Ballwin NFL Icon Heading to Sunday Frontlines?

Blaine Gabbert may have been the silver lining to an otherwise dim offensive display that quarterback Luke McCown gave Jacksonville Jaguars fans last Sunday.

In fact, several media outlets now are speculating that the Ballwin native may soon lead the Jaguars' offense in the 2011 NFL season.

McCown went 6-for-19 on Sunday, throwing four interceptions and gaining only 59 yards for the Jaguars, Yahoo Sports reported. That prompted coach Jack Del Rio to play Gabbert in the fourth quarter in his NFL debut—and a respectable one, to boot. Gabbert completed 5-of-6 passes and for a 102.8 QB passer rating.

"I'm going to be ready, there's no question about that,'' Gabbert told sportingnews.com, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "We, as quarterbacks, prepare harder than anyone else.''

Despite being called on as a sort of stop-gap solution, Gabbert said he felt like he was in his own element.

"You never want to be put in under those circumstances. You always want to have the lead and not be down by such a big margin," Gabbert said in the St. Augustine Record. "I felt comfortable when I got out there."

Gabbert's performance was convincing enough to prompt Yahoo Sports writer Eric Holden to record the Top 5 Reasons that Gabbert should start as quarterback this Sunday when Jacksonville faces the Carolina Panthers.

In addition to Gabbert's strong display last Sunday, Holden cites a need to shake-up the Jaguars' franchise. The team is in general disarray, but so is much of the AFC South and this is another reason cited for why Del Rio and company should gamble on Gabbert this Sunday.