Jaguars at Ravens
PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Md.
Sunday, Sept. 10, 2000
AT A GLANCE: The Ravens, who play five of their first seven games on
the road, are looking for their first 2-0 start since moving to Baltimore. The Jaguars
have never lost to the Ravens, going 8-0 over the last four seasons.
|
| OVERVIEW: The Jaguars and Ravens each have lofty
expectations for the 2000 season. The Jaguars have only one goal in mind. They want to
reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. After reaching the AFC
championship game twice in the team’s five-year history, anything short of the NFL
title game will be considered a failure.
Baltimore is focused on making the playoffs — and maybe more with a win over the
Jaguars. Since relocating from Cleveland in 1996, the Ravens have failed to qualify for
the postseason. After getting hot at the end of last season, winning five of their last
seven games, the Ravens are looking to improve on their 8-8 record.
After getting off to a slow start last season, the Ravens are looking for a fast start
this time around. The team hasn’t started a season 2-0 since the relocation.
Both teams are coming off impressive Week One road wins, with Jacksonville topping
Cleveland 27-7 and Baltimore pitching a 16-0 shutout at Pittsburgh.
The Jaguars have history on their side when it comes to playing the Ravens. Since
moving to Baltimore, the Ravens have never beaten Jacksonville. They have fared better vs.
the spread, though, going 4-3-1 vs. the Jaguars. Last season, Baltimore was fairly
reliable vs. the spread, going 9-5-2. The Jaguars were 8-7-1 vs. the spread in ’99.
WHEN THE JAGUARS HAVE THE BALL:
Much of the focus surrounding the Jaguars has been on their injury situation. S Carnell
Lake is out for the year, and ORT Leon Searcy won’t be ready until November. RB Fred
Taylor, C John Wade and WR R. Jay Soward missed the opener, and OLT Tony Boselli was still
trying to return to form after last year’s serious knee injury.
The injury news got even worse last week, when TE Damon Jones was lost for the year
with knee injury and Taylor’s replacement, Stacey Mack, sprained an ankle.
Still, the Jaguars looked like a true Super Bowl threat thanks to the fine play of QB
Mark Brunell and his battery of receivers. If the Jaguars are to have the kind of success
they expect, Brunell has to have games like the one he had last week, when hit on 24-of-34
passes for 301 yards and no interceptions. |
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|
| PSINet Stadium |
| Baltimore, Md. |
| Date: Sunday, September 10, 2000 |
| 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time |
| Type Of Turf: Natural |
| Meeting Of The Year: First |
| Season Record: |
| |
Jacksonville |
1-0-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
1-0-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Jacksonville |
1-0-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
1-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Jacksonville (R) |
1-0-0 |
| |
Baltimore (H) |
0-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Jacksonville (R) |
1-0-0 |
| |
Baltimore (H) |
0-0-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf: |
| |
Jacksonville |
1-0-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
0-0-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
Jacksonville |
1-0-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
0-0-0 |
|
|
| Things will be rougher this week, though, as the Ravens’ defense is one of the
most vaunted in the NFL. Look for MLB Ray Lewis to be extra hungry this week after
recording a fewer-than-normal five tackles last week. Whoever is running the ball this
week — Taylor, Mack or Chris Howard — will face a run defense that allowed only
30 yards last week. That puts even more pressure on Brunell and his standout receivers,
Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. If Soward is ready to go, he’ll add a new dimension
to the offense as the third pass catcher with big-play ability.
Covering the Jaguars’ receivers are CBs Duane Starks and Chris McAlister, the 10th
overall picks in the 1998 and ’99 drafts, respectively. McAlister looks as though
he’s ready to become a big-time NFL corner.
WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL:
The Ravens spent the fifth overall pick in the 2000 draft on RB Jamal Lewis, but it was
an undrafted free agent who stole the show last week. Priest Holmes, who went undrafted in
1997, rushed for 119 yards on 27 carries vs. the Steelers. The offense overall was good
for 140 rushing yards.
It may be difficult for Holmes to have a repeat performance vs. the Jaguars, as former
Buccaneers MLB Hardy Nickerson was signed in the offseason to help strengthen the middle
of the Jacksonville defense. Nickerson led the Jaguars in tackles in his debut game.
