It was back to work today as the Jaguars took to the practice field for the first time since last Friday. Bye-bye bye week, hello New York Jets.
"I'm going to make sure they pay attention. This is a talented team. This is the NFL," coach Tom Coughlin told reporters prior to this afternoon's practice.
The 1-2 Jets are coming off embarrassing losses (74-10 combined) in New England and in Miami. Had it not been for two kickoff returns for touchdowns by Chad Morton in the Jets' season-opener in Buffalo, the situation would be even worse for coach Herman Edwards and company.
But this is the NFL, where any team truly is capable of beating another on any given Sunday, as evidenced by the Kansas City Chiefs' near upset of the Super Bowl-champion Patriots this past Sunday. After the Jaguars' dominating win in Kansas City the previous Sunday, who would've given the Chiefs any chance in New England?
"I don't think anything surprises anybody about this league," Coughlin said. "I think any team is a dangerous team to play. I cautioned them to (not) be distracted about what's being said by the media," Coughlin added of his address to his team today.
The Jets are 30th in the league in total offense, dead last in rushing offense, 29th in total defense and next to last in rushing defense. How would you like to hang your hat on a 24th ranking in pass-defense?
But who are the Jaguars to become complacent?
"We're 1-1. We're in no position to be overconfident," quarterback Mark Brunell said. "Every Sunday is a new day. It's the team that wants it the most that's probably going to win the game," he added.
In today's unpredictable NFL, neither the Rams nor the Steelers, the two teams favored to win their respective conference titles, have won a game. Did Steve Spurrier really believe he was going to duplicate in Washington the success he had at Florida? Parity, coach, parity.
"They've got the ability to come in here and give us a rough time," Brunell said of the Jets. "The pressure is on. They're going to want to come to Jacksonville and prove something."
The Jaguars can prove their win in Kansas City was no fluke. They can improve their record to 2-1 and tie the idle Indianapolis Colts for first place in the AFC South. And the Jaguars can do all of this in the comfort of their own heat and humidity, on a week's rest. For the Jets, it's a return trip to Florida after having melted in Miami the previous Sunday.
"Hopefully it'll be an advantage for us," Coughlin said of the one o'clock, heat-of-the-day starting time.
Cornerback Jason Craft (chest contusion) and defensive end Paul Spicer (bruised foot) returned to practice today. Coughlin said they would participate in 50 percent of the work but seemed to believe both will intensify their work as the week lengthens.
