Len Pasquarelli

you moron. He's not just a bad writer. He's also an ugly man. In any case, he (sort of) takes the Jags to task for not trusting Byron Leftwich enough, for reining him in and making him handoff all the time. He then uses the standard retard technique of comparing the Jaguars' use of Leftwich to the Colts' use of Manning. Well the best team in the league uses their quarterback, who happens to be the best quarterback in the league, and who has different strengths and weaknesses, and runs a totally different offense, this way. Why don't you use your quarterback in similar fashion? For one, a lot of reasons.
But, let's stick to Pasquarelli's article here. His main problem with the game was that the Jags didn't pass enough on third down, unlike the Colts.

When [the Jaguars] run the ball on every down," noted Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, "on third-and-20, on third-and-10, whatever, it is easy to adjust and know what they're doing."

Pasquarelli then hammers his point home in the next paragraph. It's simply beautiful to watch a wordsmith like Pasquarelli work:

On third-and-long, the Colts count on Manning and coordinator Tom Moore to dial up a miracle. There were seven occasions on which the Indianapolis offense faced third-down plays Sunday needing 7 or more yards to convert. Not surprisingly, the Colts threw all seven times, remarkably converting on five of them, including a 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dallas Clark. Every time the Jaguars faced a third down, it seemed, Leftwich handed off to Fred Taylor or mercurial rookie Maurice Jones-Drew.

First, we have a stat about the Colts compared with what "it seemed" like the Jags did, along with the half-assed recollections of an NFL defensive end. This is good writing "style." It's the sort of objective, cold-eyed look at the "facts" that all journalists attempt to achieve. What did the Jags actually do?

In the first quarter, the Jags faced four 3rd downs. The first (3rd & 5) they handed off to Drew, who got a 1st down. Next was 3rd and 3, and Leftwich scrambled for the 1st, although the play was probably a pass. Next was a 3rd & 1, QB sneak by Leftwich = 1st down. The last was a 3rd & 7, where again they handed off to Drew, and again got a 1st down.

In the second quarter, the Jags faced five 3rd downs. They ran twice, once on 3rd and 2 (when they handed off to Drew) and once on 3rd and 1, when Leftwich again snuck for the 1st down. All the other 3rd downs they attempted a pass or Leftwich scrambled on a pass play. Only one was 3rd and 7 or longer.

In the third quarter, the Jags faced four 3rd downs, and elected to attempt a pass each time, including on 3rd and 1.

In the fourth quarter, the Jags faced four 3rd downs, and elected to pass each time.

So, we had a total of 17 third downs, and pass plays on 12/17. On 3rd and 7 or longer, they ran exactly 1/7 times. They never handed off to Taylor on third down. The one time they ran on 3rd and 7, handoff to Drew, they got a first down.

Just as a side note, the Jags converted on 6/7 called running plays, and 4/10 called passing plays, and that includes one where a pass was called and Leftwich scrambled for a TD. Naturally running 3rd downs are generally easier, because runs are called on 3rd and short. It does undercut Freeney's point, though, about how easy it is to defend against the run on 3rd when you know it's coming. First of all, it never came in the second half, and, when it did come, they didn't defend against it very well. Dwight and Len have been the subject of "couple" rumors, though, so it's easy to see how this article came to be written. Although Freeney was also rumored to be less-than-pleased with Len's grooming habits, reportedly repeatedly encouraging Len to "get his fuckin' teeth whitened."

Schiavo me this?

Wow.