Official Game Day Thread - ARZ @ JAX Sept 26, 2021
Sept 20, 2021 10:41:13 GMT -7
Cardinals Junkie likes this
Post by End Zone on Sept 20, 2021 10:41:13 GMT -7
ARZ @ JAX GDT September 26, 2021
Hello and welcome to the Forum’s 3rd Arizona Cardinals Game Day Thread (GDT). This is the Cardinals 2nd road game of the 2021 season. Several Forum members previously posted that they will attend the game at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida this week. If game attendees would like to do so, please share pre-game and game-day pictures with Forum members who were stuck back at home doing chores. I can assist your picture posting process at the Forum site. Preferred file type is .jpeg, and file size is 1mb maximum per ProBoards.com.
#1 Draft pick QB Trevor Lawrence has potential to rewrite the NFL's history books. Someday, you may remark, "I watched Jaguars’ rookie QB Lawrence take on the Cardinals in 2021," and I hope that you add, "and the Cardinals beat Lawrence and the Jaguars with an ugly stick that day!" I say more about rookie QB Lawrence in my notes, below. When I researched the Jacksonville Jaguars versus the Arizona Cardinals, I was surprised by how few times the two teams have played each other—just 5 head-to-head contests since 2000. The Cardinals lead the series, 3-2, winning the last 3 games. The last game was on November 26, 2017, with the Cardinals playing at then University of Phoenix (UoP) Stadium, squeaking by the Jaguars, 27-24. Game highlights: At that holiday weekend game attended by 63,891 over-fed fans, the Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert and the Jacksonville QB Blake Bortles battled in front of mixture of Cardinals and NFL roadie fans. The Cardinals piled up 344 yards to the Jaguars 219 yards. DE Calais Campbell (then with the Jaguars) recovered a fumble and ran the football into the Cardinals end zone for a touchdown. Cardinals WR Jaron Brown hauled in a 52-yard pass for a touchdown. QB Gabbert hit WR Larry Fitzgerald for a 2-point conversion putting the Cardinals up by a touchdown. QB Bortles was credited with 2 touchdown runs of 1 and 17 yards, the last one tying the game! Doh! RB Adrian Peterson (then with the Cardinals) ran for 79 total yards on 20 carries. TE Ricky Seals-Jones (then with the Cardinals) made 4 catches for 72 yards. Lastly, K Phil Dawson (4 for 4 on FGs this day) proved to be the Cardinals hero as he hit a 57-yard FG with 1 second to go in the 4th quarter to win the game. In the 5 games played so far, the Cardinals scored 112 points, and the Jaguars scored 123 points (the Jaguars scored 44 points on the Cardinals defense at their first ever game way back on December 10, 2000). The Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) opened the 2021 season on the road on September 12th, losing to the Houston Texans by the score, 37-21. Playing at home last Sunday on September 19th, the Jaguars lost to the Denver Broncos by the score, 23-13. That game was not as close as the score indicates; more thoughts on that game are offered, below.
Jaguars History. Founded alongside the Carolina Panthers over 28 years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were established on November 30, 1993, joined the NFL in 1995, then immediately aligning to the AFC Conference, Central Division. In 2002, the Jaguars were re-aligned to the South Division. The franchise is owned by the colorful Mr. Shahid Khan. The GM is Mr. Trent Baalke. The HC is Urban Meyer (1st year HC, 2021). The Jaguars enjoyed much success in their first few years in the NFL with 4 consecutive playoff berths earned. However, the team saw the playoffs just 3 times since 2000; last playoff appearance was 2017—also the team’s last winning season finishing at 10-6. The Jaguars are 1 of 4 NFL teams to never play in the Super Bowl (others are the Browns, Lions, and Texans). Team colors are Teal, Black and Gold. Team mascot is Jaxson de Ville. Team nicknames are The Jags, and Sacksonville (year 2017 only). Home of the Jaguars is TIAA Bank Field located on the beautifully landscaped banks of the St. Johns River. Field seating capacity is 69,132 with expansion possible for special events.
