Jaguars-Saints Scouting Report
 

By LES EAST
Special to The Advocate
Published: Oct 31, 2007

WHEN:

Noon, Sunday

WHERE:

Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans

TV, RADIO

CBS, WJBO-AM (1150)

RECORDS

Records: Jaguars: 5-2; Saints: 3-4

LAST WEEK

Jaguars: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-23

Saints: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-10

COACHES

Jaguars: Jack Del Rio, 5th season (39-32)

Saints: Sean Payton, 2nd season (14-11)

NFL RANKINGS

Offense (league rank in parentheses)

Points: Jaguars, 18.7 (22); Saints, 18.9 (21)

Total yards: Jaguars, 317.3 (20); Saints, 334.9 (12). Rushing: Jaguars, 146.3 (4); Saints, 91.7 (23). Passing: Jaguars, 171.0 (27); Saints, 243.1 [8]

Defense (league rank in parentheses)

Points: Jaguars, 15.7 (4); Saints, 23.1 (23)

Total yards: Jaguars, 327.6 (T15); Saints, 332.6 (19). Rushing: Jaguars, 108.4 (T15); Saints, 98.1 (10). Passing: Jaguars, 219.1 (19); Saints, 234.4 (25)

KEY PLAYERS

Jaguars: QB Quinn Gray, RB Fred Taylor, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, DE Paul Spicer, CB Rashean Mathis, SS Sammy Knight.

Saints: QB Drew Brees, RB Reggie Bush, WR Marques Colston, DE Will Smith, DE Charles Grant, OLB Scott Fujita.

JAGUARS SCOUTING REPORT

Offense: The Jaguars leaned heavily on their running game and ran a very conservative passing attack last week in their first full game without injured quarterback David Garrard (ankle). His replacement, Gray, wasn’t asked to do much and often overthrew open receivers (7-of-16 for 100 yards), but he did complete the game-winning, 8-yard touchdown to Matt Jones in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville ran the ball on its first 14 plays and finished with 133 yards rushing. Look for a similar reliance on the running game, even though the Saints haven’t allowed 100 yards rushing in their last six games.

Defense: The defense forced three turnovers, including Aaron Glenn’s interception return for a touchdown, in the win at Tampa Bay last week. The Jaguars have allowed just one touchdown and 16 points in the first quarter this season. They’ve allowed just two field goals on opponents’ opening possessions. Jacksonville is tied for seventh with 19 sacks, led by Spicer’s five. Though they’re in the middle of the pack in yards allowed, the Jaguars are fourth in points allowed. They’ve made eight interceptions and recovered four fumbles, making them plus-4 in turnovers, ninth in the league.

Special teams: The Jaguars received good and bad from the punt team last week. A partially blocked punt helped set up a Tampa Bay touchdown, but Adam Podlesh’s 76-yard punt in the fourth quarter helped Jacksonville preserve a one-point lead. Former Saints PK John Carney is 7-for-7 from 39 yards or closer, but 1-for-3 beyond 39. Jones-Drew’s kickoff return average of 28.4 ranks seventh among players with 12 or more returns.

JAGUARS FACTS

The Jaguars are tied with Tennessee for second place in the AFC South, two games behind undefeated Indianapolis. … Jacksonville is 3-0 on the road. … This is the middle game of the NFL’s only three-game road trip this season. … Taylor needs 73 yards rushing to become the 21st player in NFL history with 10,000 yards rushing. … Former LSU RB LaBrandon Toefield was active for the first time last week, carrying six times for 12 yards and scoring a touchdown. … Del Rio is a former Saints player and assistant coach.

2theadvocate.com | Saints | Jaguars-Saints Scouting Report — Baton Rouge, LA