JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-7)vs. BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-8) Sunday, November 24, 1996, 1:00 EST Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Md. THIS WEEK: The Jacksonville Jaguars will attempt to win their fifth game of the season and first road game in 13 months when they make their first trip ever to Baltimore for the fourth of six consecutive games against AFC Central Division opponents. Kickoff for Sunday's game is at 1:00 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. The Jaguars, winners of four games so far this season — matching their victory total in their inaugural season of 1995, are coming off a 28-3 loss to the AFC Central Division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. This is the Jaguars' last of five road games in a two-month span in which they have played only two games at home.
1995 (11 games) 1995 (16 games) 1996 (11 games) Total offense (per game) 264.7 280.9 361.5 Total offense (rank) 29th 28th 2nd Rushing yards (per game) 110.7 106.6 101.1 Rushing yards (rank) 13th 17th 19th Passing yards (per game) 154.0 174.4 260.5 Passing yards (rank) 30th 27th 1st Points scored (per game) 16.7 17.2 18.6 Total defense (per game) 340.0 344.7 287.6 Total defense (rank) 20th 21st 8th Rushing yards allowed (per game)127.1 125.2 102.4 Rushing yards allowed (rank) 25th 24th 13th Passing yards allowed (per game)212.0 219.5 185.3 Passing yards allowed (rank) 16th 17th 6th Points allowed (per game) 22.7 25.3 21.5
| STATS AND SUCH: After 11 games, the Jaguars rank second in the NFL in offense and eighth in defense. Only two other teams can claim statistical rankings higher than Jacksonville — Green Bay (third in offense and second in defense heading into its Monday night game against Dallas) and Denver (first in offense and fourth in defense). The Jaguars continue to lead the NFL in passing with 2,865 yards, an average of 260.5 per game, and they have 3,977 total yards on offense, 361.5 a game. They are allowing 287.6 yards per game (102.4 rushing and 185.3 passing). The Jaguars set a team record for net yards passing in a season. They now have 2,865 net passing yards; in 1995 they had 2,790. They are 64 yards behind their 1995 mark for gross passing yards. With 225 first downs, the Jaguars are fifth in the NFL. Their 41.7 third-down conversion percentage is tied for sixth in the league, and they lead the NFL in fourth-down conversions (4 of 5) and are first in opponent's fourth-down conversions (1 of 5). Defensively, the Jaguars have allowed the ninth-fewest first downs in the NFL (198) and they also lead the league in fourth-down conversions (allowing only 1 of 5) Mark Brunell ranks ninth in the AFC and 14th in the NFL in passing with a 80.2 passer rating. His 3,080 passing yards leads the NFL and is 198 yards ahead of New England's Drew Bledsoe, who ranks second. Brunell also has the NFL's second-highest completion percentage at 63.5 behind Dallas' Troy Aikman (who played Monday night). Mike Hollis is 13th in the conference among kickers with 61 points. His field goal percentage of 82.3 (14 of 17) is sixth in the conference. James Stewart is tied for seventh in the AFC and tied for 10th in the NFL with nine TDs. Keenan McCardell is fourth in the AFC and eighth in the league with 62 receptions, and Jimmy Smith is tied for ninth in the conference with 50 catches. McCardell's 805 yards receiving is tied for third in the AFC and tied for eighth in the NFL. Smith is 11th in the AFC with 691 yards. James Stewart continues his pace toward 1,000 yards rushing. He is seventh in the AFC in rushing with 698 yards and eighth with 874 total yards, while McCardell (805) is tied for 12th. Bryan Barker is tied for 12th in the conference with a 34.5-yard net punting average. Chris Hudson is second in the conference and fourth in the NFL with a 12.8-yard punt return average. DE Clyde Simmons is eighth in the AFC with 6.5 sacks. The Jaguars have had at least one play of 30-plus yards in 10 of their 11 games this year after doing so in only seven games last season. They have 20 plays to date which gained 30-plus yards after totaling only 12 30-plus plays in 1995. Three players have at least one reception in every game this season — WRs Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith and tight end Pete Mitchell. Mitchell's active streak of 20 games with a reception leads the team, with Smith's string of 19 ranking second. The Jaguars have outscored their opponents in the third quarter (59-43) and have been outscored in the first (34-56), second (58-78) and fourth (54-56) quarters. The Jaguars have already scored more points in the third quarter (59) than in the third quarter in all of 1995 (28). In two seasons, the Jaguars are 2-7 in September, 4-5 in October, 1-4 in November and 1-3 in December. Four offensive players have started all 10 games so far this season (QB Mark Brunell, G Ben Coleman and OTs Tony Boselli and Leon Searcy). On defense, three players have started every game: LB Kevin Hardy, CB Mickey Washington and FS Chris Hudson.
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