(05-20-2024, 09:12 AM)mikesez Wrote:

(05-19-2024, 06:55 AM)Caldrac Wrote: This is easy:

Tony Boselli
Fred Taylor
Jimmy Smith
Mark Brunell

Logic is simple for me as well while being applied here. Until this franchise can show me another run of consistency that includes four straight play-off appearances, two AFC Championship game appearances and multiple players on the roster that are truly pro-bowl worthy (regardless whether that event is a joke now), with multiple memorable franchise plays, performances or moments?

It'll be difficult to topple these four players. I was five years old when this city was awarded it's team, I grew up spoiled. I know this. I watched this team flip my Dad from being a Steelers fan and my Mom and Grandfather from being Dolphins fans. All along that time frame seeing the Jaguars absolutely beat up on or straight up dominate those very same teams they cheered for.

I remember the Denver games. I remember the Buffalo and Miami games. I remember the records set, the big plays made, the narratives, the excitement. There was never a more fun time than being a Jaguars fan in the very beginning. Nothing has come close to matching that.

Even with the sparks found in 2017 and 2022. It was just that, sparks. That team from the 90's stood over an anvil for four straight years and kept the sparks flying, came close twice to winning it all. We may never see something like that again.

Brunell is on my signature because I enjoyed his style of play.  We're the same height and we're both lefties and I was barely a teenager so I idolized him.
But being rational, when Mark went down for a few games in those playoff years, the team still won.  The plays Coughlin and Gilbride were able to draw up still worked with Smith and Boselli helping to execute them.  It was once Boselli was out, that's when the team stopped winning. You can blame the 2000 season on the law of averages and the scheduling gods.  Blame the 2001 season on Fred being out. Mark was there, but Fred was key.  Mark and Jimmy and Fred were back in 2002.  But the team didn't win once again.  Tony was the key.  Jimmy was never out those years.  The others were.  The team won without Mark, but not without Fred and not without Tony.

In 1996, the Jaguars don’t make it past Buffalo without Brunell. Rob Johnson wouldn’t have led the league all QBs in rushing yards and/or led the league in passing yards. 

In 1997, Rob filled in for Mark against the Ravens and left the game limping. The offense was ran different that week, and after the Ravens game he would only attempt a pass 3 more times…2 of them for interceptions. In week 8 he went 0/1 with 1 int, and week 10 he went 0/1 with 1 int. 

1997, Week 2, in comes lefty, Steve Matthews, who never threw for a touchdown in the NFL. Matthews played in 3 NFL games in his life; in 1997 against the Ravens when Rob got hurt, then the following week, he got his only start in his career against the Giants, the following season he played in the final week of the season for Tennessee. 

Jay Fielder and Jamie Martin…I don’t even feel like looking their stuff up, but what you’re describing is these QBs stepped in here and there and the Jaguars kept winning games. 

They wuttin’ throwing fade passes to Jimmy Smith on 3rd and 5, in Mile High Stadium to win the game and move on to the AFC Championship game. Or putting up 306 passing yards on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Or hurdling defenders up in Foxboro. 

Let’s talk about Jonathan Quinn against the Vikings in 1998. That was plumb embarrassing. The offense didn’t do crap with him.

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