Jacksonville Jaguars

FOXBOROUGH - One thing that never changes in sports: Success is relative. Always. A year ago, the Patriots were on the wrong end of two tiebreakers. An 11-5 record wasn’t good enough to get into the tournament. This time, they could even mail one in next week against the Texans, go 10-6, and still start preparing for a home playoff game. “Obviously, last year we didn’t do enough to get into the postseason,’’ said coach Bill Belichick, “and this year we did, relative to what our competition is.’’ Not for the first time in this peculiar season, we ask the...

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey insists he wanted quarterback Tim Tebow. Speaking before a fan event Thursday night, Mularkey indicated that reports saying otherwise were false. "Don't believe everything you hear or read in the media," Mularkey said. "It's hard not to want a guy like that. We wouldn't have tried to trade for him if we didn't feel like we didn't want to have him here. There were a lot of things that went into this thing to try to get Tim to come here.

Globe NFL reporter Greg Bedard hosted a chat session live from Gillette Stadium prior to the Patriots' preseason opener vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. Review the discussion in the window below. Patriots chat with Greg Bedard

Quarterback David Garrard signed a one-year contract Monday with the Miami Dolphins and said he was told he'll be given a shot at the starting job. He's not sure yet who else will be part of the competition, though. The Dolphins reached agreement with the former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback after failed courtships with Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn. They also hosted San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith for a visit Sunday and may still consider signing him. "They didn't say for sure they were bringing another guy in, but they said it's a possibility, whether in the...

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff With the 2011 regular season over, the slate of Patriots' opponents for 2012 have been set. Here are the home and away opponents. HOME Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New York Jets Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts San Francisco 49ers Arizona Cardinals Denver Broncos (AFC West winner) AWAY Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New York Jets Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans Seattle Seahawks St. Louis Rams Baltimore Ravens (AFC North winner)

Brad Smith, the Bills' receiver and kick returner, is not expected to play Sunday vs. the Patriots, Bills coach Chan Gailey said after yesterday's practice. "It looks like he's not going to make it," Gailey said. "We're holding out hope, but I just don't see how he can. He's got a hamstring that just won't go away. " Smith is also used occasionally in wildcat-type formations. The Bills have been ravaged by injuries this season and are second in the NFL in players on injured reserve.

loading video... (please wait a moment) Requires Adobe Flash Player FOXBOROUGH -- With a record 47 points in a preseason game Thursday night, the Patriots throttled the Jacksonville Jaguars 47-12. But how much does the win matter if none of the key players took part? No Tom Brady, no Chad Ochocinco, no Vince Wilfork, no Devin McCourty and no Albert Haynesworth. Christopher L. Gasper breaks down the Patriots' win, its significance in the preseason and what it means for the young players going forward.

Just in case you missed it among the rush of Patriots transactions this afternoon, here are some details on WR Tiquan Underwood. He is a 6-1 and 183-pound receiver who played at Rutgers and then played two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here is more information courtesy of the Patriots: He was released by Jacksonville on August 25, 2011. Underwood originally entered the NFL as a seventh round draft choice (253rd overall) by Jacksonville in the 2009 NFL Draft out of Rutgers.

Bill Hampton Jr., a former executive with the Cleveland Browns and the senior director of Pro Leagues for Under Armour since 2006, died unexpectedly after attending the Espy Awards on Wednesday night. He was 51. Hampton, one of four members of his family to work for an NFL team, was vice president of operations for the Browns from 1999-2006, the team said on its Web site Thursday. No cause of death was given. Bill Hampton Sr. was the New York Jets' equipment manager for more than 40 years.

Pro Bowl tight end Marcedes Lewis has signed a five-year contract worth about $35 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lewis will get nearly $17 million guaranteed. The Jaguars placed the franchise tag on Lewis after he caught 58 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns — all career highs — in 2010. The 6-foot-6, 262-pounder signed a one-year tender worth $7.28 million, the average salary of the five highest-paid tight ends in the league. The NFL lockout prevented Lewis' agent and the Jaguars from working out a long-term deal, and Lewis skipped the first five days of training...

