If you know any Jaguars fans, pick up the phone and give them a call. That?s what true friends do in times of need.
Five days before the season, Jacksonville fans were essentially told, ?Never mind. We?ll get back to you in 2013, or whenever Blaine Gabbert figures out the playbook.
"Until then, we give you Luke McCown."
He should not be confused with Josh McCown, Cade McNown, Joe Montana or even David Garrard. Though apparently the Jaguars were so confused they introduced Garrard as the team?s starting quarterback at their big Kickoff Luncheon on Tuesday.
Shortly after the blueberry cheesecake was served, they cut him.
Interestingly, the event was held at the city?s old railroad station. Jacksonville has a long history with the rail industry. Now its NFL franchise is a bullet train to nowhere.
Viable teams do not cut their starting quarterback five days before the season starts. If it happened in New York or Dallas, the reaction would collapse the Internet.
In Jacksonville, it?s business as usual.
The decision actually makes sense in one regard. Garrard was nothing special. What was worse to owner Wayne Weaver was that fact that Garrard was due to make $8 million this year.
McCown can do what Garrard would have done, and do it for a lot less. But that?s the point.
How does a franchise put itself in position where its best quarterback options are Bad vs. Worse?
?We were hoping for some sign of life, for (Garrard) to pick it up and get it going,? Jack Del Rio said. ?And we went to the 11th hour in hopes of having that happen. And it just became very obvious that it wasn?t going to happen.?
Why the 11th hour?
Jacksonville?s had Garrard for 10 years. He was his typical injured, erratic self through four preseason games. Did Del Rio expect Garrard to wake up Tuesday morning and be Drew Brees?
Or did he go into camp hoping Gabbert would win the starting job?
The No. 10 pick from Missouri has plenty of potential, but he?s not Dan Marino ready to take over the ?83 Dolphins. And he didn?t even get the usual rookie indoctrination due to the lockout.
That left the prize behind Door No. 3. As they say, those who forget history are doomed to repeat playing backups as starters.
Recall 2007, when Del Rio proclaimed Byron Leftwich would be Jacksonville?s quarterback. Then he cut him nine days before the opening game.
At least four years ago Garrard looked like a better replacement. And Del Rio could afford to take a chance because he wasn?t under pressure to keep his job.
This year he is, which makes his grand strategy all the more curious. He didn?t see this QB train headed for the cliff?
It smells like a money move, though Del Rio swears Weaver never made a peep. Maybe the owner was too busy figuring out where to stash another $9 million, considering the Jags already were $25 million under the salary cap.
That would more than cover the diesel bill for the team?s move to Los Angeles. We?re getting ahead of ourselves there, though the situation is curious enough to make you wonder if Weaver wants fans not to show up. That?s almost as easy to believe as the alternative.
McCown is decent backup and viable spot starter, but does anyone think he?ll lead a season-long charge into the playoffs?
If he fails, the next option is a rookie who?ll be operating behind a patchwork offensive line.
That?s the outlook the Jaguars are asking fans and players to rally around. No wonder they avoided it all at the kickoff luncheon.
Everybody knows this is no way to run a railroad.
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