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Justin Gage confuses me.

Seriously, I am baffled by John Glennon's report that “Gage’s agent said Tuesday the Titans had interest in re-signing Gage but that the two sides couldn’t agree to terms on a deal.”

Wow.

Here’s how the conversation should go for a veteran receiver who’s drawn minimal interest from around the league after being cut at the conclusion of the preseason.

Titans: “Here’s a one-year offer for the veteran minimum. We’d like you back to provide depth.”

Gage: “OK. Where do I sign? I really appreciate another opportunity and more money for being a good blocker and an unreliable pass-catcher.”

That he said "no" is crazy. What sort of leverage did he think he had?

Wyatt says the Titans worked out David Clowney, Mardy Gilyard, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Tiquan Underwood and Buster Davis. And that at least two more are scheduled for workouts Wednesday -- Donnie Avery and Juaquin Iglesias.

The report indicates Clowney leads the pack right now.

Again, I urge calm over any addition.

The new guy will rank fourth or fifth at the start. He’s not stepping into the lineup to replace Kenny Britt. He’s brought in to bolster depth, immerse himself in the system and be ready for more if Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins cannot give the Titans what they now need.

Reading the coverage …

Athlon says the Colts will miss the playoffs and Wade Phillips will save Gary Kubiak’s job.

Houston Texans

The Texans and Glover Quin are feeling good about his move to safety, says Jeffrey Martin.

DeMeco Ryans is iffy for the 49ers game, says Martin.

Indianapolis Colts

Chris Mortensen says the Colts approached Matt Hasselbeck at the start of free agency. This feels like a revisionist cover-yourself move to me. And if they did approach him, they had to know they were overshooting on a guy who would land a starting job elsewhere. So what did they do next? Isn’t there a lot of room between Hasselbeck early in free agency and Collins now?

According to Bill Polian, there's no offense Collins can't master in 48 hours from a conceptual standpoint, writes Mike Chappell.

The defense needs to play better no matter who the quarterback is, says Chappell.

Things to know about Collins.

The Packers got lucky when Aaron Rodgers fell to them. The Colts haven’t had an opportunity like that, says Nate Dunlevy.

Stephania Bell talked Peyton Manning on a podcast, and Greg Cowan and Laura Calaway picked out key pieces.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Young safeties are fighting for backup slots, says Tania Ganguli.

Tiquan Underwood was among the early cuts, says Vito Stellino.

Cecil Shorts is showing he belongs, says John Oehser.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans won’t consider trading Chris Johnson, says Jim Wyatt. I bet they’d answer the phone if there was an inquiry.

Damian Williams has been getting more first-team snaps, says John Glennon. I believe Williams should get every chance to start.

Chris Hope’s made his case with a strong camp, writes Jim Wyatt.

Welcome to David Garrard’s world, Blaine Gabbert.

Jacksonville’s rookie quarterback started in New England on Thursday night.

He made some good and quick decisions. But he was ultimately undone by rookie inexperience and, in part, by the same things that often helped undo the veteran he is expected to sit behind. Gabbert’s protection broke down and allowed three sacks and his targets -- including Mike Thomas, Tiquan Underwood and Zach Miller -- dropped passes.

The Patriots beat the Jaguars 47-12 in the preseason opener for both teams as Gabbert played the first half, completing 9 of 16 passes for 85 yards.

New England defensive back Patrick Chung also got in on the drop action, sparing Gabbert an interception on a poorly thrown ball behind and over Jarett Dillard in the second quarter.

At least one other problem from last season resurfaced, poor tackling by cornerbacks. Second-string corner David Jones flailed on a couple tackles in key spots and rookie Rod Issac had a bad miss early in the third quarter. Another corner, undrafted rookie Terrence Wheatley, got lost in coverage a couple times before intermission.

Gabbert was the most significant Jaguars' story, though. When he left the game it was 19-9. The Patriots poured it on from there.

He showed composure considering it was his first action in an NFL game setting, playing with first-stringers (minus some key guys) against a team that sat a large share of front-liners. He also held the ball too long at times and made some bad throws that had nothing to do with protection or the hands of his targets.

All in all, it was the sort of outing you’d expect.

It’s likely his work comes later next week against Atlanta, presuming Garrard’s back is better.

BRISTOL, Conn. -- Jason and Devin McCourty don’t mind when people play the guessing game. Which twin is the Titans cornerback heading into his third season? Which is the Patriots cornerback coming off a Pro Bowl rookie season?

