The 1997 season was the Jacksonville Jaguars' 3rd season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 3rd season under the leadership of general manager and head coach Tom Coughlin. The team looked to reach the AFC Championship for the second straight year following a surprising run in 1996. The Jaguars improved upon their previous 9-7 record and won 11 games. They made the playoffs as a wild card team, playing the Denver Broncos on the road for the second straight year. This time they lost to the Broncos 42–17, bringing the Jaguars’ season to an end.
The team also made several changes to the uniforms. They changed the numbers to new font style numbers and added black side panels to the uniforms. During the offseason, the team had changed the font style numbers on the jerseys to a skinnier style with a black drop shadow in the back of the numbers. During the team's 1997 preseason games there were several complaints that the announcers and the viewers had a hard time recognizing the numbers on the players, so the team decided to make the jersey numbers wider and removed the drop shadow numbers by the beginning of the regular season.
Offseason
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents + 1997 Undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeCurtis AndersonCornerbackPittsburghJamie BaisleyLinerbackerIndianaIsaac CurtisTight endKentuckyKevin DevineCornerbackCaliforniaTodd FordhamTackleFlorida StateLance FunderburkQuarterbackValdosta StateJames KiddWide receiverColoradoJabbar ThreatsDefensive endMichigan State
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Stadium 1 Carolina Panthers W 23–9 1–0 Jacksonville Municipal Stadium 2 at New York Giants W 38–10 2–0 Giants Stadium 3 at San Francisco 49ers W 28–20 3–0 3Com Park 4 at Atlanta Falcons W 26–17 4–0 Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 August 31 at Baltimore Ravens W 28–27 1–0 Memorial Stadium 61,018 2 September 7 New York Giants W 40–13 2–0 Alltel Stadium 70,581 3 Bye 4 Pittsburgh Steelers W 30–21 3–0 Alltel Stadium 73,016 5 September 28 at Washington Redskins L 12–24 3–1 Jack Kent Cooke Stadium 74,421 6 October 5 Cincinnati Bengals W 21–13 4–1 Alltel Stadium 67,128 7 October 12 Philadelphia Eagles W 38–21 5–1 Alltel Stadium 69,150 8 October 19 at Dallas Cowboys L 22–26 5–2 Texas Stadium 64,464 9 October 26 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 17–23 5–3 Three Rivers Stadium 57,011 10 November 2 at Tennessee Oilers W 30–24 6–3 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium 27,208 11 November 9 Kansas City Chiefs W 24–10 7–3 Alltel Stadium 70,444 12 November 16 Tennessee Oilers W 17–9 8–3 Alltel Stadium 70,070 13 November 23 at Cincinnati Bengals L 26–31 8–4 Cinergy Field 55,158 14 November 30 Baltimore Ravens W 29–27 9–4 Alltel Stadium 63,712 15 December 7 New England Patriots L 20–26 9–5 Alltel Stadium 73,446 16 December 14 at Buffalo Bills W 20–14 10–5 Rich Stadium 41,231 17 December 21 at Oakland Raiders W 20–9 11–5 Oakland Coliseum 40,032 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Baltimore Ravens
Week 2: vs. New York Giants
Week 4: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 5: at Washington Redskins
Week 6: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 7: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 8: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 9: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 10: at Tennessee Oilers
Week 11: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 12: vs. Tennessee Oilers
Week 13: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 14: vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 15: vs. New England Patriots
Week 16: at Buffalo Bills
Week 17: at Oakland Raiders
Standings
Postseason
Schedule Round Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Wild Card at Denver Broncos (4) L 17–42 0–1 Mile High Stadium 74,481
Game summaries AFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (4) Denver Broncos
After upsetting the Broncos in the playoffs in the previous year, the Jaguars fell short in the re-match. John Elway lead the Broncos to a 42–17 win over the visiting Jaguars, throwing for 223 yards and a touchdown. Mark Brunell was 18 for 32 for 203 yards, but had no touchdowns on top of an interception. Similar to the year before when the Broncos could not stop Natrone Means and the Jaguars running game, the Jaguars struggled all game to contain the Broncos running attack. Terrell Davis carried 31 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Nonetheless, the game was close throughout, as the Broncos led by only 21-17 late in the third quarter. But the Broncos would score 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, ending the Jaguars season.
Awards and records Mike Hollis, franchise record (tied), most field goals in one game, 5 field goals (November 30, 1997)NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, , p. 52 Mike Hollis, franchise record, most field goals in one season (tied), 31 field goals Mike Hollis, franchise record, most points in one season, 134 points James Stewart, franchise record, most touchdowns in one game, 5 touchdowns (October 12, 1997) James Stewart, franchise record, most points in one game, 30 points (October 12, 1997)
References
External links Jaguars on Pro Football Reference