Weaver says Jaguars aren't moving anywhere, including L.A.

The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't moving anywhere, including Los Angeles, team owner Wayne Weaver reiterated Tuesday to The Florida Times-Union.

"I have no interest (in Los Angeles)," said the only owner the Jaguars have ever had. "I have been consistent in saying I am committed to Jacksonville and have no interest (in moving)."

Tim Leiweke, president of AEG, the group proposing to build a $1.35 billion stadium in downtown Los Angeles, said last week that his group has been in contact with five teams, including the Jaguars, about potentially moving to L.A.

Speculation has surrounded the Jaguars because of the team's struggles to sell tickets.

"We have to work hard and be more creative because we’re in a small market in a difficult economy with high unemployment rates and a housing crisis that is more difficult than in other cities," Weaver said.

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Rookie QB Gabbert gets to work with Jaguars teammates

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- First-round draft pick quarterback Blaine Gabbert was among 28 Jacksonville Jaguars players who practiced together for the first time at an area high school.

Previously, the players had been working in small groups throughout the area to stay in shape during the NFL lockout.

Gabbert, the 10th pick overall out of Missouri, spent much of the hour and a half practice taking instruction from starting quarterback David Garrard and throwing to a variety of receivers, including Cecil Shorts III, the Jags' fourth-round pick.

"It's been a blast," Gabbert said. "It's good to get out here with the guys and have the opportunity to work out a little bit and throw the ball around."

Gabbert said he arrived in town Sunday and has been working out with his group since. At night, he and Shorts have been studying film.

"We've been working (in groups) two months and not many teams can say that," cornerback Rashean Mathis said.

Garrard said media was invited to let the fans know the Jags aren't sitting around during the lockout.

"We wanted to give the fans the ability to see us out here," he said. "It's important that we do get out here, and it's important that our fans see us work so we can continue to increase ticket sales and give them hope there will be a season."

Among the missing players were tight end Marcedes Lewis, who is in California, and running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who has been traveling around the country.

"It's hard to pull them off the West Coast," Garrard said.

The players said they remain united in their struggle with NFL owners and discounted the notion owners are counting on players caving when they start missing game pay checks.

"If it does become who is going to hold their breath the longest, we'll see who has the biggest lungs," defensive end Aaron Kampman said. "Hopefully it won't come to that."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Redskins win in OT to deal Jaguars' playoff hopes a blow

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Giants shake off slow start to end Jaguars winning streak at three

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With his team trailing by 11 points and the season on the brink, coach Tom Coughlin wasn't the only voice in the New York Giants' locker room at halftime.

The one that stood out was Justin Tuck, and his message was simple: Stop playing like garbage.

Garrard's personal achievement

The Giants (7-4) got the message and maybe saved their season with five games to go.

Eli Manning threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Boss with 3:15 to play and Tuck and his buddies sacked David Garrard on three straight plays in the closing minute and forced a turnover as the Giants rallied to beat Jacksonville 24-20 on Sunday. The win snapped a two-game slide and ended the Jaguars' three-game winning streak.

"I talked about how you allow somebody to come into your house and take over," Tuck said after the Jaguars had taken a 17-6 halftime lead. "At that point, they were doing just about whatever they wanted to do. We couldn't allow ourselves not to be on the same page."

"I told them I was playing like garbage," Tuck added. "I told them we were playing like garbage. In the second half, we've got to pick it up. I just tried to create a spark, and it worked."

The Giants held the Jaguars (6-5) to three points, 92 yards in total offense and forced two turnovers, with Antrel Rolle's fumble recovery with 1:25 left icing the game.

"That was something that we needed," Coughlin said. "We needed to rise up and have a finish like that. We're all aware of the circumstances that we're in, that the division is in, that the conference is in, and we needed to keep pace."

Milestone Tracker

Jaguars QB David Garrard was one of a number of players who reached career milestones Sunday. Find out what it was. More.

Jacksonville took a 20-17 lead on 42-yard field goal by Josh Scobee with 8:26 to play and the Giants finally took the lead with a six-play, 69-yard drive that featured an 18-yard pass to Mario Manningham and an 18-yard run by Brandon Jacobs, who gained 87 yards on 14 carries in his return to the starting lineup.

Faced with a third-and-10 at the Jaguars 32, Manning (14-of-24 for 226) and Boss caught Jacksonville in a blitz.

"He saw it," Manning said of Boss. "He went up the field looking for the ball and I got it to him."

Boss caught the ball at the 25, shook off a tackle by safety Courtney Greene and romped into the end zone.

"He almost brought me down," said Boss, whose holding penalty cost the Giants a first-half touchdown. "I was kind of fumbling and stumbling to keep my feet and get in the end zone."

Greene took the blame.