Even in the offseason, the Miami Dolphins' quarterback carousel keeps spinning. After being spurned by Peyton Manning, the Dolphins had a brief, unproductive courtship with Matt Flynn, then turned their attention Sunday to Alex Smith, the San Francisco 49ers free agent. Smith left the Miami complex after a 5 ½-hour meeting. Dolphins officials declined to comment on any details about this visit. However, the visit could affect the Manning sweepstakes, because the 49ers are among three finalists for the four-time NFL MVP, along with the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans.

Former University of Maine football star Montell Owens has been added to the American Football Conference roster for the NFL Pro Bowl. Sunday's game will be Owens' second-consecutive Pro Bowl. Owens, who scored a pair of touchdowns in last season's All-Star game, had 13 special team tackles and two forced fumbles this season for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He added 10 rushes for 39 yards and had a pair of receptions. Owens is the Jaguars' leader in special team tackles with 108 for his career.

John Fox and Jack Del Rio are together again. The Denver Broncos announced Friday night they had agreed to terms with Del Rio to become the club's new defensive coordinator. Del Rio was Fox's first defensive coordinator in Carolina in 2002 before leaving after one year to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars, who fired him in November. Del Rio replaces Dennis Allen, who left after one year in Denver to coach the Oakland Raiders. Del Rio is the Broncos' seventh defensive coordinator in seven seasons.

The Indianapolis Colts have locked up the top pick in April's NFL draft, setting the stage to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. Maurice Jones-Drew ran for a season-high 169 yards, clinching the NFL rushing title and breaking Fred Taylor's single-season franchise record, and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Colts 19-13 in Sunday's season finale. The Jaguars (5-11) became the first AFC South opponent to sweep Indianapolis (2-14) since 2002 and gave outgoing owner Wayne Weaver a victory in his final game.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff With the 2011 regular season over, the slate of Patriots' opponents for 2012 have been set. Here are the home and away opponents. HOME Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New York Jets Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts San Francisco 49ers Arizona Cardinals Denver Broncos (AFC West winner) AWAY Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New York Jets Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans Seattle Seahawks St. Louis Rams Baltimore Ravens (AFC North winner)

Brad Smith, the Bills' receiver and kick returner, is not expected to play Sunday vs. the Patriots, Bills coach Chan Gailey said after yesterday's practice. "It looks like he's not going to make it," Gailey said. "We're holding out hope, but I just don't see how he can. He's got a hamstring that just won't go away. " Smith is also used occasionally in wildcat-type formations. The Bills have been ravaged by injuries this season and are second in the NFL in players on injured reserve.

Running back Fred Taylor extended his NFL career for two seasons with the Patriots but Friday he will retire as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team he represented for 11 seasons. The Jaguars will sign Taylor, 35, allowing him to retire as a member of the Jaguars, according to the Jackonsville Times-Union. Jacksonville drafted Taylor with the ninth overall pick out of the University of Florida in 1998. A native of Pahokee, Fla., Taylor went on to play 13 seasons, collecting 11,695 total rushing yards and 66 rushing touchdowns.

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff FOXBOROUGH -- We're back to football with the New England Patriots hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars in both teams' exhibition opener at Gillette Stadium at 7:30 p.m. What you should be reading - What to watch for this preseason (photos) - On football: We'll get a little peek at the rebuilt defense - Robert Kraft is looking ahead after short camp - And the Patriots daily briefing Who you should be following on Twitter (Globe staffers on site)

Wayne Weaver's office is nearly empty, the shelves cleared, the cabinets bare, most of his things packed in boxes. All that remains are some pictures, his computer and a few files scattered across his desk — just enough to avoid echoes in the spacious room. Weaver is down to his final few days as owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, a countdown that has been more bitter than sweet after 18 years, 352 games, six postseason appearances and few regrets. A former shoe salesman who worked his way up the corporate ladder and became so successful that he was able to bring an...