Jacksonville JaguarsWR Matt Jones is waiting for a decision on his appeal of a suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy and is taking part in the league’s drug program, he said Thursday.

Jones was arrested July 10 on cocaine possession charges in Arkansas and earlier this month agreed to a drug-treatment program there. He said he has “nothing official” from the league regarding his status, having received a preliminary letter of suspension and little else.

“I haven’t got anything official,” said Jones, the team’s leading receiver with 30 catches for 338 yards.

(more)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - A judge Monday accepted Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones into a drug treatment program that could erase a felony cocaine charge lodged against the former Arkansas star last summer.

The former University of Arkansas quarterback must participate in NFL-sponsored substance-abuse counseling and random drug testing through the end of the football season, then return to Fayetteville to complete the intervention program, Judge Mary Ann Gunn said.

(more)

DENVER - Injuries could’ve legitimized another setback for the Jaguars headed into their bye week.

Toss in a meat-grinder on the road against a hot Denver squad in the cool climes at Invesco Field at Mile High, and perhaps the Jaguars would finally have to acknowledge that their weakened state really is an issue.

But instead of opening the door for excuses Sunday, the Jaguars closed out the Broncos 24-17 on the strength of two Maurice Drew touchdown runs.

Now with a week off to rest, and three teams (Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit) with a combined 1-14 record on the horizon, the Jaguars appear to have fought through the worst of their problems while evening their record at 3-3.

(more)

Three women were taken to a hospital Sunday night with non-life-threatening injuries after being injured when a glass panel fell from the upper deck at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium during the Jaguars-Steelers game, according to Bob Downey, the head of SMG, a private company that manages the stadium.

Downey said the panel was 2 feet by 4 feet and is an inch thick and serves as a glass railing.

It was dislodged during a fight in the 414 section in the upper deck and fell near the club seats in the lower deck.

A man was also injured, but he signed a release and was not taken to a hospital.

(more)

Teams are defined by how they play late in the fourth quarter with the game on the line.

For the third time in their first five games, the Jaguars fell short at the end.

After rallying for victories in the waning moments of the last two games, the Jaguars couldn’t get it done on offense and defense in the final six minutes.

The result was a 26-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that dropped their record to 2-3, three games behind the unbeaten Tennessee Titans in the AFC South.

The defense couldn’t stop Ben Roethlisberger from driving the Steelers 80 yards in 11 plays in 4 minutes, 40 seconds for the game-winning drive.

(more)

The Pittsburgh Steelers started the season expecting to undertake a rebuilding effort on both lines.

Reconstruction now seems to be taking place everywhere for the Steelers (3-1), who enter Sunday night’s game at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium against the Jaguars (2-2) with an injury report featuring 12 players, including their top two running backs.

It’s not exactly an ideal situation, considering the Steelers come into Sunday’s game on a four-game losing streak against the Jaguars, including last year’s AFC playoff game in Pittsburgh.

(more)

JACKSONVILLE - The day Richard Collier was shot, his sister went to see him after surgery. He was hooked up to a ventilator and heavily sedated. She asked him to squeeze her hand, and he did. She told him she loved him and he mouthed, “I love you.”

He doesn’t remember any of that now.

As soon as Collier got to the hospital, his life-threatening gunshot wounds required immediate surgery on his abdomen. He had five bullet wounds to his urinary bladder plus wounds to his rectum and two bullets fractured his spine.

One hit his spinal cord, paralyzing him.

The wound in his leg caused a major artery to develop a blood clot and stop circulation to his foot. Several days after performing surgery to remove the clot, doctors realized the leg had to be amputated above the knee.

(more)

JACKSONVILLE - What worked against the Houston Texans was exactly what haunted the Jacksonville Jaguars during their first three games.

The passing game hadn’t been able to get going, but on Sunday it did. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, it did for Houston, too.

Jacksonville (2-2, 2-1 AFC South) knocked off Houston 30-27 in overtime for its second consecutive divisional win. For the second week in a row, the game came down to a field goal by kicker Josh Scobee, this one 37 yards. Last week Scobee kicked a 51-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining to beat Indianapolis.

(more)

Photo Gallery

The Jerry Porter watch should officially come to an end Sunday when the Jaguars host the Houston Texans at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

Porter is listed as probable on the Jaguars’ latest injury report, and he appears set to see his first action of the season.

“He had a good week, and we’ll assess it between now and the game,” Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said of his wide receiver. “He probably had his best week in terms of practice.”

(more)

INDIANAPOLIS - David Garrard’s message to the Jaguars’ offensive players was simple and to the point Sunday.

With the Jaguars trailing the Indianapolis Colts 21-20 with 1:07 left, and with the ball on their own 20-yard line, the quarterback told his teammates: “This is our time. Just believe.”

And they did in a game in which their season was probably on the line.

The Jaguars responded with a seven-play, 47-yard drive capped by Josh Scobee’s 51-yard field goal with four seconds remaining that gave the Jaguars a 23-21 victory. Instead of an 0-3 start, the Jaguars are tied with the Colts at 1-2 in the AFC South behind 3-0 Tennessee.

(more)

Photo Gallery