"I just missed the tackle," said Greene, who led the Jaguars with 11 tackles.

Manning also threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Manningham and Lawrence Tynes kicked three field goals. Manning's late heroics also helped big brother Peyton in the AFC South race with Jacksonville -- the Colts and Jaguars began the day tied for the division lead.

Garrard and Rashad Jennings ran for touchdowns and Scobee kicked two field goal as the Jaguars lost for only the third time in eight games.

"This is a team that's been in Super Bowls and been in a lot of playoff runs, so we can't let up on a team like that," Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. "It's a sign of maturity. We have a lot of growing up to do all across the board."

Jacksonville had one last chance and Garrard drove the Jaguars from their 27 to the Giants 29, where they got a first down on an illegal contact penalty against Aaron Ross with 1:51 to play.

Tuck and Antrel Rolle sacked Garrard for an 11-yard loss on first down. Dave Tollefson tackle Garrard for a loss of 5 more on second down. Cornerback Terrell Thomas, who intercepted Garrard's first pass of the second half to set up Tynes' third field goal, then sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble that Rolle recovered.

"If you don't execute and let a team stay in the game, that's what going to happen, you're going to end up losing out there," Garrard said as he waited to be X-rayed. "That's two or three weeks in a row we've left teams back in where we had a chance to end the game."

The Giants tied it early in the fourth quarter on the touchdown pass to Manningham and a 2-point conversion run by Ahmad Bradshaw.

Garrard (20-of-35 for 162) used runs of 6, 6 and 11 yards to set up Scobee's go-ahead 42-yard field goal.

Garrard and the Jaguars were outstanding in the first half, scoring on drives on 75, 85 and 71 yards the first three times they had the ball.

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Jennings capped the Jaguars' opening drive with a 5-yard run. Garrard hit passes of 12 and 16 yards on a 15-play drive that Scobee ended with a 22-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead.

The Giants appeared to tie the game on a 9-yard pass from Manning to Manningham on their next possession, but the score was nullified by a holding penalty against Boss. Tynes, who kicked a 22-yard field goal after New York's opening drive stalled at the Jags 5, added a 29-yarder.

Garrard then led a 13-play, 71-yard scoring drive he capped with a sensational 5-yard run on which he avoided a sack by Osi Umenyiora and broke a tackle by Tuck in going from sideline to sideline for the TD.

Notes: Will Beatty started at left tackle for the Giants with Shawn Andrews out with back injury. ... Former Giant Guy Whimper started at left tackle for Jacksonville with Eugene Monroe out with a concussion. ... Mike Sims-Walker, who battled an ankle injury all week, had four catches for 48 yards. ... The Giants finished with four sacks. ... Jacksonville lost despite having the ball for 35:27.

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Rally Cats: Jaguars rally again to top Browns

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Maurice Jones-Drew followed a 75-yard reception with a 1-yard touchdown dive, and the Jaguars overcame turnover problems to beat the banged-up Cleveland Browns 24-20 on Sunday.

Jones-Drew broke four tackles on a fourth-quarter screen pass from David Garrard and weaved his way toward the end zone. Browns rookie Joe Haden made a touchdown-saving tackle, but it ended up taking precious seconds off the clock.

Jones-Drew scored two plays later, giving both teams dramatic finishes for the second time in two games.

The Jaguars (6-4) beat the Houston Texans last week on Garrard's desperation TD pass to Mike Thomas on the final play. The Browns (3-7) lost to the New York Jets in overtime on Santonio Holmes' 37-yard TD reception.

Cleveland had a final chance to win this one, but Jacksonville's Sean Considine tipped Colt McCoy's pass to Mike Bell at the goal line. The pass bounced off Bell's chest and landed in Considine's arms.

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Jaguars QB Garrard expects to be cleared to play at Dallas

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The "cloud coverage" has cleared, and quarterback David Garrard is ready to return for the Jaguars.

Almost.

Garrard still has to pass post-concussion tests Tuesday to be cleared to practice and play for the Jaguars (3-4).

"Once I pass those, then everything will be good," Garrard said.

Speaking for the first time since he sustained his concussion last Monday night against the Tennessee Titans, Garrard said he failed the NFL-mandated tests Friday.

"It was really just a cloud coverage thing," he said. "It wasn't partly cloudy. It wasn't semi-cloudy. It was a total cloud coverage. But now I feel great. I feel like my normal self. But we're going to be smart and make sure that it's not you just got over the clouds but they're still back there lingering or something."

Garrard sustained a concussion when Titans linebacker Will Witherspoon drove him to the ground during the second quarter of the 30-3 loss, the worst home defeat in Jaguars history.

The next day was "just awful," Garrard said. He was sensitive to light and noise, but he never vomited. His focus, demeanor and speech were "really slowed down."

