Preseason Week 2: We’re inching our way towards the start of the 2018 regular season Youth Adam Thielen Jersey , kids.And this Saturday, the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) come to town to take on the Minnesota Vikings (1-0) in a game that should be quite a bit more interesting than slightly more interesting than about as interesting as the opener against the Denver Broncos.We’ve gotten the excitement of real players getting on a real field and playing real, live football out of the way, and so now we just watch to see which players fill out the final dozen or so spots on the team, and pray that nobody gets hurt.With that, let’s take a look at this week’s opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars!The Jags 2017 season ended, much like the Minnesota Vikings 2017 season, with bitter disappointment.The team held the lead against Brady and the Patriots 20-10 with a little more than three minutes to play, behind touchdowns from Keelan Cole and Leonard Fournette, and a pair of field goals by Josh Lambo (No Relation).But then, Brady be’d Brady, and scored twice in the final two minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.On one of the drives, Linebacker Myles Jack appeared to have stripped Dion Lewis of the ball, picked it up, and returned it for a touchdown.However, the officials - sensing that Brady might not make it back to the Super Bowl - blew the play dead.Jacksonville still hasn’t forgotten.The Jags are coached by Doug Marrone, who came to Jacksonville after exercising a clause in his contract and walking away from the Buffalo Bills.The contract stated that if the team changed hands, Marrone could opt out of his contract and still collect all of his coaching salary.Well played, Doug.Reminds me a bit of another coach.I wonder what Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer would think about a coach doing something like that?The Jaguars on OffenseOK, so Blake Bortles has been a bit of an enigma thus far in his young career.After being selected third overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, Bortles career sputtered for a bit.His record as a starter (WINZ!) was just 11-34 through his first three years, and he was sacked 140 times over that period as well.But last year may have been the beginning of great things for Bortles.He led his team to a 10-6 record, bringing them all the way to the AFC Championship before the Patriots ended their season.He will look to repeat that performance in 2018, this time with some new faces in the receiving core.Gone are Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, a pair of former 1 http://www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com/matt-wile-jersey-authentic ,000 yard receivers who were allowed to leave in Free Agency.In their places on the official depth chart, the Jags are looking at veteran Marqise Lee and second year player Keelan Cole, who came on strong as a rookie late in 2017, putting up 426 receiving yards over the last four weeks of the 2017 regular season.In the offseason, the team also signed veteran Donte Moncrief, however Moncrief is currently listed third on the depth chart. Listed second is rookie DJ Chark, who has been impressive so far in camp.The former LSU Tiger’s parents were on hand for the teams’ week one game versus the New Orleans Saints.In a pretty neat interview, Chark’s mother said that DJ was running around the living room at six months old, but didn’t want anyone to see him.Hell, I’m 45 and I still don’t run around my living room.Or anywhere else for that matter.The Jags’ running attack features another former LSU star, Leonard Fournette.According to reports, Fournette - who ripped off this awesome 90 yard touchdown run last season......has reportedly dropped to his lowest weight since high school, 223 pounds.He’s listed at 235 pounds on the 2016 LSU roster, so I’d guess that this year he could be... more... explosive..er? Either way, he’s a fun running back to watch, and the Jags are expecting big things for him this year.Player with Minnesota ties to watch for on offense:Chris Reed, who was a teammate of Adam Thielen at Minnesota State, is listed second on the Jags depth chart at right guard behind Andrew Norwell.He has appeared in sixteen games for the Jags in two years, and spent some time on their practice squad, as well.Here’s hoping he can carve out a nice career in the NFL!The Jaguars On DefenseOf all the teams in the NFL, the Jaguars might be the only team that can make a claim of being as good top to bottom defensively as the Minnesota Vikings.Up front, Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, Malik Jackson and Marcel Dareus, along with rotational players Dante Fowler and Abry Jones combined for 44.5 sacks last season.Myles Jack and Pro-Bowler Telvin Smith can make plays at Linebacker.And that brings us to the defensive backs.A.J. Bouye came over from the Houston Texans and earned a trip to the Pro-Bowl, and Tashaun Gipson and Barry Church form a great one-two punch at safety.And that brings us to Jalen Ramsey.Ohhhhh... Jalenjalenjalenjalen...From the “you may have heard” department:Jalen Ramsey has made more headlines in the last week for his mouth than he ever did playing in a game.The “brash” cornerback began the week by going after Jags beat reporter Phillip Heilman Youth Stefon Diggs Jersey , who had the nerve to report on the fight that broke out between Yannick Ngakoue and Dante FowlerThe events earned Ramsey and Fowler a week off before the season starts.That’ll teach ‘em!They’ll hate not practicing all day in the heat!But Jalen Ramsey wasn’t done there.With impeccable timing, GQ magazine released an interview with Ramsey, in which the “brash” young corner went after many NFL quarterbacks including two-time Super Bowl winner Eli Manning, former League MVP Matt Ryan, and six time Pro Bowler Ben Roethlisberger, using terms like “Odell’s good”, “Overrated”, and “decent at best”, respectively.He even went so far as calling