Adam Podlesh is quietly putting together the most productive season of his career in 2010. Podlesh, a fourth-round draft pick in 2007, has a 39.0-yard net average on 46 punts which would be a franchise-record if the season ended today.
Podlesh has thrived on getting the Jaguars hidden yardage or flipping the field. Half of Podlesh's 46 punts (23) have been downed inside the 20-yard line. His 23 punts downed inside the 20 match his career-high from 2009.
He has allowed only 13 punt returns, the fewest in the NFL. The fewest punt returns allowed in team history came in 1997 with 29. In 14 games, opponents have more than one punt return in only three games.
JAGUARS HIGHEST NET SINGLE-SEASON PUNTING AVERAGE
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RK PLAYER, YEAR AVG. (PUNTS) 1. Adam Podlesh, 2010 39.0 (46) 2. Bryan Barker, 1997 38.8 (66) 3. Bryan Barker, 1995 38.6 (82) |
2011 schedule shaping up
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Jaguars 2011 schedule is falling into palce. The two remaining opponents will come from the AFC West and AFC East based on final standings, and those teams would be San Diego and the New York Jets if the season ended today. Here's the list:
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2011 HOME GAMES 2010 RECORD Indianapolis Colts 8-6 Houston Texans 5-9 Tennessee Titans 6-8 Baltimore Ravens 10-4 Cincinnati Bengals 3-11 New Orleans Saints 10-4 Tampa Bay Bucs 8-6 AFC West opponent |
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2011 AWAY GAMES 2010 RECORD Cleveland Browns 5-9 Pittsburgh Steelers 10-4 Atlanta Falcons 12-2 Carolina Panthers 2-12 Indianapolis Colts 8-6 Tennessee Titans 6-8 Houston Texans 5-9 AFC East opponent |
Tough opponents
The Redskins are one of seven teams the Jaguars have a below-.500 record against in regular season play, joining Chicago (2-3), Indianapolis (5-15), Minnesota (1-3), New England (0-5), St. Louis (1-2) and Seattle (2-4).
Did you know?
The Jaguars own an 18-13 mark against the NFC under head coach Jack Del Rio since 2003 with a 12-3 mark at home.
Smith compiles 20 tackles
Daryl Smith made his presence known last Sunday at Indianapolis, finishing with a career-high 20 tackles along with two tackles for loss and the club's lone sack. The 20 tackles tied for the fifth-most in franchise history and were the most in a game since 2001.
"I thought he played a heck of a football game, probably his best game," Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio said. "He's had some good games, he's been a good player. I've talked about him being Pro Bowl-worthy for a number of years. I thought that was one of his best moments as a Jaguar in one of the biggest games that we've had here, to play like that. He wasn't alone, we had some other guys that played really, really well. But Daryl in particular stood out."
JAGUARS MOST SINGLE GAME TACKLES
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RK PLAYER, OPPONENT TACKLES 1. Hardy Nickerson, 11/25/01 vs. Baltimore 23 2. T.J. Slaughter, 11/25/01 vs. Baltimore 22 Wali Rainer, 10/13/02 at Tennessee 22 4. Bryan Schwartz, 12/17/95 at Detroit 21 5. Kevin Hardy, 11/1/98 at Baltimore 20 Daryl Smith, 12/19/10 at Indianapolis 20 |
Home game performances
The Jaguars are looking to get their sixth home win of the season on Sunday which would tie for the best mark under head coach Jack Del Rio. The Jaguars have won seven home games in four different seasons (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999).
- The Jaguars are 5-2 at home in 2010 with wins in the last three games.
- The Jaguars have not had a home game blacked out this season after having seven blackouts in 2009.
- David Garrard has thrown for two or more touchdowns in five of seven home games in 2010 including three in the season-opener against Denver and against Oakland on Dec. 12.
- Maurice Jones-Drew has seven 100-yard rushing games and four have been at home including three straight. He had 101 rushing yards in the last game at EverBank Field on Dec. 12 vs. Oakland.
- Marcedes Lewis has five of his nine receiving touchdowns in home games including scores in the last two home games.
- The Jaguars are averaging 22.0 points in their seven home games in 2010 with 19 touchdowns (7 rushing, 12 passing). The Jaguars have scored 30-plus points in three of the seven games including a season-high 38 in a win over Oakland on Dec. 12. The Jaguars are averaging 152.4 rushing yards in the seven games.
Karim on pace to set single-season marks
Rookie kick returner Deji Karim missed the first four regular season games after injuring a thumb in the second preseason game, but he has been in the lineup as the club's kick returner in nine games. Karim, a sixth-round pick, has produced a 25.8-yard average on 41 returns including a 65-yard return on Dec. 12 against Oakland to set up the game-winning score.
JAGUARS MOST SINGLE-SEASON KICKOFF RETURNS
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RK PLAYER, YEAR RETURNS (YARDS) 1. Brian Witherspoon, 2008 52 (1,250) 2. Deji Karim, 2010 41 (1,058) David Allen, 2003 41 (831) 4. Derrick Wimbush, 2005 39 (955) |
JAGUARS MOST SINGLE-SEASON KICKOFF RETURN YARDS
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RK PLAYER, YEAR YARDS (RETURNS) 1. Brian Witherspoon, 2008 1,250 (52) 2. Deji Karim, 2010 1,058 (41) 3. Derrick Wimbush, 2005 955 (39) |
50-yard field goal, no problem
There have been 27 kickers in the NFL this season who have made a field goal of 50 yards or more. If an additional kicker converts a 50-yard attempt this season, the 2010 season will tie 2008 for the most players (28) to make a 50-yard field goal since 1970.
Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee hit his only two field goals of 50-plus yards in consecutive weeks as he was good from 51 yards in week three against Philadelphia and followed with a franchise-record 59-yard field goal against Indianapolis. Miami's Dan Carpenter connected on a 60-yard field goal against Cleveland in week 14, the longest in the NFL this season.
The last word
"I think we're probably another year into the process that we started last year. We really never wanted to call it 'rebuild' because it has a negative connotation but that's really what we did. It's not common that a guy in the seventh year as a head coach begins a new rebuild, but that's what we did. We're kind of two years into it, we've really established some things culture-wise. I think in the locker room, we've added depth and strength to our roster, we've got a name on our stadium, and all the things we just got done talking about that certainly give it a much different feel because we all know what we're doing right now and I think everybody that's watching our team understands that."
Jack Del Rio on how far the team has come in one year
