Looking Ahead to the Jaguars' Second Quarter

Now that we have taken a look back at the first quarter of the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2009 season, it is time to focus on what lies ahead. While the team itself must focus on one game at a time, we here at the Jaguars Journal operate under no such restrictions. So let's take a look at what the second quarter of the Jaguars schedule has in store. On paper, the second quarter of the 2009 season should be the least difficult stretch for the Jaguars. At the quarter pole, the Jaguars' next four opponents have a combined record of 1-15, with the Seattle Seahawks owning the only victory. The St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tennessee Titans all finished the first quarter of the season without a victory. Exiting the stadium last week after the Jaguars' blowout victory over the Titans, many fans were talking about the possibility of the Jaguars running the table during the second quarter and going into the second half of the season with a record of 6-2. Coming off a 5-11 record in 2008, and with a completely overhauled roster, who would have thought this would have even be a topic of consideration at this point of the season? While it is fun, as a fan, to think about, do the Jaguars have a realistic chance of being 6-2 at the midway point? While it is not out of the realm of possibility, the probablility of this being the case is not very high. For one thing, this would mean the Jaguars would have won six games in a row. This is a difficult task for any NFL team, let alone a young team in the midst of the rebuilding process. Another thing is that two of the teams the Jaguars must face are not as bad as their current records indicate. The Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans have too much talent on their rosters to be considered easy wins for the Jaguars. While the Jaguars should have no problems in defeating the hapless Rams and Chiefs, odds are that they will drop at least one of the games against the Seahawks or Titans. As Jaguars fans, I think we should hope for 6-2, expect 5-3, and be willing to settle for 4-4 at the midway point. Anything less than 4-4 would be a disappointment. Anything above 5-3 would be icing on the cake. The 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars very much appear to be a young team on the rise. And as fans, that is all we should realistically ask for at this point. While the events of recent weeks have the fans excited once again, we should temper our expectations and not put too much unrealistic pressure on this young team. Before the season, I wrote that I expected the an 8-8 record at best, with the arrow pointing up for the future. I think that if I could have guaranteed an 8-8 record to fans before the season, the majority would have accepted that offer. So remember that as the Jaguars head into the second quarter of the season, and take anything above that for what it is - an added bonus. Enjoy the second quarter of the season. It could be a really fun one for fans of the Jaguars.