Jaguars Enter Uncertainty With Gray

David Garrard overcame a lot of skeptics during the first half of the season by being efficient and protecting the football.  Now the Jaguars have another quarterback in the lineup that must overcome skeptics in Quinn Gray. 

Gray has the physical tools and mobility to play at this level.  He has the ability to push the ball downfield and has possesses some natural instincts.  Unfortunately, he’s had problems with accuracy in the past and needs a lot more repetitions in terms of understanding defenses.  That’s going to be a challenge over the next couple weeks as opposing defensive coaches will challenge Gray with a lot of different looks. 

The objective for Gray will not be much different than it was for Garrard.  As solid as Garrard’s performance has been, the Jaguars are heavily weighted around a solid run game and strong defense.  That means Gray won’t need to carry the offense by making a lot of plays through the air.  Gray just has to minimize his mistakes and keep the chains moving in critical third down situations. 

Expect Tampa Bay’s Monte Kiffin to bring a lot of pressure off the edge and force Gray into forcing a few balls. 

More League Thoughts:

Another day in Atlanta, another star player opens his mouth.  DeAngelo Hall trashed Bob Petrino publicly for the second time this season.  Similar to what I recommended about Alge Crumpler yesterday, I believe the Falcons have to think about parting ways with Hall.  I believe they should sit down with Hall and see if they can repair the relationship before acting hastily.  When building the core of a football team – you want your best players to form the majority of your leadership core.  Unfortunately, Hall is too me-oriented to fill that role.   At the same time, when planning on trading away a star player, there must be a strong plan to replace that talent. 

Rookie Quentin Moses has joined his third team already when he signed with the Miami Dolphins.  Moses has the quickness and upfield potential to develop into a solid pass rusher, but he needs an off-season in the weight room to add bulk.  Moses simply hasn’t been ready for the physical demands of the NFL game.  He also needs time to learn how to play at the point of attack and develop some counter moves as a pass rusher.   He should watch Jason Taylor very closely over the next several weeks to learn some of the nuances that made him a successful pass rusher. 

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