Perspective on Brunell from a Jaguar Fan

P Onca · Post by **P Onca** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:03 pm

First, let me state I'm a die-hard Jaguars fan who has been with our team since the beginning. Second, Mark Brunell did great things for our young franchise and was a part of some of the greatest games I have experienced as a football fan. Period. I will never forget the dash in the '96 Denver Playoff game and then the toss to Jimmy Smith in the endzone. Mark Brunell has always been a class act on and off the field. To many Jaguar fans, he is a football demi-god.

But with that, I believe the Jaguars have made a great move with the Redskins and you guys may be left holding the bag.

Just a little history. When Byron Leftwich was drafted last spring, Jaguars fans didn't realize the QB controversy that was heading their way come Fall 2003. Once Leftwich was inserted into the line-up, all hell broke loose. Now, the official word was that Brunell was injured during the first Colts game and so it became Leftwich's job. But I never believed that Brunell was hurt to the extent that it would cause him to sit the bench as long as he did. It was simply that Jack Del Rio and the new Front Office had picked their QB and wanted to get him in ASAP.

One other component to the mess we experienced down here last season was that owner Wayne Weaver and Mark Brunell got involved in a contract dispute during the off-season, and depending on who you listen to, it was the other guy who wasn't playing fair. Many believed that Brunell's reluctance to redo a deal caused Weaver to put into action the draft selection of Leftwich.

Regardless, as I have stated, Jaguar fans went through one messy QB controversy. I was firmly planted on the side of the organization which deemed it necessary to bench Brunell and start Leftwich. Why? I watched Mark Brunell play into the millenium and I saw a QB which wasn't playing at the level he had played in the 90's. Now, alot of Jaguar fans would say it was because we had a rotten o-line and we were devasted through our mismanagement of the cap, and the fact that our defense stunk. Granted, these things may have contributed to Brunell's poorer performances, but in the end, I just didn't see the same Brunell as we had come to expect.

It's difficult to acknowledge this because of what Brunell had done for our team, but sometimes, it's "what have you done for me lately?"

Looking at the current deal, the Jaguars get a 3rd round pick and created more cap space when it looked like we were going to have to cut Brunell and get nothing in return other than a cap-hit. The Redskins get a QB who will be expected to start and perform right away. And at the level Brunell played in the 90's. Not the way he played in the last three years. And should Brunell fail to step up right away, then you guys will be embroiled in the same kind of mess that Jaguar fans were in last year. Shoot, it even looks like it now when I read some of the posts here.

So here's the rub. While I hope Brunell does succeed because he was great for our team and community, I don't see it happening. Nor, in some sick way, do I want to. To some down here, that would be sacrilege. Whatever. The point is, is that if Brunell does go out and lead the Skins to a deep playoff run and our current guy, Leftwich, struggles again, then it just means more crap for us Jaguar fans. But besides that, and what is more crucial here, is that the Front Office and Jack Del Rio will get a bunch of "I told you so's" and "Cancel my season tickets" kind of reaction and right now we need to still be building our fan base and not ticking them off.

What the Jaguars need right now is winning, but more importantly, the Jaguars need to be right about Mark Brunell.

Much to the Redskins chagrin.

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:18 pm

welcome, and good post.
i too, think we gave up too much, but that which does not kill us will only make us stronger. at least we'll have two starting qb's on the roster, for whatever that's worth as insurance.

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:22 pm

Maybe Brunell was playing safe when he did play, knowing he wasn't going to be in JAX next season.

P Onca · Post by **P Onca** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:51 pm

tcwest10 wrote:Maybe Brunell was playing safe when he did play, knowing he wasn't going to be in JAX next season.

Actually, Brunell was playing for his job in the first three games before he was injured. Del Rio put the onus on Brunell pretty early in camp and during the preseason. The "downfall" for Brunell was three-fold:

1. QB of a team that had three previous losing seasons.
2. Contract dispute the owner.
3. New head coach and front office.

