The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the NFL in 1995. They saw early success by making the playoffs in four of their first five seasons. The team made it to two AFC Championship games during that stretch, but were never able to find their way to a Super Bowl.
In today’s NFL, the Jaguars are far from the early days of the franchise. They have made the postseason just once since 2007. They are 11-21 over the last two seasons with no sign of reaching the playoffs coming in the near future.
Jacksonville will enter the 2020 season with Doug Marrone on the sideline and Gardner Minshew under center. It is time to escape the harsh reality and take a look at the three greatest moments in Jaguars history.
3. David Garrard’s Run
In 2007, the Jaguars won double-digit games and made the postseason for the second time in three years. They traveled to Pittsburgh to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round.
Jacksonville seemed to have the game in hand when they led 28-10 heading into the fourth quarter. From that point on, the Steelers would score the next three touchdowns to grab a 29-28 lead. The Jaguars were preparing to get the ball back, with quarterback David Garrard leading the offense.
The drive stalled momentarily at the Pittsburgh’s 43-yard line where the Jaguars faced fourth-and-two. Garrard took the snap and carried the ball up the middle for 32 yards. After three Maurice Jones-Drew runs, Jacksonville found themselves on the seven-yard line. Josh Scobee nailed a 25-yard field goal and the Jaguars advanced.
This run was the defining moment of Garrard’s career. He is one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history and he made a huge play when his team needed it the most.
2. Miami Massacre of 1999
The 1999 Jaguars set a franchise-record with 14 wins. They won the division and entered the postseason on a high note. This did not change when they took on the Miami Dolphins in the Divisional round.
This would be the final game of the legendary career of Dan Marino, and it was not a pretty one for the Dolphins. Jacksonville burst out of the gates and scored 24 first-quarter points. They would add 17 more in the second quarter and enter halftime with a 41-7 lead. The onslaught was not over. Jacksonville added 21 unanswered points in the second half.
The final score of the game was 62-7. Jacksonville out-gained Miami 520-131 and forced seven turnovers. Marino finished 11-25 for 95 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Jacksonville rushed for 257 yards while holding Miami to just 21.
The Jaguars’ season would end the very next week against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship game. This does not take away the dominance of the regular season and the team's complete dismantling of the Dolphins. The season did not end the way fans wanted but when looking back, this game against the Dolphins is one of the most memorable in franchise history.
1. Jags take down Elway in Mile High
The 1996 season was just the Jaguars' second in the league. They finished 9-7 and earned a Wild Card berth in the playoffs. After defeating the Buffalo Bills 30-27, they set up a date with the Denver Broncos.
It was John Elway versus Mark Brunell. The David versus Goliath quarterback matchup seemed to be over before the teams took the field. The game started out this way, as well, when Denver scored two quick touchdowns to lead, 12-0, after the first quarter. The second quarter belonged to Jacksonville, as they scored 13 unanswered points.
In the third quarter, the Jaguars were able to extend their lead on a 31-yard connection from Brunell to Keenan McCardell. A Mike Hollis field goal early in the fourth gave Jacksonville a stunning 23-12 advantage. Denver would not go away. Terrell Davis scored on a two-yard run to make it 23-20, but the Jags would respond right away. Brunell hit Jimmy Smith for another touchdown and that was it.
The Broncos added a late touchdown when Elway found Ed McCaffrey but they could not execute the onside kick. Marching into Mile High Stadium and defeating Elway is something that was difficult to do. The Jaguars were able to make it happen in just their second NFL season.
This is undoubtedly the best moment in franchise history and a game that is still talked about to this day in Jacksonville.
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