Jaguars Today. In 2020, the Jacksonville Jaguars was a horrible team, finishing with a 1-15 won-lost record—by far the Jaguar's worst ever season and embarrassing to the team owner and fandom—resulting in the team claiming the NFL's 1st pick in the 2021 Draft; the #1 pick was not assured until the last game of the season due to near-peers’ Bears, Jets, and Colts similarly sad records. The Jaguars earned an opening season win over the Indianapolis Colts, 27-20, and then was declared dead on arrival (DOA) at football stadiums week after week, losing their next 15 games in a row. The losing streak was mind-numbing, with the Offense managing to score just 306 points while the Defense gave up a whopping 492 points. When Jacksonville (1-10) lost its 10th consecutive game to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the owner had seen enough, and fired the GM on November 29, 2020. On January 4, 2021, the Jaguars fired HC Doug Marrone (1-15), who finished his tenure at Jacksonville with a win/lost record of 25-44 (.363). Overall, QB Gardner Minshew (since traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in the off-season 2021) passed for 2,259 yards, RB James Robinson rushed for 1,070 yards, and WR D.J. Clark caught passes for 706 yards. On August 28th, the Jaguars traded QB Gardner Minshew to the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional 2022 6th round pick. That’s called cleaning house.
Jaguars and Cardinals fans may wonder, "Did the NFL's Jacksonville team improve in the 2021 offseason?" I say, "Yes. And conditionally. Much team-building remains to be done." Jacksonville is presently riding high due to the hiring last January of NCAAF legend Urban Meyer to be the team's next HC. The team can only go up from where it is today (17 losses in a row and counting). The Jaguars had 9 picks in the 2021 draft. No. 1 pick QB Lawrence is just the first piece of a critical roster puzzle that will take a few seasons to install. No.2 pick RB Travis Etienne (5’10”, 215 pounds) was supposed to be another key piece of the Jaguars offense in 2021. However, he injured his left foot in pre-season, underwent surgery on September 2nd, and then was placed on injured reserve (IR) until 2022. Other 2021 draft picks included: Tyson Campbell, cornerback, Georgia; Walker Little, offensive tackle, Stanford; Andre Cisco, safety, Syracuse; Jay Tufele, defensive tackle, USC; Jordan Smith, defensive end, UAB; Luke Farrell, tight end, Ohio State; and Jalen Camp, wide receiver, Georgia Tech. Key Free Agent (FA) signings in the off-season included CB Shaquill Griffin ($44.5M), WR Marvin Jones ($14.5M), S Rayshawn Jenkins ($?M), WR Phillip Dorsett ($?M), RB Carlos Hyde ($6M), DE Dawuane Smoot ($14M), DT Roy Robertson-Harris ($24.4M), DE Jihad Ward ($?M), TE Chris Manhertz ($7.25M), and several more new or old faces. The new HC and new player parts mean that the Jaguars front office is spending whatever money it takes to build a winner at Jacksonville. The future seems much brighter than the recent past for the Jaguars team and fans.
HC Urban Meyer’s NFL record is 0-2 so far in 2021. Jacksonville Jaguars owner’s expectations are high for HC Meyer and the team’s future. Meyer is a legend in the college ranks. His NCAA record is a gaudy 187-32 (.854 win percentage). Personally, HC Meyer is 57 years old, born on July 10, 1964. His wife is Shelly since marriage in 1986. The couple has 3 children. HC Meyer is the author of several books; notables are, “Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Season;” and “Urban’s Way.” He also attended Ohio State University and University of Cincinnati. OSU last paid Meyer $6.5M per year average for a 6-year contract back in 2015. Meyer’s NFL HC pay today is unknown. Meyer was placed on administrative leave in 2018 over a DV case involving former OSU WR coach Zach Smith. Meyer returned to the team and coached again, but he formally retired after the OSU Rose Bowl win in 2019. Between OSU and NFL gigs, Meyer tried his hand as a football commentator for college games with ESPN and FOX Sports networks.
#16 QB Trevor Lawrence is physically huge compared to #1 QB Kyler Murray. Lawrence is 6'6", has a lanky build with a bazooka QB arm, and weighs 213 lbs. He played NCAAF at Clemson University from 2018-2020. He has myriad honors, awards and trophies to his credit. ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranked Lawrence as the 4th highest-graded college QB he had ever evaluated behind the NFL greats QB John Elway, QB Andrew Luck, and QB Peyton Manning. Lawrence's Clemson Tigers earned the CFP National Championship in 2018—Lawrence’s freshman year and an unheard of NCAAF feat until it happened! Lawrence was the USA Today High School Football Player of the Year 2017. Lawrence is known to be a smart, no non-sense, hardworking football player and a straight-arrow type young man. His college trademarks were precision passing and long blonde hair hanging out the back of the Clemson Tiger helmet. Lawrence had successful surgery to repair a torn shoulder labrum in his left shoulder in February 2021. On April 10, 2021, Trevor married his high school sweetheart, the Miss Marissa Mowry. A few weeks later, at the NFL Draft, Lawrence became an NFL QB and rookie millionaire. Along with Lawrence, the Jaguars QBs include #3 C.J. Beathard, 6'2", 215 lbs, 27yo, and #6 Jake Luton, 6'6", 224 lbs, 25yo.
