Aug. 22, 2008

“They’ve bought into the hype about them being a Super Bowl team.” That’s the answer one source close to the Jaguars responded with when asked what the reason is for the club’s lackluster showing thus far in the preseason. The feeling around the club is that, for the most part, the coaches and players already know who will be constituting the final 53-man roster, and the impetus to play and practice hard has been muffled considerably. Additionally, the only position where there’s a legitimate competition for a starting job is at weak-side linebacker, where Justin Durant and Clint Ingram are battling it out. The apathetic preseason attitude is being fostered by the coaches, who have conducted one of the easier training camps in the league. We hear that the coaches' intention was to limit injuries and keep the team fresh for the regular season, but the result has been a lackadaisical effort that needs to be rectified if they Jaguars are to meet many observers' expectations for 2008.