Have a look, take a guess, check the answer key at the end of the post.

They’re running through the ESPN car wash today, with appearances on SportsCenter and NFL Live still to come. Talent producer Audrah Cates was kind enough to let me join the group for lunch.

Jason McCourty has spent some time in Nashville, working out with Cortland Finnegan and Chris Hope at Father Ryan High School and Vanderbilt. But recently he’s been back in New Jersey, training at Rutgers with his brother and some other former Scarlet Knights, including Jacksonville receiver Tiquan Underwood, while also spending time with his mom and catching some movies. (He really likes “The Lincoln Lawyer.”)

He introduced himself to Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray and other members of the new coaching staff before the lockout, and talked with holdover defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson during the brief lockout pause.

Under new coaches, we have no idea how Tennessee’s new defense will sort out once we have football again.

McCourty was the third corner last year, replacing Alterraun Verner outside as Verner slid inside to play the nickel spot. The Titans appear pleased with Finnegan, Verner and Jason McCourty as their top three corners. In nine draft picks, the team only used the second of two seventh-rounders on a corner, Tommie Campbell out of California, Pa.

“I think we believe we can win with the guys we have, that it’s just a matter of coming together,” Jason McCourty said. “…I don’t know what my role will be. You know when you play football, everyone wants to start.

“Cort is definitely a proven player, a Pro Bowl guy. We’re all good corners, we’ll all do battle. Whoever the coaching staff feels are the necessary parts and where they place us, I’ll be cool with it. It’s just a matter of going out there and competing.”

That’s Jason is on the right, Devin is on the left.

Reading the coverage …

Houston Texans

Mario Williams’ move to linebacker could work, says Bucky Brooks.

Texans coaches and officials were joined by some NFL alumni at the team’s golf tournament.

A look at free-agent possibilities at safety with Mike Kerns.

Indianapolis Colts

Some Colts are working out at IU Sports Performance. Includes an update from Jamie Silva. (Hat tip to Nate Dunlevy.)

A former Colts cheerleader is suing the team over how she was fired, says Carrie Ritchie.

An interview with George Atallah of the NFLPA, from Nate Dunlevy.

The first piece of The Manning Project from Shane Clemons.

Jacksonville Jaguars

A look at the road Rod Issac traveled to the NFL, from Adam Sparks.

Blaine Gabbert has already spent some time in the playbook.

Analysts pick which drafted quarterback will have the biggest career impact, and Vic Carucci goes with Gabbert.

Offensive line coach Andy Heck sees Will Rackley as a ready-made guy, says John Oehser.

Will Jarett Dillard and Tiquan Underwood be on the roster bubble? Alfie Crow wonders.

Tennessee Titans

Once anti-Twitter, Jeff Fisher now has an account to chronicle his climb of Kilimanjaro, says Jim Wyatt.

Kevin Mawae spoke to civic and business leaders in Nashville and Jerome Boettcher.

Three guys the Titans could sign to take over for Chris Hope, from Andrew Strickert.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Vince Young, Titans quarterback: He’s on IR with a thumb injury and will disappear from the Titans’ public talk going forward. All the long-running issues about his maturity, preparation, dedication and football smarts boiled over into a gigantic meltdown that few players survive. This player, though, still has his owner under his thumb.

2. Tiquan Underwood, Jaguars receiver: With Mike Sims-Walker (ankle) out, the Jaguars used Underwood more and he was a disappointment with two drops of well-thrown balls by David Garrard. One might have been a touchdown or would have at least put the team near the goal line. Underwood looked timid.

3. Peyton Manning in 2-minute drills at the end of games: It’s a lot to expect him to always lead the Colts to a win when they’re in range late. But given a chance to win or tie at the end in recent games at Philadelphia and New England, Manning’s ended the game with an interception instead.

RISING

1. Terrance Knighton and Jeremy Mincey, Jaguars defensive linemen: Mincey brought a great energy to the defensive line and recorded two sacks. Knighton looked like a Pro Bowler stuffing things up in the middle and penetrating on pass plays. He had four tackles, a sack and a big impact on the Browns' offense.

2. Passer ratings against the Texans: Mark Sanchez topped 300 yards and threw for three touchdowns, including one with 10 seconds left to lift the Jets to a win. Houston’s allowed opponents a passer rating of 109.2, worst in the league by a significant margin (Jacksonville, 103.9). Can the Texans handle Titans rookie Rusty Smith?

