Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Blaine Gabbert to start for Jaguars against Carolina Panthers

Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio has decided to make it an all-rookie matchup at quarterback this Sunday -- Blaine Gabbert will make his first career start for the Jaguars against Carolina and Cam Newton.

Cam was the No.1 overall pick in April's draft, of course. Gabbert was No.10. The Jaguars got such horrid quarterback play Sunday from Luke McCown in a 32-3 loss to the New York Jets that Del Rio has pulled the trigger relatively early on this move. This comes only a couple of weeks after the Jaguars' original starting quarterback, David Garrard, was surprisingly cut just days before the start of the regular season and replaced my McCown. McCown won in the opener but then threw four interceptions and was sacked for a safety against the Jets.

Gabbert, a two-year starter at Missouri, didn't have a strong preseason. Newton didn't either, of course, but has come on like wildfire since then, becoming the first NFL quarterback ever to throw for more than 400 yards in each of his first two games (however, the Panthers are 0-2).

The move is interesting, too, because Del Rio is in a far different place in his career than Panther coach Ron Rivera.

While Rivera is in his first season, joined at the hip with Newton and squarely in the middle of his honeymoon period, Del Rio is widely believed to be coaching for his future. If Jacksonville (1-1) doesn't make the playoffs this season, it's expected that the former Panther defensive coordinator won't be retained.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not quite sure how to take it...if McCown played so poorly last week or Jags. think this is a good week to start a rookie against what they think is a soft defense.

"D" looked pretty good last week, seeing improvement. Good week to build confidence all around, let's hope!

Anonymous said...

Interesting, two rookies go head to head next week. Newton and Dalton have already proved they can play, we will see what Gabbert can do.

Toadstool said...

Jags 28
Cats 12

Anonymous said...

Cats 35
Jags 7

Newton.....270 yrds passing
Stewart 78 rushing
Smith 110 yds

Captain gets two picks off Gabbert!

Anonymous said...

Two NFL expansion teams from 1995.

Overall since 1995:
134-124 Jags 51.7% won
125-141 Pans 46.9% won

Jags played Pans 5 times in 1995 1996 1999 2003 2007 and won 3 in 1996 1999 2007.

6'6" 255 lb Gabbert gets 1st start. Gab grad from U Missouri 2010 with Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering 3.8 GPA.

GO JAGS

Anonymous said...

If they both came into the league at the same time, why have the Panthers played so many more games than the Jags? Hehe. Oh, I know, because the Panthers have made the plyoffs many more times and progressed much further when they did than the Jags. Makes that funny little overall winning percentage you posted seem quite silly now doesn't it. Go Panthers!

Anonymous said...

won't be retained? what a nice way to put that.

Anonymous said...

No reason the run game shouldn't get on track this week. It's been two weeks and the league clearly knows Cam can throw the rock now. Teams planned on our run game the last two weeks but now know they must defend the passing game heavily. Our tandem should flourish this week and beyond.

Anonymous said...

Dude, Blaine Gabbert is only 6'5" 235 lbs, you are a little off my friend. I love it when people come up with numbers in their heads. Carolina will beat up on Del Rio's team, Cam and Gross will not be pissed off after this one. The Jaguars, Cheifs and Seahawks are what everyone thought the Panthers would be. Yes we are 0-2, but that will all change Sunday.
I think newton and the running game have their most complete game of the season. The deffense will play good, but will give way to Jones-Drew a little, but for the most part keep him in check. I think Gabbert will play decently for a rookie in his first start, but nothing historic (like Newton). I'm thinking the Jags will hang in there for a little while, but ultimately the Panthers Roar to a 27-14 victory.
GO-PANTHERS!!!!!!! & GO-PACK!!!!!!!
WOLFPACK that is ;)

Anonymous said...

Panthers fan, who lives in Jacksonville here. Don't count too much on running this week. Jags held Chris Johnson to 24 & Shonn Greene to 49 in the first two weeks. Hopefully we get it going, but I'm not counting on it.

Sportsdon said...

What is most interesting to me, is that we were debating if Gabbert should have been our QB pick. It looks like we chose correctly, but a lot of "experts" didn't think so at the time. I'll be there Sunday, and can't wait for the great story to unfold before me.

Anonymous said...

agree the jags are due and the real confused weak arm eratic newton will surface after smith fades into obscurity for his bozo trash.

after that lacklster 8-8 in 2010 its time to bust open a can of whoopass on these hicks with blaine.

Anonymous said...

Why are there so many Jaguars fans here? Isn't this a Charlotte paper?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 5:21,
Please repost using some form of literate language and perhaps someone will be able to comprehend what the he!! you are talking about!!

J. Simpson said...

Who said Cam Newton has a weak arm? I am very pleased with his arm strength... he did chunk one 65 yards in the air last week and I'm sure he had more heat to put on it if needed. It doesn't seem that you know much about football. Just sayin

J. Simpson said...

Why would someone from Charlotte pull for the Jags? Might as well pull for Oakland or at least a team with nice uniforms or with some redeeming quality. Jags suck! Panthers win 31 to 3

itsjimmyon said...

