The Jaggernaut Around the Internet

What’s Next: Cam Newton vs. Blaine Gabbert
Blaine Gabbert, on the other hand, was supposed to be given a year of grooming.  A year to prepare.  A year to learn the office.  But then came the terrible preseason of David Garrard.  He was cut in favor of the always practice-sharp Luke McCown. But after a terrible four interception game agains the Jets last week, McCown has been benched in favor of the rookie.  With only two weeks of watching real NFL football from the bend, Gabbert must step into the shoes once held by Byron Leftwich, 1st round pick expected to bring the franchise to the elite level of the NFL.

Del Rio smartly changes scout team offense
I give Jack Del Rio huge credit for coming up with a system that’s been far more beneficial to Blaine Gabbert through the first two weeks of the season. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter spelled it out for the Jacksonville media Thursday.

New week, same approach
Koetter, the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator, said while all of that is true – and while one of Blaine Gabbert’s strengths is obviously a very special right arm – it also remains true that the 2011 first-round draft selection is still very much a rookie entering his first professional start.

Flashback: Jaguars @ Texans - 9/28/03
While there is certainly hope that Gabbert could be more than that for the Jaguars, especially with the early successes of Cam Newton and Andy Dalton, it's probably unfair of Jaguars fans to expect as much. Instead a statline like Leftwich's in his rookie debut and season is probably a better bar with which to grade.

Blaine Gabbert & the Hype Train. Hop aboard!
So how does this apply to Blaine Gabbert?  I’ve already said I believe he’s experienced the Peak of Inflated Expectations and the Trough of Disillusionment once already, in the preseason.  That said, I believe we have to hit the reset button and hop on board the Blaine Gabbert Hype Train once again.