3. Joel Dreessen, Texans tight end: Without the injured Owen Daniels, Houston is still getting good tight end production. Dreessen showed a knack for getting open in the loss to the Jets and clearly has Matt Schaub’s confidence. He had four catches for a team-high 104 yards, including a 43-yard TD when he was wide open.

Power Rankings: Preseason: No. 25. This week: No. 20.

2010 schedule/results

Where they stand: At 4-4 the Jaguars have the same record as the Texans but one fewer conference win. Jacksonville has been the division’s most erratic team, with a minus-61 point differential. At their worst, they’ve had fans calling for coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback David Garrard to be replaced. At their best, they’ve taken down Indianapolis and buried Dallas. Pass defense has been a big issue, and they’ve now got kids Courtney Greene and Don Carey manning the safety slots and learning as they go. The pass rush is better but the protection’s still an issue. The offensive line’s not been as good as hoped, and the Jaguars have absorbed 18 sacks.

Falling: Derrick Harvey, defensive end. The Jaguars spent far too much to go up and get him in the 2008 draft. Last year they tried to sell that although Harvey wasn't the pass-rusher the team had hoped for, he was developing into a rugged left end who could defend the run and demand some attention. Recently the team has conceded, however, that he’s regressed and he lost his starting job.

Rising: Terrance Knighton and Tyson Alualu, defensive tackles. The interior duo looks to be ahead of the Eugene Monroe-Eben Britton offensive tackle duo in terms of becoming cornerstones. (Britton’s on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.) Knighton is more than a handful and Alualu has great quickness. They’ve been aided by Cullen and Aaron Kampman, a quality veteran defensive end who signed as a big-ticket free agent. The Knighton-Alualu up arrow extends beyond this season.

Midseason MVP: Marcedes Lewis, tight end. He’s been their biggest threat on offense, with a 13-yard per-catch average that’s less than 2 yards off the pace of the teams’ speed receiver (Tiquan Underwood). Lewis has scored seven of the Jaguars’ 18 touchdowns. Maurice Jones-Drew has scored just three and Del Rio has talked of how some scoring chances have simply shifted from MJD to Lewis. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter deserves credit for getting Lewis, who’s been better known for his blocking to this point in his career, involved. And Lewis is likely to reap serious financial benefits as he’s in the final year of his deal.

Outlook: Some of those games down the home stretch that looked like the Jaguars would be clear favorites in don’t stack up that way now. Outside the division, Jacksonville hosts Cleveland, Oakland and Washington. The Jags still have four division games, too: two against Houston, at Indianapolis and at Tennessee. Looks like tough sledding for a team that’s been far too hot and cold.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

The Texans get an attitude spike with Brian Cushing back, says Richard Justice.

The Texans need to do a far better job protecting Matt Schaub than the Bears did with Jay Cutler last week.

A slide show of Cushing at his first practice back.

Mark Anderson or Jesse Nading have the best chance to help the Texans at end, says Lance Zierlein.

The Texans have the toughest remaining schedule in the league, says Stephanie Stradley.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts expect to score, no matter their field position, says Mike Chappell.

Indianapolis is mulling its options at safety after the Melvin Bullitt injury, Phil Richards.

Chappell takes questions, including one about the recent draft record.

Eric Berry learned a lot from Peyton Manning, says Doug Tucker.

John Oehser on defensive consistency and offensive efficiency.

Kasey Klipsch breaks down a key drive from the Jacksonville game.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Mike Sims-Walker has been quiet and Maurice Jones-Drew didn’t practice, says Tania Ganguli.

Tiquan Underwood learned a lot from Torry Holt, says Vito Stellino.

Sims-Walker is not involved enough and frustrated.

Deep threats are special. Possession guys are a dime a dozen, says Vic Ketchman.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have been getting burned by big plays, says Jim Wyatt.

Gerald McRath returned to the Titans, say Wyatt and John Glennon.

Justin Gage isn’t ruling himself out, say John Glennon.

No one is pointing fingers regarding the run game, says Wyatt.

The Titans are aggressive, not dirty, says Joe Biddle.

Vince Young says he’s more mature because he’s not just focused on himself, says Tom Orsborn.

Pete Prisco and Clark Judge debate whether the Titans are dirty.

The Titans are unconcerned with the accusations flying out of Denver, says Steve Wyche.

