The Jacksonville Jaguars return to EverBank Field this week to take on Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.
Advertisement
Of course, the question becomes whether Hasselbeck will wish to play another year and, perhaps more importantly, whether he would want to start over with a new team for the final year or two of his career.
“He was at the doc and in the scanner when we met, so I haven’t had a conversation with him yet”, Pagano said in his latest press conference.
“You have to be able to pressure quarterbacks”, he said.
Luck hasn’t played since suffering a lacerated kidney and partially torn abdominal muscle in a victory over Denver on November 8. The trouble is, the defense is sagging and winds up dragging because QB Blake Bortles too often is pushed into score-now situations to keep the game close. On Wednesday, Pagano said Luck was running “gassers” again, and Luck said he was throwing more passes with more intensity this week. “I truly believe our team is built for this moment”, Pagano said. He has missed the past five games with his ankle injury. He will be helped by the return of wide receiver Allen Hurns, who missed last week’s game with a concussion. Quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns. The Colts posted a 16-13 overtime win over Jacksonville in their first meeting this season as backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw for 282 yards and a touchdown. “I think that when you play a team for a second time, the more that you play a team, the more you try to figure things out”. He threw two interceptions, was sacked twice and took two awkward hits that left him with a stiff neck and a mild rib separation.
The 40-year-old Hasselbeck went through the first practice of the week Wednesday with a “normal workload”.
Against Pittsburgh, though, Hasselbeck looked every bit his age. Brown was fined $11,576 for his celebration and now he could get another chance to make an impact on special teams against the Bengals.
Defensively, things aren’t any better. Colts WR Andre Johnson has 133 receptions for 1,775 yards and eight touchdowns in 22 games against Jacksonville….
Jaguars CB Davon House: He has 18 passes defensed this season and is likely to draw a healthy dose of WR T.Y. Hilton, a Floridian who is averaging 15.8 yards per reception.
Have 19 sacks, fifth-fewest in the National Football League, and had one or none in seven of 12 games. The playoffs are unlikely now, but the Jaguars need to get back to closing out games to have a shot at keeping the losses this season to single digits.
Despite all the struggles, Indy still has won three of its last four and doesn’t face another opponent with a winning record.
Hasselbeck started that game and played well enough to win even though he was hit by a bacterial infection in the second quarter. We’ve got some tough, hard-nosed, gritty guys in that locker room.
Advertisement
Notes: Indy has placed inside linebacker Nate Irving on injured reserve with a fractured wrist. Also, Toler was limited in practice Wednesday with a knee injury so Thomas may have to go in his place.
