No matter how ugly the Jaguars 2-0 start has been, winning football games is most important in the NFL. The Jags have shown that it's not how you win that is important, just get the Ws. After a thrilling come from behind victory against the Bills last week, the Jaguars won their home opener 7-6, holding on in another close game.
Jacksonville set the tone early. One thing Jack Del Rio stressed was not letting Denver get out of the gate early. The Broncos have had one of the most successful rushing offenses in recent football history, no matter who their running back is. The Jags were able to shut down Quentin Griffin, holding him to just 66 yards on 25 carries.
The Jags got out to an early lead. Byron Leftwich connected with Ernest Wilford for a 12-yard touchdown, and it turned out to be the only points the Jaguars needed to put on the board. Wilford, a fourth round rookie, now has caught two game-winning touchdowns in his first two games of his career. The two Wilford touchdown receptions mark the only two touchdowns the Jags have scored this season. The scoring drive was set up by a 50-yard punt return by Jermaine Lewis.
Jacksonville's defense has been outstanding. The team is currently allowing just eight points per game. Jacksonville has not seen a player run for 100 yards or more since the week-1 loss last year against Carolina, when Stephen Davis broke the century mark. What was even more impressive about the defensive effort Sunday was that Denver's time of possession was around 38 minutes. That means the defense was on the field for almost two-thirds of the game.
The game was not decided until a Quentin Griffin fumble with less than a minute left on the clock. Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan elected to run one more play and set up an easier field goal attempt for veteran Jason Elam, despite the fact that the wind was at his back. The move cost Denver the game, as Akin Ayodele jumped on the ball.
Marcus Stroud and John Henderson continue to anchor down the defense. Their job's will become even tougher after a serious broken leg injury to starting defensive end Paul Spicer. Spicer will be missed tremendously. Not only was he the best player on the team at his position, but he was a major presence in the locker room. Spicer is known as one of those blue collar workers, and always gives 100% effort.
The 2004 Jacksonville Jaguars are the first team to start a season 2-0 and score just 20 points or less since the early 1940s! That just goes to show how badly the offense has performed, how great the defense has played, and how lucky the team has been.
