Jaguars quarterback David Garrard was challenged by his head coach Jack Del Rio when the coach said Garrard was in the "middle tier of quarterbacks in the league", criticized by his team owner and chastised by his fan base. His response to the criticism is that he insists he's had the best offseason of his career, working with young receivers, taking on a leadership role and doing everything he can to make Jacksonville's offense more potent. "I think any time any man is challenged it's going to bring something out of you," Garrard said Sunday. "It should. If another man is going to challenge you, and you are really a man, then you're going to rise to the occasion. I want to be better. I want to be greater." Del Rio's criticism wasn't groundbreaking news considering Garrard has thrown 30 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions the last two seasons and been sacked 84 times, it put the ninth-year veteran on notice. "Honestly, I knew what he was doing," Garrard said. "It didn't make me hate him or dislike him. I did understand what he was saying. He was putting a challenge out there and that's OK. I'm a man. You challenge me and I'm going to step up and do what I can to meet that challenge. That is how you have to be. If you get bent out of shape over it or huffing and puffing, are you trying to say you can't step up to a challenge? That is what I took it as, a challenge. I plan on doing the most with the challenge that has been presented to me." Source: Associated Press