Buffalo Bills rookie Josh Allen “trash”.Allen seemed to almost be holding back tears when he was told about the quote.Personally, I really liked Ramsey coming out of Florida State... but he’s reaaaally gone beyond being “brash”.Player with Minnesota ties to watch for on defense:Jalen Myrick is currently listed third on the Jags depth chart at Right Cornerback, behind A.J. Bouye and Tyler Patmon.Myrick played in only five games last year, breaking up one pass.He did, however, participate in the Jaguar’s Minnesota trivia contest, along with tight ends Niles Paul and Ben Koyack.Like a Blake Bortles pass, it sailed along great until the end.Myrick confidently answered that the Twin Cities were made up of Minneapolis, and...In the words of Tom Jackson... C’MON MAN!!!!!Useless stuff about the Jags that you might not know.The Jags are rolling out new uniforms this season, ditching the old “Helmullet”, that gold and black monstrosity that they had been using, and going back to a more traditional look.They seem to like their teal down there in Florida, I guess.Also new this season is the “tailgating” park for dogs at TIAA Stadium.Yes, you read that right.A tailgating park for dogs at the stadium.Honestly, when I read this, I had to double check that the article wasn’t posted on April 1, and that the pictures hadn’t been Photoshopped.It’s a real thing.Finally, I need to compliment the Jags on having one of the coolest mascots in all of sports.Jackson De Ville http://www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com/riley-reiff-jersey-authentic , who looks strikingly similar to Cheeto’s mascot Chester Cheetah, makes Viktor Viking look like an amateur.In clip one, he takes us back to the ‘70’s streaker era.In clip two, he just... well... just check it out.Ridiculous Quote of the WeekThis week’s RQOTW isn’t from anybody in the Jaguars or Vikings organizations, but it is in reference to both teams, and was so bad I had to post it here.It comes from Twitter user @lambeaugraphicsWow.I mean, I know it’s a Packer fan, but... wow. Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews does not understand why he was flagged — yet again — for roughing the passer, this time while sacking Washington's Alex Smith on Sunday. Matthews think it's an indication that the NFL is "getting soft."Even Smith wasn't quite sure about the call that came late in the third quarter of Washington's 31-17 victory. Neither were other players — or the coaches — from both teams. Matthews broke free into the backfield, grabbed Smith with both arms and took down the QB in a seemingly straightforward manner."When you're tackling a guy from the front, you're going to land on him. I understand the spirit of the rule. When you have a hit like that, that's a football play. I even went up to Alex Smith after the game and asked him: What do you think? What can I do differently?" Matthews said."That's a football play. I hit him from the front, got my head across, wrapped up. I've never heard of anybody tackling somebody without any hands. When he gives himself up as soon as you hit him, your body weight is going to go on him."There are sure to be more questions and more debate around the NFL about what constitutes a penalty on such plays."I had judged that the defender landed on the quarterback, when he was tackling him, with most or all of his body weight, and that's not allowed," referee Craig Wrolstad said, according to a pool report. "That was basically my key — that he landed on him with most or all of his body weight."Matthews immediately put his arms up and slapped himself in the helmet as the flag was thrown. Packers coach Mike McCarthy threw down a play-calling sheet and argued with two officials about the call, yelling while chasing one along the sideline."I think Clay did exactly what he's supposed to do there," McCarthy said. "He hit him with his shoulder. He was coming full speed off of a block. He braced himself. So I was fine with what Clay did."In Green Bay's 29-29 tie against the Minnesota Vikings last week, a potentially win-sealing interception for the Packers was wiped out by a roughing call on Matthews when he hit Kirk Cousins."Unfortunately, this league is going in a direction that a lot of people don't like. I think they're getting soft. The only thing hard about this league is the fines they levy down on guys like me that play the game hard," said Matthews, who actually was not docked pay for that hit on Cousins. "Maybe now pass rushers Womens Eric Kendricks Jersey , guys getting after the quarterback, you'll just have to attack the ball."Smith's take on the hit he took from Matthews?"I'm glad I don't play defense. ... They can't hit us in the head and can't hit us in the knees when we're in the pocket. It's tough. I felt like he was playing football. He's played a long time. Hit me right in the strike zone," Smith said. "That's the new rule they put in, though, with these guys finishing quarterbacks to the ground."The rule preventing defenders from landing on the QB has been around since 1995, but the league's competition committee made it a point of emphasis this year. More than 30 roughing-the-passer penalties were called in this season's first two weeks."Every week," Redskins coach Jay Gruden said, "there seems to be another one that's a little bit questionable."With a heavy sigh, Matthews said: "Nine years, I've been doing it one way in the NFL, successfully, and now it just seems as if that way doesn't work anymore. And that's frustrating."Not surprisingly, Packers teammates agreed with Matthews. Perhaps more surprisingly, so did several members of the Redskins."Oh, my gosh. Look, I'm glad it was for us, but then when I looked at it, I was like: What else do you want the man to do? Seriously, what else do you want the man to do?" Redskins cornerback Josh Norman said. "When I saw it, it was not malicious, ill intent. It was just a nice form tackle. ... I'm lost by it. I'm pretty sure (Matthews) is frustrated and he has a point."
