JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Football is back! Well, preseason football at least.
Thursday night against the Saints went very well. So well in fact that I’m feeling very good about this football team, and I’m going to do something that I very rarely do. I'm making a preseason prediction.
The Jaguars are going to win the Super Bowl!
I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but this team has everything an NFL team needs to be World Champions. And here are my reasons why:
1. We have a quarterback.
To win a Super Bowl, you need a quarterback. A good one. Sure, there are exceptions. Sometimes a Trent Dilfer or a Joe Flacco wins you one, but it's rare. I believe our QB has what it takes to win a championship.
Last year, he was about six minutes away from getting us there. He has playoff experience. He is as physically and mentally tough as any quarterback in the NFL. And most important: he knows his role.
Blake knows he doesn’t have to be Drew Brees or Tom Brady. Blake also knows he has a good defense and a solid run game. If he is careful with the ball, plays within the system and makes good decisions in the passing game, the Jaguars could very well win it all.
2. We have a defense. Boy, do we have a defense.
The Jaguars have had good defenses in the past, but not like this. This defense is stacked. This defense has depth.
I’ve heard talk about these players believing they can be one of the best defenses ever. Honestly, I don’t like hearing that out of the locker room before a season, but perhaps they are right. They very well could end up being the best ever.
But here is a very important point: great defenses are only remembered when their team wins the Super Bowl.
3. We have the leadership.
I believe to win a Super Bowl there has to be somebody at the top who knows what it's supposed to look like. Jaguars exec Tom Coughlin knows what it’s supposed to look like. He’s done it twice as a head coach. I believe bringing Tom back had everything to do with the Jaguars' surprise season last year. Make no mistake, without Tom’s leadership last year, last year doesn’t happen.
4. We work!
The only time SUCCESS comes before WORK is in the dictionary. Teams that are willing to work hard in training camp are, by and large, the teams that enjoy the most success during the season.
Old school is still the best school. Doug Marrone understands this. He challenges his players. He makes them uncomfortable. He wants them to grumble. He believes that if they aren’t grumbling, then they aren’t getting pushed hard enough. And he’s right!
If a good team is willing to work in August, that same team will win in January. Last year was a great example.
5. We deserve it!
OK, this really isn’t a good reason why we are going to win it all, but dang it, it's time.
Our fans enjoyed early success but had to endure a lot of tough years with the team. Now, the Jaguars are back. Jacksonville once again has a team to be proud of. And perhaps, come February, the Jaguars will hoist the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl Champions.
I believe they will.
Go Jags!