Lawrence versus the Cardinals. Of course, there is no QB record until Lawrence’s first series on Sunday. Across Lawrence's NCAAF QB career his statistics are truly impressive: Games played 40, started 36. Record 34-2. Completions 758, attempts 1,130, for 10,098 yards. Percent completed 66.6%. TDs 90. INTs 17. Rating 164.3. Rushes 231 for 943 yards, averaging 4.1 per attempt, scoring 18 rushing TDs. Someday, Lawrence will begin winning games at the NFL. For now, he’s gaining valuable starter experience. He clearly knows how to manage the game and is demonstrating leadership among the team’s seasoned veterans. For insights into how QB Lawrence performed during the Broncos at Jaguars game last weekend, see this NFL.com link: www.nfl.com/games/broncos-at-jaguars-2021-reg-2?active-tab=watch . Note how Lawrence conducts himself against the Broncos defense. Lawrence showed poise, patience, vision, and judgment operating from under Center, in the shotgun, and in the protected pocket. His passes are tight spirals with good speed and low arc. He rolled out right or left, and broke off a long run when there was an opportunity. His offense moved the chains and scored. In summary, QB Trevor Lawrence will be fun to watch and is dangerous. I do think the Cardinals Defense can manage the Lawrence threat this time.
QBs. Because Rookie QB Lawrence has no head-to-head competition with the Cardinals QB Murray, this section will be short. I do not expect a backup QB to fill in for Lawrence unless there is an injury or blowout—neither are expected by me this game. Lawrence knows how to take care of the football, but he does make some errors on throws, typically high speed and long. Do not expect Lawrence to be easily confused by the Cardinals Defense—he follows the boss’s script. We also know how the Cardinals can play versus a rookie QB, sometimes making a swamp frog into a crowned prince in just one day.
Injury Reports. See FLCF’s post. Moderators will post player injury data provided by the Cardinals medical or coaching staff no more than 24 hours prior to the game. It is NFL policy that, “If any player has a significant or noteworthy injury, it must be listed on the practice report, even if he fully participates in practice and the team expects that he will play in the team’s next game. This is especially important for key players whose injuries may be covered extensively by the media.” Moreover, the policy also reads, “The information must be credible, accurate, timely, and specific within the guidelines of the policy, which is of paramount importance to maintaining the integrity of the game.” Teams found in violation of the policy face the risk of being fined or forfeiting Draft picks.
Roster Information. The Cardinals team roster information (updated weekly) can be reviewed at www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/ARZ . Roster Rules 2021 (COVID-19): (1) Expansion of practice squads to 16 players, including up to 6 who have more than 2 accrued seasons; (2) The ability to protect up to 4 practice squad players per week from being signed by other teams; (3) Elevation of up to 2 practice squad players to the active roster, without removing any current players, before 4 p.m. ET the day before a game; (4) Elevation of 1 additional practice squad player within 90 minutes before kickoff in the event of a late COVID-19 positive test result; (5) Players placed on injured reserve can return after 3 weeks, rather than 6 weeks as in normal seasons; (6) Removal of the limit for how many players can be activated from injured reserve.
Odds. Per the professionals as of September 20th, the Cardinals on the road are 7.0 to 9.5 point favorites over the Jaguars at their house. The O/U is 46.0 to 52.0 points. I like the points and the spread. Take both, and the Cardinals to win.
