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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

Thanksgiving thoughts

Join jaguars.com senior editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.

Aaron from Jacksonville:
The Jaguars have gone six straight games scoring 20 points or more. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that the first time in the history of this franchise that they have done so?

Vic: You're right. Here's another for you: The Jaguars have now gone 11 straight games having scored three or more points but haven't scored 62 points in a game since Jan. 15, 2000. This points stuff is very important. We need to keep a close watch on it.

Jimmy from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:
Why don't these morons start supporting our team by attending the games instead of staying home and watching your "Inside a minute" debacle?

Vic: How dare you refer to my "Inside a minute" viewers as morons.

Dan from Jacksonville:
Please don't take any more letters or calls on radio from people who support or question Byron Leftwich. As a regular reader and listener on the radio, it is akin to arguing the world is round to the flat earth society. He has both good and bad games. With regard to his mechanics, quite frankly, Scarlet, I don't give a damn. It is reminiscent of a Sonny Jurgensen inquiry about his pot belly and his ability to throw the football. He replied something akin to, when I start throwing the ball with my belly, then you should be worried. I have been a spectator of football it seems like 100 years and the only bad mechanics I can recognize are the guys who work on my car.

Vic: Some of the best sportswriters of all-time typed with two fingers. How's that for bad mechanics?

Chris from Albuquerque, NM:
I will be attending the Jaguars game at Arizona this weekend. Can you tell us what color uniforms the Jags will be in so I can pack the right jersey to wear for the game?

Vic: Wow! Color-coordinated fans. When I was a kid, I got a brainstorm and stenciled Bobby Layne's number 22 onto a washed-out yellow sweatshirt I had. I'll never forget that sweatshirt. If you want, I'll get a white sweatshirt and stencil Byron Leftwich's number seven on it for you. Or you could just wear the white jersey you have because the Jaguars will be wearing white this Sunday in Tempe.

A'Drian from Nashville, TN:
Can a coach challenge a call if he has no time outs left?

V'Ic:
No.

Lane from Lake Mary, FL:
If there's so much parity in the NFL, why are there only two teams at 5-5, 11 teams at 7-3 or better and nine teams at 3-7 or worse?

Vic: Truth be known, this year is not the best example of parity. Only half of the teams in the AFC are playoff contenders as we prepare to sit down for Thanksgiving turkey. Parity in the NFL still exists, however, and we know that because a 2-7 team beat a 7-2 team and a 3-6 team won at a 5-4 team this past Sunday, and eight of the league's 16 games this past weekend were decided by eight or fewer points. That's parity, it just isn't showing in the standings.

Shauna from Houston, TX:
Why did Ahman Green last until the third round of the draft? It seems like he's been a star since he entered the league and I can remember him performing well at Nebraska.

Vic: The rap on him was that he was a straight-line runner.

John from Jacksonville:
How did the tradition of Dallas and Detroit playing Thanksgiving Day games get started?

Vic: Answering this question has become a Thanksgiving tradition and I'm a real traditionalist so here's the answer: Detroit had played on Thanksgiving for a long time and when pro football moved into the TV era in the early 1960's, TV made the Packers at Lions the centerpiece of the day's viewing. It became a high-profile event in 1962 when the Lions upset the Packers, who came into the game undefeated. In the early '70's, the NFL wanted to expand coverage to include a four o'clock game and the Cowboys were the natural choice because they had also been playing on Thanksgiving Day. The game was moved to St. Louis for a few years in the mid-'70's but was not successful. Dallas took it back with the promise it would be a permanent Thanksgiving TV host. There has been discussion in recent years about moving the games around but teams aren't lined up to host Thanksgiving Day games. Season ticket holders don't want it and neither do coaches.

Gary from Little Rock, AR:
With all the pressure the Titans were putting on the quarterback, why not put Matt Jones back there and let him play quarterback. The offensive coaching staff needs to think outside the box.

Vic: I kept telling Vito that in the press box on Sunday.

Shane from Washington, DC:
I live in D.C. and rarely get Jags games on TV and never on radio, so I have gotten used to watching them on my cell phone via play-by-play text from NFL.com. It's a great format, especially when I'm standing in line at a store. Given your aptitude and flair for writing, have you ever considered becoming a text play-by-play announcer?

Vic: We'll announce something similar soon. It's not going to be on a cell phone; it'll be part of the jaguars.com game-day coverage. I'm not familiar with the technology and the terminology of what it is we're going to do, but they tell me I'm going to be blogging and I'll be doing this blogging on a play-by-play basis.

Andy from Royal Oak, MI:
You are such a homer. ESPN has the Jags at number 11. How can you justify number three?

Vic: Didn't I tell you, everybody? If I praise the Jaguars, I'll be called a homer. It's such a petty accusation. Why would anyone insult another person because they expressed their opinion on something as meaningless as football rankings?

Amanda from Hollywood, CA:
What are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Vic: It always starts with the kids, especially when they're away from home. I have one in the Air Force and I have one at Penn State and I won't see either one on Thanksgiving. I never sit down to dinner on the holidays, especially on Thanksgiving and Christmas, without looking around the room at the ones who are there and the ones who aren't there and giving thanks that everybody is in good hands and in good health. We have a little Thanksgiving tradition in our family. We sit down in the evening and watch "Christmas Vacation," which gets everyone in the holidays spirit. I've seen the movie so many times it's starting to get tough to watch, but I'm very defensive of tradition. As long as things are going well, why change the routine? This would be a good time to express my thoughts to the "Ask Vic" family. We continue to grow and though I'm sure you become frustrated that your questions aren't always used, I assure you every question is read and considered and your participation is most appreciated. I'll give thanks right now for another football season of being able to communicate with all of you who've honored me with your e-mails. Thank you.

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