for 222 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 INTs (68.5 QB Rating) last season.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 8 yards (4.0 ypc) for the Jags.  Bouman has now played in 44 games in his NFL career and he has completed 147 of 264 passes (55.7%) for 1,905 yards with 13 TD passes and 13 INTs (74.4 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 23 times for 94 yards (4.1 ypc) in his NFL career.

29-year old Luke McCown didn’t last long before he got injured and missed the rest of the year.  McCown played in 1 game for the Jaguars last season and he completed 11 of 19 passes (57.9%) for 120 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs (76.6 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 1 time for 4 yards last season.  McCown has now played in 16 games in his NFL career and he has completed 154 of 260 passes (59.2%) for 1,739 yards with 9 TD passes and 10 INTs (74.8 QB Rating).  McCown has also carried the ball 22 times for 161 yards (7.3 ypc) in his career to date.

VERDICT:  I see David Garrard being the starting QB for the Jaguars in 2011.  I don’t see Trent Edwards or Todd Bouman coming back in 2011.  I think the Jags might re-sign Luke McCown if he’s healthy but they should still consider drafting a young QB in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft next April.

With Maurice Jones-Drew out of action for another week due to a knee problem, the Jags need 25-year old RB Rashad Jennings to step up.  Jennings only rushed for 32 yards on 15 carries (2.1 ypc) against the Redskins last weekend and he also caught 4 passes for 29 yards (7.3 avg).  If he plays like that against the Texans this weekend, the Jags are going to lose.  Jennings has played in 11 games for the Jaguars so far this year and he has carried the ball 62 times for 351 yards (5.7 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He also has caught 22 passes for 189 yards (8.6 avg) so far this year.  The talent is definitely there for Jennings to have a good game this weekend and the Jags desperately need him to step up.