Raising Zona
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Sunday meaningful for Arizona Cardinals’ signal-caller

By Jim Koch

JACKSONVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 29: Blaine Gabbert JACKSONVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 29: Blaine Gabbert #11 of the Jacksonville Jaguars calls a time out during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Field on September 29, 2013 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 29: Blaine Gabbert JACKSONVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 29: Blaine Gabbert #11 of the Jacksonville Jaguars calls a time out during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Field on September 29, 2013 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Blaine Gabbert has something to prove this weekend to the organization that gave up on him

Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Blaine Gabbert deserved better. Being the 10th-overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. Not when the team selecting you, the Jacksonville Jaguars, was by no means an offensive juggernaut.

In the world of professional signal-callers, what the Jaguars did to their new franchise player was almost criminal. What a young passer needs is some stability. Unfortunately, Jacksonville didn’t come close to providing that for Gabbert.

In his three seasons in the Florida sunshine, the youngster was forced to learn not one, not two but THREE new offenses. His offensive coordinator in 2011 was Dirk Koetter, in 2012 it was Bob Bratkowski and in ’13 Jedd Fisch called the shots. Not exactly a recipe for success for any QB, let alone one in his early 20’s.

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Besides the instability at the coordinator spot, the wide receivers that Gabbert was working with weren’t exactly Hall of Fame material. Justin Blackmon, Cecil Shorts, Mike Thomas and Ace Sanders were the best of the bunch, and they were serviceable at best. No Larry Fitzgeralds in that group.

Despite having some legitimate gripes, Gabbert was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in March of 2014. The Jaguars had the third-overall pick in the upcoming draft, and wanted to go in a different direction. That direction turned out to be Blake Bortles, a 6’5″, 235 pounder out of the University of Central Florida.

This Sunday, Gabbert gets to face his former club. The Cards will play host to a Jacksonville squad that has won seven out of ten games so far, and currently leads the AFC South. And is led by none other than Bortles himself.

Revenge can be sweet. Especially when a player feels they’ve been wronged. Gabbert’s opportunity to get some is just around the corner.

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