Referee Crew Information - see www.footballzebras.com/2021/06/officiating-crews-for-the-2021-season/. Referee assigned to Sunday’s game is #14 Shaun Smith. Smith is just in his 7th season as an NFL official. He began as an Umpire in 2015, and was promoted to Referee in 2018. His day job is internal auditor, Michigan. This summer, he was the Referee for the NFL's Hall of Fame game at Canton, OH. Referee Smith last worked a Cardinals game at the Seahawks on September 29, 2019. His crew called 14 total penalties, 7 for 65 yards on the Cardinals and 7 for 44 yards on the Seahawks. Seattle (3-1) beat Arizona (0-3-1) in that horrid game, 27-10. Last week at Arizona, the Referee crew did well. There were no controversial calls, just one booth review on a Cardinals fumble turnover near the end zone, and the game overall moved along. Other past officiating information for awareness: For 2020, NFL games averaged 156.4 plays; there were 40,032 total plays; 99.1% of the plays were officiated on the field without Instant Replay Booth involvement; only 364 of the plays were reviewed; the most commonly reviewed plays were pass completion (82), incomplete pass (47), and runner broke the goal line plane (44).
Weather. The weather during the Broncos at Jaguars game last weekend was partly sunny with occasional light rain showers. There was enough rainfall at times to cause fans to hide under raincoats and for the field officials to change the football between plays. Average temperature in Jacksonville FL in late September is comfortable outdoors day and night. Late September is also peak hurricane season for the western Atlantic—no ocean storms are forecasted to impact the Florida region this weekend. Average daily high temperatures range from 83F-88F. Nighttime temperatures range from 69F-84F. Rainfall amounts can be significant (inches to feet) at anytime. If you are traveling to JAX for the game, and I know that at least a couple Forum members will attend this game in person, recommend check local station for the best kickoff time forecast.
Stadium Information. The TIAA Bank Field is one of those massive unimpeded-field-and-sky-view outdoor multi-purpose stadiums that allows fans and players to enjoy plenty of sunshine/moonshine and sea breezes, and endure occasional torrential downpours. If you bring a large yacht to the game, no problem. Contact the Jacksonville Dockmaster at (904) 630-0839 for an anchorage or tie-up spot on the St. Johns River or at the City docks. The TIAA Bank Field opened on August 18, 1995. Per design standards, this 25-year old stadium is showing its age, yet is comfortable for most heat-and-humidity tolerant Southern fans. For more information, see also www.jaguars.com/stadium/fanguide.
Game Broadcasts. Game will be carried by FOX and 98.7 FM. Kickoff at TIAA Bank Field is 10:00 am sharp MDT, or 1:00 pm EDT.
Next week's game: ARZ (2 - 0) visits LAR (2 - 0). On September 26th, the Buccaneers visit the Rams. Kickoff is 4:25pm, EDT. Can QB Tom Brady stop the Rams and help the Cardinals? Shortly after the Cardinals @ Jaguars game, we’ll see if the NFL’s QB GOAT has some more magic in his bag of tricks out there in Tinsel Town.
Odds and Ends. In 1968, the government of the City of Jacksonville consolidated with the government of Duval County. Since consolidation, all areas of Duval County are considered part of Jacksonville with the exception of four independent municipalities. TIAA Bank Field is located in downtown Jacksonville, the heart of Duval County. JAX fans represent the North Florida region and South Georgia. Although Jags Nation reaches far beyond Duval County, including our fan base in London, a call sign of Jaguars fan unity is "Duuuval."
Cardinals Football Trivia Q&A. How long does it take for the ground crew to move the grass field from outdoors to indoors? About 75 minutes. To open or close the roof? 15 minutes. How much does each roof panel weigh? 550 tons. How many levels are in the SFS? 6. If the SFS seats were line up side by side, how far would the line stretch? About 18 miles. Does not including the seats in the restrooms. How many restrooms are in the stadium? 77. 30 for men. 35 for women. 12 for families. What is the maximum seating capacity of the stadium? 72,200 for BIG events like a SB (several) and WrestleMania XXVI. How long did it take to build SFS? 3 years. How much did it cost to build the SFS? $455 million. If all the concrete used in SFS were made into a sidewalk, how long would the sidewalk be? 900 miles. What was the inspiration for the SFS exterior? A barrel cactus. How many total parking spaces are located in the SFS area, including off-site? 26,000. How much land space does SFS occupy? 25 acres. When did the SFS open? August 3, 2006. What team won the NFC Championship at SFS in 2009? The Arizona Cardinals!
