FanHouse Jacksonville Jaguars

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

I'll agree with the defenders of Dante Wesley on one front, but just one: he hasn't made a career out of being a dirty player. Sunday, though, he was. What Wesley did, whether intentional or not, was one of the most egregious things I've ever seen done on a football field. Honestly, I didn't even think I'd have to cover it for Zebra Report, but I've seen so many absolutely appalling arguments in defense of Wesley on comment boards across the internet, that I feel I have to. It's simply mind-boggling (and, as a football fan, a bit embarrassing) that some people seriously think his hit was, or should have been, legal.

Friday, Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Quentin Groves was headed to the airport to catch his team's chartered flight to Seattle -- where they'd eventually get their teeth kicked in, 41-0. On the way, though, he wasn't exactly what you would call a cautious motorist.

According to reports from the Jacksonville area, Groves did some damage to two different vehicles with some careless driving. Reportedly, Groves clipped one car while changing lanes -- sending it spinning -- and then abruptly changed lanes again before slamming on the brakes. This caused another car to end up wedged under Groves' car.

Jacksonville has suspended Mike Sims-Walker, the team's leading wide receiver, for Sunday's game at Seattle for an unspecified violation of team rules, Michael C. Wright reported on Twitter.

Sims-Walker, a second-year player out of Central Florida, has been a surprise star through four weeks -- he's made 19 catches for 278 yards and three touchdowns, and has developed into one of the Jaguars' most consistent offensive threats.

Rookie Mike Thomas will start in Sims-Walker's place.

It's hard to blame one play for the Titans' embarrassing 37-17 loss at Jacksonville in Week 4 -- a loss that dropped Tennessee to 0-4. But that doesn't mean Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher is ready to let the game's referee crew off the hook for a botched call that gave Jacksonville a touchdown.

With less than 30 seconds to play in the first half, Jaguars quarterback David Garrard threw a pass to Mike Sims-Walker in the end zone. Sims-Walker initially hauled the pass in, but Titans cornerback Jason McCourty batted the ball out as the two players fell to the ground. It was ruled an incompletion on the field.

But the replay booth buzzed head referee Alberto Riveron -- per protocol in the final two minutes of a half -- to take a second look. Riveron then reversed the call on the field, giving the Jags a touchdown and a 27-3 halftime lead.

Jacksonville's attendance woes have reached rather dire straits; the team likely won't sell out a single game in 2009, and sold less than 50,000 tickets for its home opener in Week 2 (with less than 40,000 people showing up). So, perhaps not surprisingly, Jaguars team owner Wayne Weaver is talking about moving the team -- at least on occasion.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Weaver said that, if the NFL expands to an 18-game schedule in the near future as expected, the Jaguars would seriously consider playing some home games in Orlando.

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

For the second straight week, the Houston Texans' offense was involved in a controversial call on a would-be touchdown. In Week 2, many thought they were the beneficiary of a bad call. In Week 3, the proverbial shoe was on the other foot. Let's get right to it.

Every week we're logging each and every sack to determine who was to blame, how long it took for the sack to happen and how the sack happened. Here are the notes pulled from watching Week Two's sacks.

It's worth throwing in a disclaimer. It's not always easy to determine who was responsible for a sack, especially if there is a line twist or blitz pickup involved. But these are logged as best as can be done without knowing the line protection calls.

• The 49ers' offensive line did manage to block well enough to free up Frank Gore for 207 yards rushing, but they haven't solved their pass blocking problems at right tackle. San Francisco signed ex-Jaguars tackle Tony Pashos to give Adam Snyder some competition. Snyder started against the Seahawks but they split time at right tackle, and both gave up sacks.

The Jaguars finished a disappointing 5-11 in 2008, cleaned out a bunch of players in the offseason, and entered 2009 hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Instead, the situation in Jacksonville looks as dim as ever.

The Jaguars opened the season with a Week 1 loss at Indianapolis, then got smoked in their home opener on Sunday -- in front of an announced crowd of less than 47,000. Things only got worse on Monday, with the announcement that veteran wide receiver Troy Williamson is likely out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Amid all these NFL predictions flooding the web this week there are few certainties. But if recent history is any indication, we know for sure that at least one of this year's division winners will be a team that finished in last place a year ago. At least one team has turned the trick every year since the NFL went to the current eight-division format -- 10 teams total in six seasons. The Dolphins did it last year, the Buccaneers the year before, and the Eagles and Saints the year before that.

The reasons for this phenomenon are obvious -- overall parity, four-team divisions, a scheduling system that (basically) makes life easier for the teams at the bottom and tougher for the teams at the top. The only question as the 2009 season dawns is which of last year's last-place finishers will be among this year's division winners. We ranked all eight of them in order of their chances to continue the trend:

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Remember Jan. 5, 2008? The Jaguars probably do -- it's the last real positive moment for the franchise. On that day, Jacksonville marched into Heinz Field, took a 28-10 lead, and eventually took down the Steelers 31-29 in a playoff game. Jacksonville lost at New England the next week, went 5-11 last season, and here we are. This is a big season for the Jags, but they face a substantial uphill battle in the AFC South. Indianapolis and Tennessee will be stout again, while Houston appears primed to be a major riser. That doesn't leave a lot of room for Jacksonville.