The Jacksonville Jaguars are currently sitting at 0-2 so far in the early part of the 2012 NFL season. After a close, 26-23 loss against the Minnesota Vikings on the road in Week 1, the Jags hosted the Houston Texans at EverBank Field and were blown out in their home opener, 27-7, in Week 2.
There is still more football to be played and the season is still young, but there already seems to be cause for worry in Jacksonville.
As the team prepares to take on the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, head coach Mike Mularkey expressed confidence in his squad during his Monday press conference. The coach pointed to the key reason he thinks his team has faltered thus far:
"I do. I mean I do. I think we have to get our team complete, which hasn't been the case since the games started even in preseason.That is not an excuse by any means why we lost the first two games, but I'd like to see us as a whole. I'd like to see us as we're capable of doing, which we had done even with fitting in some pieces. We've done some good things.It's on tape. We haven't had a penalty, we haven't had a mental error, we haven't had a turnover. We've moved the ball very methodically down the field and scored touchdowns. When we've been where we're supposed to be defensively, we're arm tackling, we're gang tackling, we can stop the run. It's on tape. I'd like to see that but we're not at that point right now. We have some places where we have to plug some guys in that are doing the best job they can. They absolutely are doing the best job they can, and we're trying to help them be in a position where they can be doing the best they can. It is what it is. I think we could have played better even with where we are right now with some of the injuries. I think we could have played better and made it more of a game than it was."
Injuries have been a key issue for the Jaguars already this season. As of last Sunday, they had nine players on their injury report, five of whom are listed as being "out" against Houston.
Cameron Bradfield (ankle), Rashad Jennings (knee), Austen Lane (foot), George Selvie (knee) and Daryl Smith (groin) were all unable to take the field against the Texans. Injuries are obviously a part of football and it's very difficult to win games with key players missing.
So for now, the Jaguars will just have to weather this storm and try to get into the win column any way they can.
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