Jaguars Football Trivia Q&A. Who did the Jacksonville Jaguars take with their 1st pick of the NFL's 1995 expansion draft? QB Steve Beuerlin was selected 1st and started game 1 of that season, but he soon lost his starting job to QB Mark Brunell, former GB backup QB. Which Jacksonville Jaguars player in 1995 was so popular that JAX area McDonalds restaurants named a burger after him? McDonalds honored OT Tony Boselli with the "Boselli Burger." The Jacksonville Jaguars had a superb 1999 season, compiling a 15-3 record, including the playoffs. What NFL team beat the Jaguars all three times that year? The Tennessee Titans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars three consecutive times in 1999, assuring a huge team v. team and fan rivalry that lasts through 2021. And the last question: Who was the first head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars? Tom Coughlin was the team's first HC, leading the team from 1995 thru 2002 and to 2 AFC Championship games. Tom's record at JAX was 68-60 for those 7 years.
PutMeIn’s Bottom Line. The Cardinals should have no problem beating the Jaguars on Sunday. The Cardinals Offense is healthy and has many scoring weapons. The Defense is somewhat stingy and is improving. The Special Teams is the best I have witnessed in many years. While the sample size is relatively small with just 2 games played, the Cardinals are scoring 34.5 points per game and yielding 23 points per game. If the Cardinals continue on this current O/D pathway, their end of 2021 season record will easily surpass the 8-8 record from 2020. Okay, so what about the Jacksonville Jaguars performance? (1) What is Meyer trying to achieve right now and (2) how is he using rookie QB Trevor Lawrence? Playing at home last Sunday on September 19th, the Jaguars lost to the Denver Broncos by the score 23-13. That game was not as close as the final score seems. After the Jaguars opening drive for a touchdown, the Broncos completely shut off the Jaguars scoring. The Jaguars ST produced a 102-yard kickoff runback for a touchdown with 6 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. The Jaguars FG kicker earlier missed 2 mid-field tries—one wide right, one wide left. Just 7 points from the Jaguars Offense will not win (m)any NFL games. The Jaguars are a ‘work in progress’ and everyone sees it happening real-time. So, about that Question (1): Meyer is essentially evaluating the playbook, the coaching staff, and the players the first few games. What works, what needs polish, what fails, etc. Meyer is smart—he will adjust, and when he hits an inflection point with the teambuilding process, he will press harder to build and exploit the advantages on the field and in the locker room. Regarding Question (2): It is natural that an experienced HC/OC tightly controls a rookie QB. In other words, there shall be no rookie QB free-lancing on game day. The game’s opening 12-15 offensive plays are typically scripted by the Bosses. Let’s next look at QB Lawrence’s 1st quarter script versus the Broncos Defense—and think about how this might also be the script Meyer / Lawrence uses versus the Cardinals Defense. Here we go. Broncos kicked off to the Jaguars. Lawrence calls the huddle together. Play call 1, QB handoff to RB run up the middle. Play calls 2-3, from shotgun QB passes to left side. Play call 4, from under Center QB passes to middle. Play call 5, QB handoff to RB run up the middle. Play calls 6-7-8-9-10, from shotgun pass to middle, pass to right side, pass to left, pass to right, pass to left. Play call 11, QB handoff to RB run up the middle. Play call 12, from shotgun QB passes to left. And play call 13, from shotgun QB passes to right for a TD. XP kick good. Time used 5:33. That was a good opening act for the Jaguars. But, it also was the only act of the day. The Jaguars can be expected to follow a similar “mix it up” script versus the Cardinals on Sunday. There were plenty shotgun formations. Passes were distributed into all zones—right, middle, left, flats, mid-range, and very deep. The Jaguars ran the ball just enough to keep the Broncos defense tight up on the DLine, or honest so to speak. I reviewed all Jaguars and QB Lawrence game highlights from last week and came away with this bottom line: Meyer wants to win of course, but knows this team can barely compete as built. Meyer will be careful with Lawrence’s development, sort of like a baseball manager managing a pitcher’s pitch count to ensure 7 innings work gets done, but no physical harm is done to the pitcher. Meyer will give Lawrence an occasional green light to innovate on reads, but pre-snap audibles are just not going to happen yet. The Cardinals Defense will be tested early and often by Meyer and QB Lawrence. QB Lawrence has all the mental and physical tools to succeed at the pro level. The Jaguars offense and defense are short some key talent and the owner and GM are working on that issue constantly. Against the Texans, the Jaguars had a reasonably effective game plan, but still lost the game. Against the Broncos, the Jaguars were basically manhandled all day. The Cardinals are a better team than the Jaguars and will win, either by going big or going ugly. Final score: Cardinals 41, Jaguars 9.