WR Qadry Ismail picked up where he left off last season, turning in a seven-catch,
102-yard performance. Rookie WR Travis Taylor has a ton of potential but is still learning
the pro game. TEs Shannon Sharpe and Ben Coates combined for just one catch in the opener
but were useful as decoys. The Ravens’ pass catchers will be challenged by
Jacksonville’s secondary, which features standout CBs Aaron Beasley and Fernando
Bryant but is missing Lake.
The Ravens’ offensive line — especially the OG spots — was somewhat of a
concern entering the season. But it looked very solid last week, even after C Jeff
Mitchell left the game with a knee contusion.
A marquee matchup along the line pits Jaguars DRE Tony Brackens against OLT Jonathan
Ogden. Both are considered among the best in the business at their positions.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Sept. 4, 2000 |
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
82 Ji. SMITH, 86 Whitted |
| OLT |
71 BOSELLI, 78 Fordham |
| OLG |
63 MEESTER*, Je. Smith |
| C |
66 WADE, 65 Neujahr, Je. Smith |
| ORG |
73 STAI, Je. Smith |
| ORT |
77 WIEGERT, 69 Baniewicz, 72 Searcy |
| TE |
80 BRADY, 85 Griffith |
| WR |
87 McCARDELL, 81 Soward*, 84 Barlow |
| QB |
8 BRUNELL, 12 Quinn, 10 Martin |
| RB |
28 TAYLOR, 34 Mack, 24 Howard, 33 Stith* |
| FB |
31 SHELTON |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
97 WYNN, 75 Curry, 92 Meier* |
| DLT |
96 WALKER, 93 Leroy |
| DRT |
91 PAYNE, 94 L. Smith |
| DRE |
90 BRACKENS, 90 Smeenge |
| SLB |
58 MARTS, 55 Clark* |
| MLB |
56 NICKERSON, 53 Slaughter* |
| WLB |
51 HARDY, 55 Clark* |
| LCB |
25 BRYANT, 29 Craft |
| RCB |
21 BEASLEY, 41 Thomas*, 30 Swift |
| SS |
20 DARIUS, 32 Logan |
| FS |
26 STEWART, 45 Olson* |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
4 BARKER, 2 Lindsey |
| PK |
1 HOLLIS, 2 Lindsey |
| H |
2 LINDSEY, 1 Hollis |
| PR |
84 BARLOW, 81 Soward*, 87 McCardell |
| KR |
84 BARLOW, 34 Mack, 86 Whitted |
| LS |
85 GRIFFIN, 66 Wade |
|
* Rookie |
|
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
87 ISMAIL, 86 Davis, 80 Stokley |
| OLT |
75 OGDEN, 71 Folau |
| OLG |
64 MULITALO, 77 Vickers, 74 Bobo |
| C |
60 J. MITCHELL, 62 Flynn |
| ORG |
62 FLYNN, 77 Vickers, 74 Bobo |
| ORT |
70 SWAYNE, 71 Folau, 72 Williams |
| TE |
82 SHARPE, 81 Coates, 47 Jones |
| WR |
89 TAYLOR*, 84 Je. Lewis, 83 Johnson |
| QB |
12 BANKS, 8 Dilfer, 7 Redman* |
| RB |
33 HOLMES, 31 Ja. Lewis* |
| FB |
30 AYANBADEJO, 32 Gash |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
90 BURNETT, 93 K. Washington |
| DLT |
95 ADAMS, 76 Powell, 78 Woodard* |
| DRT |
98 SIRAGUSA, 91 Dalton |
| DRE |
99 McCRARY, 96 Thomas* |
| LLB |
58 BOULWARE, 51 Brown |
| MLB |
52 R. LEWIS, 50 Jackson |
| RLB |
55 SHARPER, 48 Davis, 57 Brigance |
| LCB |
22 STARKS, 35 Bailey |
| RCB |
21 McALISTER, 38 Trapp, 25 Love |
| SS |
20 HERRING, 43 Poindexter |
| FS |
26 WOODSON, 45 Harris, 42 A. Mitchell |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
5 RICHARDSON |
| PK |
3 STOVER |
| H |
5 RICHARDSON, 80 Stokley |
| KR |
45 HARRIS, 87 Ismail, 21 McAlister |
| PR |
84 JE. LEWIS, 80 Stokley, 87 Ismail |
| KC |
88 WAINWRIGHT, 62 Flynn |
* Rookie |
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