Garrard started feeling better Saturday and even worked out Sunday and Monday.

"It was a terrible experience to go through," Garrard said. "It was a tough experience to go through, but hopefully it doesn't happen again."

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio made it clear Monday that Garrard will start Sunday's game at Dallas if he passes his tests.

"As long as he remembers snap counts and how to play football," Del Rio said.

Backup Todd Bouman, signed early last week, completed 18 of 34 passes for 222 yards in Sunday's 42-20 loss at Kansas City. Bouman had two touchdown passes and two interceptions, but he received strong reviews from Del Rio and teammates. Even Garrard was impressed.

"I thought it was awesome the way he started out the game, the way he was energized," Garrard said. "He looked like a kid out there for a 38-year-old man. He had fun. Things just didn't work out for him there toward the end. Those are things that as an offensive group we're going to have to overcome. Teams are going to have turnovers, but you've got to be able to overcome them and go down and make a score, and we didn't do that."

Garrard has been inconsistent all season. He has eight TD passes and an interception in three wins, and one score and six turnovers in three losses. He has been sacked 12 times, with nine of them coming in the losses.

Still, Garrard insisted he won't change the way he plays following the first concussion of his NFL career.

"I'm still going to be David Garrard," he said. "I'm going to play the way that I play. I can't alter my game. I don't know how I would alter it. I'm going to be as physical as I still can, but also be smart, too, knowing that I can have a concussion, I can be susceptible to a concussion."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Chiefs grind out victory over Jaguars

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Derrick Johnson returned an interception for a score, and Matt Cassel threw two touchdown passes to Dwayne Bowe, leading the Chiefs to a 42-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The Chiefs (4-2), with the most productive rushing attack in the NFL coming into the game, ran for 236 yards and three TDs while overcoming several penalties.

Jacksonville quarterback Todd Bouman, who hadn't thrown a touchdown pass in the regular season since 2005, was signed this week after David Garrard sustained a concussion and backup Trent Edwards hurt his thumb during Monday night's loss to the Tennessee Titans. Bouman, 38, hadn't won as a starter since 2001 and was out of football last season.

Still, the Jaguars (3-4) trailed by only one point late in the third quarter before Bouman made a mistake. Under pressure, he stepped up and threw an ill-advised pass to Johnson, who made a juggling interception and ran 15 yards for a touchdown that put Kansas City on top 28-20.

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Jaguars preparing to go with Edwards or Bouman at QB

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars quarterback David Garrard rested at home for the second consecutive day, increasing the chances that Trent Edwards or Todd Bouman will start Sunday at Kansas City.

Garrard sustained a concussion in Monday night's 30-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans and hasn't been back to the Jaguars' facility since. Coach Jack Del Rio said Garrard will be evaluated late this week, and the team is preparing to play without the ninth-year veteran.

The team will release Garrard's game status Friday, but having missed most of team meetings and practices, it's unlikely he will return against the Chiefs.

Edwards also could be out. He sprained his right thumb against the Titans and sat out practice Wednesday. If Edwards can't play, Bouman would make his first start since 2005.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Garrard-Lewis connection lifts Jaguars past Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Tight end Marcedes Lewis caught two touchdowns passes as the Jacksonville Jaguars rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat the winless Buffalo Bills 36-26 on Sunday.

David Garrard shook off an interception and a lost fumble to throw for three touchdowns as the Jaguars (3-2) stopped a four-game road skid. Mike Sims-Walker's 7-yard touchdown catch put the Jaguars ahead for good, 27-20, late in the third quarter.

Lewis scored on 1- and 27-yard receptions to give him five TDs on the season, breaking the Jaguars' franchise record for scores by a tight end. Josh Scobee made all five of his field-goal attempts.

The Bills, who squandered 10-0 and 13-3 leads in the game, are 0-5 for just the fourth time in franchise history, the first since 1985. Buffalo has allowed 30 points in four consecutive games for the first time.

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Jaguars cut ties with Bouman, making Edwards No. 2 QB

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Trent Edwards will return to Buffalo as the Jaguars' backup quarterback.

The Jaguars released veteran Todd Bouman on Tuesday, leaving Edwards as the only quarterback behind David Garrard. The 2-2 team plays the winless Bills on Sunday.

The Jaguars also signed sixth-year defensive lineman C.J. Mosley, who has played in 59 games for the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns.

A sixth-round draft pick by the Vikings in 2005, Mosley has eight career sacks and 80 tackles. He spent last season with the Browns, but he ended the campaign on injured reserve.

Mosley likely will play defensive tackle for the Jaguars, who have given up on former first-round pick Derrick Harvey. Versatile Jeremy Mincey is expected to take Harvey's repetitions, leaving Jacksonville with four defensive tackles.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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