Join jaguars.com senior editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.
Tim from St. Augustine, FL
How do you think Porter is looking in practice and what is your impression of Harvey?
Vic: Once training camp ends, practices are closed to the media for the remainder of the season. That’s why I can’t answer your question.
Kevin from Jacksonville
I respect the fact that you put the Giants at number one on your power rankings, however, your rankings are the only rankings that have them on top. What gives you the confidence they're the strongest team right now?
Vic: I don’t think they are. I thought it was understood that my number one team to start the season is the previous year’s Super Bowl champion. I don’t have a post-Super Bowl power rankings, so this could possibly be the only chance for the Super Bowl champion to stand alone at the top of my all-important power rankings. In the Giants’ case, at no time last season were they my number one team. Don’t you think the Super Bowl champion deserves at least one week at the top?
Miguel from Jacksonville
After reading Mike Freeman's opinion, it reminded me about the irresponsible writing on the Internet you wrote about. What is his beef with Jacksonville?
Vic: Mike isn’t what I had in mind. He’s a good man and a top writer and I don’t think he has any venom at all for Jacksonville or the Jaguars. I promise you, what Mike wrote Mike believes. I will not take the same position right now, however, because we don’t know the facts. How about all of the columnists who jumped the gun on the Sean Taylor murder? Do you think they wished they had waited until all the facts were in? My position on Richard Collier is that the first thing we have to do is wait and pray that he walks out of the hospital healthy and able to resume his young and promising life. In my opinion, we then have to wait for law enforcement to do its job and provide us with the facts involved with Collier having been shot. At that point, I would feel free to voice my opinion.
Pidro from Manila, Philippines
Your thoughts on Charles Spencer?
Vic: He’s a guy the Jaguars really liked in the 2006 draft. In fact, he was a strong consideration for the Jags’ second-round pick that year. The Jaguars used that pick, of course, to select Maurice Jones-Drew. Spencer was headed for a top career when, in just the second game of his rookie season, he sustained a major leg injury and he hasn’t played a down since. Can he get his movement back? That’s the question.
John from Mount Vernon, WA
I know Del Rio won't say publicly but, with Reggie Williams not practicing with a hamstring pull, do you think it’s more likely now that we'll see Jerry Porter play on Sunday?
Vic: Williams was a full participant in practice on Thursday; Porter was limited. At this point, I would expect Williams to play on Sunday and, based on Jack Del Rio’s statement about getting two weeks of practice for Porter before he plays, I would not expect Porter to play on Sunday.
Nate from Jacksonville
How much playing time will Harvey get this Sunday, if any?
Vic: Coach Del Rio has already said that Derrick Harvey will be part of the defensive line rotation on Sunday. I would expect him to see considerable action.
Hunter from Jacksonville
I saw on the Dallas Cowboys “Hard Knocks” program that one of their players was offered more money to be on another team’s practice squad. Is this a signing bonus or can a player be paid less than the $5,200 a week.
Vic: A player may not earn fewer than $5,200 a week; that’s the minimum wage. Teams may pay practice squad players more, if they wish.
Pulin from Jacksonville
Do you think Jeff Fisher's comments about the Jags being an elite team are sincere? Maybe I'm just wary of him due to his success against us in the past, but to me it seems he's just buttering the team up and trying to make the players overly confident.
Vic: I thought you guys wanted respect. Fisher just gave it to you. I like the guy. He doesn’t talk down to the media and he seems willing to provide honest answers to questions. He’s very good at the media process. When he detects a question is potentially dangerous to him or his team, he shuts down or he deflects it. I’m fine with that. He’s the kind of coach with whom a reporter can have a respectful professional relationship.
John from Fernandina Beach, FL
Facts based on innuendo and ignorance are not facts, are they?
Vic: The truth is the pure defense. Find the truth and you will find the facts.
Jeff from Westminster, CO
I enjoyed reading your key matchups analysis, Vic. I'm sure I speak for other readers when I say we'd love to read that analysis before every game. It gives us something extra to watch for on Sunday.
Vic: Just ask.
David from Montreal, Quebec
So how did that talk with John Clayton go? He's obviously got it in for the Jaguars, ranking them 14th in his power rankings.
Vic: He doesn’t have it in for the Jaguars. He’s just not especially impressed by what he sees. He may be wrong or he may be right. What does it matter?
Al from Fruit Cove, FL
I understand the importance of a left tackle in protecting the QB's blind side, but are the skills involved different for a right tackle? Would you flip your tackles if you had a left-handed QB in the game?
Vic: It’s not that the skill sets are radically different, it’s just that left tackles are better pass-blockers than right tackles because they usually face better pass-rushers. Most teams want their best pass-rushers with their right hand on the ground. Most teams want their best pass-rushers coming from a quarterback’s blind side, for the obvious reason. That would be especially true in the case of David Garrard, who’s athletic enough to run away from any rusher, as long as he can see him coming. Flip the tackles? The rule of thumb is that left tackles can play right tackle but right tackles usually can’t play left tackle, for the reason I provided.
Don from Richmond, KY
Loved your story about Joe Greene's leadership and command for respect. What was his first training camp and rookie season like?
Vic: They asked him to stand up and sing his college fight song and he said no. That ended singing and hazing, which I absolutely despise.
Jim from Jacksonville
The media cannot be blamed for anything, can it?
Vic: Sure it can. It can be blamed for inaccuracies, but define what is and what isn’t credible media. You can tell.
Andy from Fort Collins, CO
I read on another website that Richard Collier has been added to the non-football injury list. When the Chargers put Steve Foley on the NFL list a couple of years ago after he was shot, it was reported that the team chose not to pay him his base salary for the year, perhaps based on the circumstances surrounding the incident. Who decides whether or not Collier will be paid his salary for the year and what do you expect they will decide?
Vic: The team decides and I can’t speak for the team. The Chargers didn’t pay Foley his salary but they did allow him to keep his $875,000 roster bonus. In the case of a non-football injury, the team is not required to pay a player’s salary.
Marty from Tipton, IN
Are the Redskins really this bad?
Vic: I had them at 29 in my all-important power rankings.
Jim from Jacksonville
It is my understanding that coach Del Rio usually has two press conferences on Wednesdays, one for television and one for print. Do you attend both? Are there big differences how they are run?
Vic: Yes, there are separate, consecutive sessions, one for electronic media and another for print media. I attend the print session. Jaguars.com’s video team attends the electronic media session, which then affords us full coverage.
Charles from Jacksonville
Being the legal guardian for three nephews puts Richard Collier way up on the list of people I respect. Here's hoping you get to do an interview with him before long.
Vic: That’s a story I was planning on doing. I was just waiting for the right time.