1996 Jacksonville Jaguars

The 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the team's second year in the National Football League, and saw the Jaguars trying to improve on their 4-12 record from their inaugural season. The Jaguars marked success as they won six of their last seven games of the season and finished with a record of 9–7. The credit for this midseason turnaround probably lies in the demotion of wide receiver Andre Rison in favor of Jimmy Smith after a game against the St. Louis Rams in which Brunell threw 5 interceptions. The interceptions were blamed on Rison and he was benched. In the team's final game of the regular season against the Atlanta Falcons, needing a win to earn a playoff berth, the Jaguars caught a bit of luck when Morten Andersen missed a 30 yard field goal with less than a minute remaining that would have given the Falcons the lead.[7] The Jaguars clinched the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs.

The Jaguars achieved their first ever franchise playoff game victory, in a stunning upset on the road against the Buffalo Bills. Their next game was on the road against the Denver Broncos, who had dominated the AFC with a 13–3 record (and earned the top AFC seed). The upstart Jaguars were not intimidated by the Broncos or their fans and their good fortune continued, as they largely dominated from the second quarter on. A late touchdown pass from Mark Brunell to Jimmy Smith gave the Jags a 30–20 lead. They held on to win in a huge upset, 30–27, in a game that many people still consider the franchise's finest hour. Upon their return home, the Jags were greeted by an estimated 40,000 fans at the stadium. Many of these fans had watched the game on the stadium JumboTron displays and had stayed into the early hours of the morning when the team arrived. In the AFC Championship Game, the Jaguars acquitted themselves very well, playing a tight and close defensive game in a hostile environment for over three quarters before finally losing 20–6 to the New England Patriots on the road.

Awards and records

 * Mark Brunell, Franchise Record, Most Passing Yards in One Game, 432 yards (Sept 22, 1996)
 * Mark Brunell, Franchise Record, Most Passing Yards in One Season, 4,367 Yards
 * Mark Brunell, Led NFL Passing Yards, 4,367 Yards
 * Mark Brunell, Pro Bowl MVP Award
 * Mike Hollis, Franchise Record, Most Field Goals in One Game, 5 Field Goals (December 1, 1996)
 * Keenan McCardell, Franchise Record, Most Receptions in One Game, 16 receptions (Oct 20, 1996)

Milestones

 * Keenan McCardell, 1,000 yard receiving season (1,129 yards)
 * Jimmy Smith, 1,000 yard receiving season (1,244 yards)