Quinn Gray will likely remain the Jaguars' starting quarterback for at least one more week.
"He's likely to walk around this week," coach Jack Del Rio said of David Garrard, who missed Sunday's game in Tampa with a high-ankle sprain Garrard sustained in last Monday's loss to the Colts. "The most likely scenario is that he'll return against the Titans (Nov. 11). It would be very difficult for him to play this week."
Gray quarterbacked the Jaguars to a 24-23 win over the Bucs on Sunday, though he completed only seven passes for 100 yards. One of those completions, however, was an eight-yard game-winner to Matt Jones.
The Jaguars used a run-heavy game plan that produced a 44-16, run-to-pass advantage. Gray clearly threw the ball away when he didn't have a receiver comfortably open and though he didn't produce much offense, neither did he turn the ball over.
"He did enough to help us win," Del Rio said of
Gray. "I believe in balanced football. I also like the idea of winning. If it's throw it 50 times, then we'll throw it 50 times. If it's run it 50 times, we'll run it 50 times. You'd like to throw it and run it 50 times each. Then you know you've had a heckuva day."
The Jaguars did not have a heckuva day on offense, as they gained only 219 total net yards. What they didn't do in the way of game plan they made up for in effort. Del Rio counted on his players to win the battle of wills and they did.
"I saw it right after our (Monday night) game. Paul Spicer stood up in our locker room and talked about the resolve we were going to come back with," Del Rio said.
Gray is expected to be under center this Sunday when the Jaguars play against the 3-4 New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. The Saints are on a three-game winning streak.
Asked if the Jaguars could win again with the same run-heavy game plan, Del Rio turned the discussion away from the quarterback position and toward his overall team.
"I think yesterday's game was more about team. I think too much can be made of one position. More should be made about the tremendous effort of these men who I said emptied their buckets," said Del Rio, who counted off a list of role players who provided major contributions in the win over the Bucs.
Total team effort will also likely be the theme of this week's game.