The running back class of 2008 is going strong, says Gerry Fraley.

A first quarter review of the offense, from Andrew Strickert.

Jason Babin’s sack celebration resulted from a lost bet, says Bob McClellan.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

Chris Johnson and the Titans’ run blocking: All sort of explanations are rolling in, and some in Nashville are even asking for more Javon Ringer carries. That’s craziness. But Fisher had said the run game isn’t operating as it should be and with that being the case the Titans really have issues. The line needs to block better and Johnson needs to be decisive. He tweeted a pledge for a big October.

1. 
   
   
   ChrisJohnson28 I wnt 2 let all my fantasy ppl & myfans kno not 2 worry ima have a gr8 oct its tkng a little time 2 adjust 2 the 8 n 9 inthe box #NOPRESSURE 05 Oct 2010 from ÜberTwitter

Colts safeties: Antoine Bethea is an excellent player. But he’s like to be stretched thin with the team’s three best options aside from him -- Bob Sanders, Melvin Bullitt and Jamie Silva -- all out now. The Colts are hoping for a late-season return from Sanders. In the meantime, their options on the roster are inexperienced DaJuan Morgan and rookie Brandon King, a converted corner who’s had a hamstring issue. Matt Cassel may not be able to take advantage of that, but I suspect Donovan McNabb and Matt Schaub will.

Jamie Winborn, Titans linebacker: He’s been workmanlike and serviceable as a fill-in, but the dynamic Gerald McRath returns from his four-game suspension this week. The Titans should plug him directly back into the lineup and hash out what they will do when they decide to use nickel personnel. But Jeff Fisher’s already spoken of the expectation of rust on McRath, which might mean Winborn retains a part time role for a bit.

RISING

Mike Thomas, Jaguars receiver: As I mentioned in Tuesday’s High Energy Player of the Week post on Tiquan Underwood, I think the Colts’ game was indicative of where the Jaguars are heading -- to a shorter passing game that won’t ask David Garrard to make the sort of throws that failed him in the losses to San Diego and Philadelphia. Thomas had a solid game against Indianapolis and will be a big beneficiary of this alteration.

Troy Nolan, Texans safety: The second-year safety had two picks in Oakland in his first action on defense, which prompted Gary Kubiak to pledge more playing time for him. I think Eugene Wilson qualifies as a weak spot for the defense and even if healthy, the team should stick with Nolan and give him a chance to be part of this young defensive backfield that’s trying to grow up quickly together.

Josh Scobee, Jaguars kicker: He doesn’t rank high on the scoring list, but he’s extended a great preseason into the regular season and four games in he hasn’t even attempted a FG from under 44 yards. He’s connected from 45, 44, 48, 51 and 59 for the Jaguars so far this season.

» NFC High Energy: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at a player who gave his team a significant boost in Week 4:

Maurice Jones-Drew ran well. David Garrard made smart and safe throws. Anthony Smith and Gerald Alexander combined on a couple of takeaways. And Josh Scobee boomed a 59-yard field goal as time expired to give Jacksonville an upset over the Colts at EverBank Field on Sunday.

The one significant contributor we haven’t talked about a lot who did a great deal to spark the final scenario was receiver and return man Tiquan Underwood.

He brought Pat McAfee's kickoff back 29 yards to the Jaguars’ 23-yard line with 48 seconds left in regulation, then was the target on all four of Garrard’s throws on the final drive.

Underwood accounted for 28 of the team’s 36 yards that positioned Scobee for the game-winning kick, including a 22-yard reception in which he got between Indianapolis defensive backs Jacob Lacey and Antoine Bethea to make the catch on the left sideline and get out of bounds to stop the clock.

The second-year receiver was a seventh-round draft pick from Rutgers and qualifies as Jacksonville’s deep threat. But the Jaguars conceded in this game that Garrard wasn’t going to throw the ball down the field effectively, and kept him in his comfort zone with short stuff.

Another second-year receiver, Mike Thomas, is better suited to such an approach and he was targeted seven times, leading the team with five catches for 68 yards. Garrard looked to Underwood five times, connecting on three of the attempts.

The 22-yarder at the end was the team’s longest pass play of the game.

The universal reaction in the press box when the Colts called a timeout with 36 second left in regulation and the Jaguars clearly willing to settle for overtime was: What’s Jim Caldwell thinking?