"Playing safe" was a constant knock against Brunell though. After he suffered his second concussion from Samari Rolle, some thought that Brunell did whatever he could to avoid a sack. (Of which, he felt plenty during those losing seasons.) It came down to an arugment of scheme/tactics from Coughling or that Brunell got rid of the ball too quick or scrambled too soon to avoid the hit.

Weird. I forgot to login but I still could post as a "guest"?

Doesn't that cause alot of anonymous drive-by trolling?

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:53 pm

Doesn't that cause alot of anonymous drive-by trolling?

some, but us moderators can handle it.

PigSkin · Post by **PigSkin** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:17 pm

I watched Mark Brunell play into the millenium and I saw a QB which wasn't playing at the level he had played in the 90's.

Stats aren't everything, but Brunell's stats sure don't show a dramatic decline in performance. His QB rating and TD tosses have remained very consistent. His passing yards were down a bit in 2002, but so were his attempts. I just haven't seen anything that tells me this guy has lost it.

I've seen many posts claiming he's injury prone too, but he's played in at least 13 regular season games in every season but his first (Green Bay) and last (Leftwich).

So ... I'm not too stressed.

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:20 pm

Brunell is past his prime...and to say he hasnt shown a decline is not true...did you watch him play?

He isn't half the QB he was.

He is scared.

Brandon777 · Post by **Brandon777** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:22 pm

SirSmizzy wrote:Brunell is past his prime...and to say he hasnt shown a decline is not true...did you watch him play?

He isn't half the QB he was.

Did you?

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:29 pm

Yes i did and he was not impressive...

He is not the same player he was...im not saying he's done,finished ,washed up...his career is winding down.

Partick ramsey will be a far better QB....hands down.

Brandon777 · Post by **Brandon777** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:36 pm

SirSmizzy wrote:Yes i did and he was not impressive...

He is not the same player he was...im not saying he's done,finished ,washed up...his career is winding down.

Partick ramsey is a far better QB....hands down.

So I guess since your a die hard Jets fan in NY you would watch all of Jacksonville's games. Even if you have Sunday Ticket, I'm sure your 2nd highest watched team, besides the Jets, was the Jags. Yeah right. :roll:

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:40 pm

Smizzy will have us believe that Coles, Hall and Thomas are all past their prime, too! I haven't seen enough of Brunell to make that call.

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:40 pm

I played in 9 fantasy football leagues this year...i have direct TV...and i have seen more than 1 JAX game... no im not a jax fan,You guys are unbelievable...I watch football..Not everybody watches one game a week like you ...

Im also a jets season ticket holder and i usally tivo the 1:00 or 4:00 games ...

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:42 pm

Justice Hog wrote:Smizzy will have us believe that Coles, Hall and Thomas are all past their prime, too! I haven't seen enough of Brunell to make that call.

I never said that.....so don't put words in my mouth....please.

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:49 pm

Just pokin' at ya, Smizz, in a little light-hearted way.

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:52 pm

Guys it's not the NFL's biggest kept secret...he has lost a little ,would he even have been traded if this was not true?
Would byron took his job.

skinsfaninroanoke · Post by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:57 pm

Smiz - if you come in stirring the bee hive, expect that the swarm will head your way bro.

At the beginning of the last season you were among a group grouching about the raid and you and several others were putting down the former Jets, our owner, the coach, etc.

Brunell had injury problems to his support cast, a run game they couldn't count on, an offensive line that was truly offensive and a defense that didn't do as well as they had previously due to cap cuts in personnel.

I don't hold that all against him personally, but if he isn't up to snuff this summer, he will lose the starting job to PRam and all this will die down.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:58 pm

Smizzy you seem like a real loser. I just discovered this web site about 2 months ago and I have not posted any replies until now. I am a big time skins fan and I usually check here once or twice a day to see whats happening and to hear some opinions. Brunell will do just fine as a skin. You look at his #'s even over the past several years and they are still solid. Gibbs and Bugel will pound the ball on the ground up teams tails and Brunell will not take a beating. The reason I think Smizzy is a loser is because he sure is worried about our team a little to much. I could never see my self going on a Jets fans site everyday and voicing my opinion. I dont care about the jets.