Prob a bunch of Jags fans reading all the articles on their team and posting on here. I'm a Broncos fan, too, and occassionally post on the Denver Post in these articles. I will be at the game Sunday and expect the Panthers to get Ron Rivera his first win. Looking forward to a very pro-Panthers crowd at this one, as opposed to the quiet Panthers crowds from recent years when teams like the Steelers, Cowboys, Skins, Giants, etc., you know, the older historic teams w/large followings everywhere, come out of the woodwork. Go Panthers!

Anonymous said...

How many times do I have to tell other idiot fans this? If you are not a Panthers fan, get the holy hell off this papers web-site.
Our team will hits some bumps along the way, but will put some bumps on some heads also.
There is reason to look up in Carolina, because I like what the coaching staff is doing. They are not afaid to let their playmakers make plays. They are making plays, I know they will figure out how to make plays at the right times, a lot sooner than people think.
Gabbert is going to be good, just not great, because Del Rio is too much like Fox. Gabbert didnt wow me like Newton did in college. Newton had 50 total TDs, Gabbert had 16 TDs and 9 INTs. Newton had 30 in the air and 20 on the ground.
Gabbert needs time, Newton's time is now.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Cam will remove the towel from his haid when his big white money endorsements tell him to do so.

Ain't that right boy?

Anonymous said...

WTF?

JAGS BY 14

Anonymous said...

Wow
there are actually JAG fans???

Cheer now boys...

that team will be in
CALIFORNIA in two years MAX

Kenneth said...

Anonymous 9:06 am,

You cracked me up. Do you really think that black people are that stupid? Man you know that you aren't black. You don't even sound black. And the thing is a person isn't racist if the criticize Newton. But at this point what is there to criticize? I've seen alot of football, but I've never seen a rookie quarterback this impressive. And what in the world does the fact that we have a black president have to do with it? But be honest it kills you that a black man is the president doesn't it? LOL!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Jon Beason goes down with a season-ending Achilles injury. Thomas Davis goes down with another season-ending torn ACL. Jack Del Rio decides to bench McCown in favor of Gabbert during the same week. Coincidence? I think not.

The silver lining is that the Panthers have a deep linebacking core of very good players. I don't think Del Rio is going to give quite the gift to Gabbert he expected.

Anonymous said...

Over a million articles worldwide in every media outlet on the biggest criminal rookie scandal to ever hit the NFL and professional sports now being covered up and ignored.

www.thenewstribune.com/2010/11/10/1417628/newtons-problem-integrity.html

www.palmbeachpost.com/.../ufblog/entries/2008/11/21/gators_quarterback_cam_newton.html


www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/college/cam-newton-lame-laptop-thief

www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2008/11/21/1122gatorsqb.html

www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2010/11/17/1815927/cam-newton-investigation-ncaa-auburn

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/05/sportsline/main7025408.shtml

newsone.com/entertainment/sports-entertainment/newsonestaff2/report-cam-newton-and...

www.tidefans.com/forums/football/113768-eligible-heisman-criminal-record-2.html

www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/09/cam-newton-cheated_n_780818.html

www.extremeskins.com/...344146-A-Closer-Look-at-2011-QB-Prospects-Cam-Newton/page42

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5975072/cam_newton_arrested_with_stolen_property.html

Anonymous said...

A leopard cant change its spots, a cushite cant change his skin...

in time Cam will blow up.

and not on the field.........

aint that right boy?

Anonymous said...

keep it up ...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20022371-504083.html

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ys-forbesnewton111010

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/football/newton_scandal_could_turn_college_k23ptxpnciNTAqIlAD8M4I

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/03/cam-newton-scandal-finger-pointing-or-legitimate-gripe/

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Source-says-Newton-left-Florida-after-cheating-scandal

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5981870/cam_newton_scandal.html?cat=9

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5981870/cam_newton_scandal.html?cat=9

Anonymous said...

What color should fans wear sunday for the game?

Anonymous said...

Hopefully the jags will lose their anal retention and release the p.o.s known as del rio. No one left to blame losses on now. And Im a jags fan but Im happy that cam is doing so well. Way to silence the critics by stuffing a big ol statistical d*ck in their mouths lol. Especially the guy who wrote that "he plays to the cameras, always knows where they are and smiles too much." Seriously?? I smell hatred and a lil jealousy maybe?? Well keep smiling cam, let all those who are hoping that you fail wallow in their own pathetic existence like swine. They wish they could be you on so many diff levels, but they couldnt be half of you on one of your bad days.

Anonymous said...

And one more thing for all the whining cry babies who say cams rookie scandal is being covered up and ignored what a travesty, omg, omg, omg. Look at your boy tressel from ohio state, the epitome of college football right? Maybe the university of miami? Shall I continue USC, Pete Carrol? The coaches are just as guilty as the players. They know what time it is, as well as the fans, and the organization. The players are usually the ones crucified though when it hits the fan. They aren't the first, and they surely won't be the last. Grow up

RS Gold said...

Exciting, a pair of newbies move eyeball to eyeball in a few days. Newton along with Dalton previously proven they can enjoy, we will see precisely what Gabbert can perform.