I didn’t think his postgame explanation was sufficient. He said they weren’t going to let the Jaguars run out the clock.

But Monday the Colts coach did a better job explaining the philosophical thinking:

Courtesy of the Colts from Caldwell’s news conference:

On if he stands by his decision to call a timeout during Jacksonville’s last drive of the game:

“Yes. What we look at is this; first of all, you never know if you’re ever going to get the ball back in those situations. But the big thing we try to look at is if we can get the ball back for our offense, particularly on the road, don’t necessarily want to go into overtime, if we can win it in regulation we want to give it a shot. So, the timeout in that situation ended up being probably about what we thought it would be. We wanted to make certain that we had a third-down situation where if they didn’t make it they had to punt the ball, and it was there. We had opportunities there on that last drive to get that ball back, but didn’t do it. You always reflect, you always think back, you always look at yourself first, in terms of what you would do differently and all that kind of stuff to try to learn from it, but we’re pretty aggressive in those areas.”

I can handle that. The problem with it, of course, is that it came on second-and-2. So in order to force that punt, the Colts needed two stops against a team that averaged 5 yards a rush on the afternoon.

Odds there say at worst the Jaguars would get a first down and be able to run out the clock and at best they would do what they did, get enough yards to hit a bomb of a field goal to win it.

If my defense was semi-effective, I’d do everything I could to get Peyton Manning the ball no matter how little time he had with it. But the defensive performance at EverBank Field didn't qualify as semi-effective, so I might have called off the standard team strategy for that situation.

Even after that, two questions remained:

• How did Tiquan Underwood get open enough on the sideline to catch a 22-yard pass and get out of bounds with 11 seconds left? Antoine Bethea was the first defender to arrive, but after Underwood went out of bounds he went right to nickelback Jacob Lacey to talk about what happened. Lacey let Underwood go by to step up to cover Mike Thomas out of the slot, but Thomas was in much shorter and less dangerous territory. Lacey was way behind the play to Underwood, looking as if he expected help to arrive a lot sooner than it did.
• How could Kelvin Hayden drop an easy pick on the following play? Under pressure from Robert Mathis, a retreating David Garrard threw for Underwood up the right side. Hayden easily got in front of the intended receiver and was in position to take an interception to a game-winning touchdown. But the ball bounced right off his numbers and he was left to watch Josh Scobee’s heroics unfold two plays later.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Facing gut-check time, the Texans responded with a win in Oakland, says John McClain.

Troy Nolan was opportunistic with two interceptions in Oakland, says McClain.

Offensive backups like Joel Dreessen performed, says Dale Robertson.

Brian Cushing returns this week, says Robertson.

The Texans overcame obstacle after obstacle, says Richard Justice.

McClain’s interactive report card.

Dreessen could make Owen Daniels expendable long-term, says Lance Zierlein.

Indianapolis Colts

The Jaguars kicked the Colts in the gut, says Mike Chappell.

Defensive failures helped set up Jacksonville’s winning field goal, says Phillip B. Wilson.

Even with the Colts' pedigree, serious flaws are hard to overcome, says Bob Kravitz.

The Colts have suffered at the foot of Josh Scobee before, says Wilson.

A franchise-record 15 catches were lost on Reggie Wayne in the loss, says Chappell.

Kravitz’s report card.

The two turnovers in the red zone were killer, says John Oehser.

Sorting out the Colts’ late, odd timeout with Nate Dunlevy.

Jacksonville Jaguars

“It wasn't just a field goal, it was a burst of light on a season in trouble, that very spark the Jaguars had talked about needing all week long after two consecutive blowout losses.” Tania Ganguli’s game story.

Scobee gave the Jaguars the kick start they were searching for, says Gene Frenette.

Maurice Jones-Drew burned the Colts yet again, says Vito Stellino.

Gerald Alexander and Anthony Smith returned to make some big plays, says Stellino.

David Jones was upbeat after Wayne’s record day, says Jeff Elliott.

Tiquan Underwood was a key guy on the final drive, says Gary Smits.

Frenette and Stellino review the game in this video.

The Jaguars saved their season, says Vic Ketchman.

Scobee saved the Jaguars from moral victory talk, says Brian Fullford.

Tennessee Titans

Tennessee let a winnable game slip away because its offense was inept in the second half, its defense was worn down, and its special teams committed a blunder at the worst time, says Jim Wyatt.

The defense tired out in the second half, says John Glennon.

