JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -Everything feels different to quarterback David Garrard.
The offense. The attitude. The leadership. The outlook.
Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) are in practically the same position they were at the bye week last season, Garrard believes this year feels nothing like 2008. His teammates and coaches agree.
“We’ve had some bumps in the road, but with this team, I know these guys are passionate about being Jaguars and being a part of this team,” Garrard said. “Not to name any names, but you definitely had a different feel (in 2008). You probably had more bickering in the locker room.”
The Jaguars cleaned house after finishing 5-11 last season, parting with their personnel chief, four assistant coaches and nearly a dozen starters.
ix games.
“You’ve seen some glimpses of a pretty good, young football team that hasn’t been as consistent as we’d like,” Del Rio said. “We’re working at that. As a coach, you may understand that you may get some of that with a young group, but you’re never going to settle for it and accept it.
“We’re working through some things. I think we’re gaining experience on the run right now. I think we’re making improvement with the guys we have. I think we’ll continue to do that throughout the year.”
The Jaguars have won three of four since an 0-2 start. They began last season the same way. But things unraveled after the bye week, starting with consecutive losses to Cleveland and Cincinnati. Jacksonville lost eight of 10 down the stretch and finished last in the AFC South.
No one believes it will happen again.
“This is a different team, different locker room, different attitude,” tight end Marcedes Lewis said. “I just feel like leadership on this team this year is better. The young guys are buying in, everybody’s buying in. It’s a different attitude about everything, about how we handle our business.”
Lewis said the biggest differences are how players handle their downtime. He pointed to guys staying in Jacksonville for offseason workouts and coming into the training facility on their days off to get treatment and put in extra time trying to get better.
“Everybody is doing what it takes for us to go out there and have the best chance to compete on Sunday,” he said. “The guys that are here, it’s important that we all are on the same page, win or lose. Our heart and our mindset are always the same.”
That wasn’t the case last season.
Jacksonville gave big money to free agents Jerry Porter and Drayton Florence, and teammates said guaranteeing more than $20 million to guys who essentially turned out to be backups caused dissension in the locker room.
Receiver Matt Jones’ felony drug charge lingered throughout the season. The defense never got comfortable in Gregg Williams’ blitz-heavy scheme. Del Rio banished linebacker Mike Peterson from the facility for two days, then rearranged several lockers in hopes of shaking up things. It didn’t work.
Veteran running back Fred Taylor even called Jacksonville “the worst team he’s ever been on.”
“It’s tough when you have different (agendas) and guys aren’t on the same page,” Lewis said. “And it (stinks) because you just have to ride it out. This year is just totally different. Everybody is excited. When we go to practice, everybody is excited to be out there. We’re excited to be working for each other.”
So far, the Jaguars have had few problems outside an ill-fated trip to Seattle two weeks ago. Linebacker Quentin Groves, rushing to make the team’s charter flight, was involved in a car accident. Receiver Mike Sims-Walker missed curfew and was benched. And the team sustained its most lopsided loss (41-0) in Del Rio’s seven seasons.
A few days later, running back Maurice Jones-Drew questioned the team’s heart, its play-calling and its offensive identity.
But the Jaguars rebounded with a 23-20 victory against winless St. Louis last week – and everything changed.
At least for now.
“You’ve got guys here that are passionate about being Jaguars and playing for this team,” Garrard said. “They’re not thinking about making that big pay day. It’s about winning ballgames.”
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