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:00 pm

Guest (whoever you are). This post was an inappropriate attack that we don't permit here at THEHOGS.Net. If you wanna call someone out, please take it to the "Talking Smack" forum.

Smizzy's posts do tend to rattle a few cages here and there, but his insight was, is and always will be welome here.

skinsfaninroanoke · Post by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:01 pm

Right JH - I might not agree with Smiz or his tactics at times... but I do agree he has the right to state them. You do too, but name calling goes to the Smack forum and Smizzy has never been afraid to answer the Smack gauntlet

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:09 pm

skinsfaninroanoke wrote:Smiz - if you come in stirring the bee hive, expect that the swarm will head your way bro.

At the beginning of the last season you were among a group grouching about the raid and you and several others were putting down the former Jets, our owner, the coach, etc.

You can go check all of my posts,i never said they were washed up ,i said they were overpaid...big difference.

All i did is agree with the Jags fan that he has lost a step and that "rattling the cage"...C'mon.

Sorry i agree mark brunell isnt he QB he once was...shoot me.

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:15 pm

Anonymous wrote:Smizzy you seem like a real loser. I just discovered this web site about 2 months ago and I have not posted any replies until now. I am a big time skins fan and I usually check here once or twice a day to see whats happening and to hear some opinions. Brunell will do just fine as a skin. You look at his #'s even over the past several years and they are still solid. Gibbs and Bugel will pound the ball on the ground up teams tails and Brunell will not take a beating. The reason I think Smizzy is a loser is because he sure is worried about our team a little to much. I could never see my self going on a Jets fans site everyday and voicing my opinion. I dont care about the jets.

Look "mystery guest" what i do shouldn't bother you ...I could undeerstand if i came in here spounting off fake stats and trash about the skins...but all im doing is having a healthy football coversation...

If you don't like what i say,don't read my post's....just ignore me...no sweat off my back.

skinsfaninroanoke · Post by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:18 pm

I won't shoot ya - just that you have been critical of a lot of the moves for emotional reasons in many cases - and reasons that are antithetical to the Skins returning to the top. I know you know your football Smiz, but sometimes you come across with a no compromise position that you, as a smart guy, know is gonna stir it up on the team's board you are doing the stirring on. Then you act offended when people jump like you expect.

All I said was if you stir up the hive expect the swarm, and then I pointed out that you felt that they were overrated not just overpaid. Especially Hall and Morton - I know you were part of the crowd saying just wait and see... We did and we liked it.

I know you aren't doing anything but having fun, but sometimes it can come across in TEXT as being a little abrasive, so that is why you get the reactions you do.

When you tell us that all we do is watch one game and sound like you are looking down your nose at us poor, football uneducated people, you would have to expect that to raise the hackles of some of the people on here.

There are times you say things that are outside the scope of football calling people and their opinions into question in a questionable manner. When someone does the same to you, as on another thread we moderators step on them. When you do it, I will do the same to you.

If you don't want the banter back, don't egg it on. But stop with the victimization act - it takes away from the respect your football knowledge does garner from opposing points of view.

Cool

?

vze4s6xm · Post by **vze4s6xm** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:20 pm

Wrong or right time will tell. Remember "In Gibbs We Trust"

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:27 pm

I didn't realize thats how i was coming off.. the skins are not my team and i am an outsider here...so that how im will be precieved every time i post weither i didn it on purpose or not...

I personall have been very voacl that im only down on Brunell because i don't think he's as good as Ramsey and it would be a shame to see a Good ,young ,tough,samrt QB pushed out by a guy who everybody knows has lost a little...

Thats not a shot at the skins...ive been saying this since you mentioned his names in trade rumors...

Were going to have to meet some where half way if were going to have any sort of football relationship.. :wink:

..if i make a better attempt to make my post less anti-skins then can we all just get along :lol:

SirSmizzy · Post by **SirSmizzy** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:28 pm

skinsfaninroanoke wrote:When you tell us that all we do is watch one game and sound like you are looking down your nose at us poor, football uneducated people, you would have to expect that to raise the hackles of some of the people on here.

Not all of you ,just that one poster...You take everything i say to heart.