Marc Mariani’s gaffe offset his big play, says Glennon.

Chuck Cecil’s gesture will draw a fine and Kyle Orton thinks the Titans are cheap, say Wyatt and Glennon.

The aura of the Titans' home field is about gone, says David Climer.

An inept offense bears the burden for this one, says Joe Biddle.

Penalties played a role in the Titans giving up their most points yet, says David Boclair.

Something is not right with Chris Johnson or the offensive line, says Bob McClellan.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A few quick observations from Jacksonville's 31-28 victory against the Indianapolis Colts.

What it means: The Jaguars and David Garrard can play well. They got a great effort in front of a spirited crowd and pulled to a 2-2 record thanks to a 59-yard last-second field goal from Josh Scobee. They’re even with the Colts in the standings and have the edge with the head-to-head win. The Colts are 2-2, with an 0-2 mark in the AFC South.

What I liked, Jags: Garrard played so much better than he had over the last two miserable weeks. With a rusher bearing down on a crucial third-and-4 near midfield, he stood in and hit Tiquan Underwood, who shrugged off Kelvin Hayden and converted. Garrard converted another third down with a run. He then threw a go-ahead touchdown to Maurice Jones-Drew on a third down after a bad penalty backed the Jaguars up. Garrard connected with Underwood again on the pass that got Scobee in range.

What I liked Jags, Part II: They still gave up plays, but the Jaguars much-maligned safeties produced some too. Gerald Alexander walloped Brody Eldridge to pop a ball loose and Anthony Smith picked it off near the goal line. Later Smith was in on forcing Wayne’s fumble that Alexander scooped and returned 47 yards. Those two red-zone takeaways were a huge part of the result.

What I liked, Colts: Reggie Wayne’s huge day. He caught a franchise record 15 passes for a career-high 196 yards and was a crucial cog in the Colts’ ability to keep things moving. It was more than enough to offset a fumble in the red zone that temporarily stalled the Colts.

What’s next: The Jaguars travel to Buffalo with a bit of insight from their new backup quarterback, Trent Edwards. The Colts host undefeated Kansas City, which is coming off a bye.

David Garrard said he wished he could erase the loss in San Diego from his mind. No quarterback wants a four-interception game on his résumé.

I just had a chance to look at each of the four passes closely. Not good.

1. It was a deep throw down the middle intended for Tiquan Underwood. Garrard had quality protection and time to step up and into his throw. I am not sure Underwood was open when Garrard let it go, but he pulled away from defender Antoine Cason while the ball approached. It was, however, a bit short and Cason made a very nice athletic play going up to get it.
2. Linebacker Shaun Phillips was bearing down and had to be in Garrard’s field of vision. Garrard threw, Phillips jumped and batted the ball, it went up in the air and five Chargers converged with Cason making the play. It did not look like favorable coverage for Jacksonville and while I don’t think anyone could have broken it up, offensive players didn’t react well with the ball in the air.
3. There was no real pressure on what was the worst of the four in my eyes. Garrard throw it right to linebacker Brandon Siler over the middle. Did he even see him?
4. Garrard was least guilty here, as Maurice Jones-Drew failed him in protection. Still, should Garrard’s clock tell him he’s asking a lot of Jones-Drew on Siler as the linebacker bears down from the quarterback’s right side? He waited too long, the ball fluttered as a result of the hit and Burnett made a nice diving catch moving backward.

Three things I’ll be looking for in Dolphins at Jaguars:

The pass rush: We could see Tyson Alualu and Aaron Kampman on the field as the Jaguars could have a full stable of defensive linemen available. This group is expected to key the Jaguars’ defense, and it would be great to see it get Chad Henne off his spot and off the schedule the Dolphins have for the plays they run.

Garrard and McCown: David Garrard wasn’t good and Luke McCown was in the preseason opener. With a solid performance, Garrard could quiet things down. But if he plays poorly and McCown is good again, we’ll hear some fan clamoring for McCown to at least get a look with the first team. And quite frankly, it would be hard to argue against the idea in those circumstances.

Weapons: Mike Sims-Walker might be out, so more of the young receivers could get chances to run with the first team and distinguish themselves. Veteran Troy Williamson will look for big plays to strengthen his run at the No. 2 spot, and Mike Thomas can help solidify his place as third at worst. The Jaguars would love to see Jarett Dillard and/or Tiquan Underwood make a few plays to stand out.