JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Last year, Chris Palmer's main responsibility was keeping the talented Jacksonville Jaguars offense on track. It wasn't too difficult a task.

Or so everybody thought.

Palmer returns to Jacksonville on Sunday as coach of the Browns (0-5). He'll face the Jaguars (4-1), who seem to miss their former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach more than anyone could have imagined.

Besides the expertise he offered from the Xs and Os side, Palmer was the prankster, the guy who kept people laughing when things got tough. Coach Tom Coughlin may have taken his place as offensive coordinator, but there was no replacing Palmer's irrepressible personality.

"Every person brings something else to the table," Coughlin said. "I'm sure there were fun times created here by Chris. And perhaps that's something we could all use is a good laugh."

They have been infrequent this year.

The offense, a top-10 unit with Palmer, has slipped to 14th since Coughlin took over the play-calling duties and hired former Louisville offensive coordinator Bob Petrino as quarterbacks coach. The passing game, with Mark Brunell, Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell the main weapons, is ranked 20th overall.

Some of this has been due to strategy shifts brought on by an improving defense, a good kicking game and rain, which has hampered the Jaguars in their first two home games and is forecast to affect Sunday's game, as well.

How much of it has to do with the departure of Palmer?

Hardly anyone in the Jaguars' camp will let on, especially with recent talk of a rift between Brunell and Coughlin, one the team has desperately tried to sweep under the rug.

Brunell was not shy, however, to emphasize Palmer's strengths.

"We miss him like we'd miss any great coach that has gone on," Brunell said. "He was great to have, not only as a coach, but as a person. And we certainly have a lot less practical jokes going on."

McCardell said Palmer's personality reached well beyond the quarterbacks.

"He motivates in a different way," McCardell said. "He's not a grinder. I guess you could say sometimes you miss a guy like that, sometimes you don't. But right now, with all the hectic confusion going on -- that everyone is saying is going on -- you miss a guy who can make you laugh sometimes."

The Browns are finding out all about Palmer's personality, especially in the wake of a vexing 18-17 loss to Cincinnati. Palmer was criticized for sticking with struggling rookie Tim Couch when he could have played veteran Ty Detmer.

Couch finished 15-for-27 for 164 yards with an interception. It was a loss that easily could have been pinned on Couch. Palmer refused to let it get that far.

"I thought he was really good," Couch said. "He has a lot of belief in me, and that makes me have a lot more confidence in myself. And going through this tough time right now, that he's sticking behind me and believing in me and putting a lot of trust in me, it enables me to go out there and lead the team."

The Jaguars are expected to be without running back Fred Taylor, who continues a slow rehabilitation from a nagging hamstring injury. His backup, James Stewart, was listed as probable with a hamstring pull of his own.

Without Taylor's breakaway ability, defenses haven't had to worry so much about the run. It has had the effect of taking away the long play on both the ground and through the air. The Jaguars have only one play of more than 50 yards this season.

Other areas are just as troubling.

The offense has produced only seven touchdowns, and just six in 15 trips inside the 20-yard line. Brunell has a quarterback rating of 72.0, good for ninth in the AFC.

Palmer says the quarterback's struggles are overrated.

"Mark's an outstanding player, an outstanding person," Palmer said. "All I know is that they've got four wins and one loss and I think they're doing pretty well."

Left tackle Tony Boselli agrees.

"We're 4-1 and we're moving the ball," Boselli said. "I think people are making a bigger deal out of it than it needs to be. If we do a little better inside the 20, we're OK, and nobody's asking these questions."

CLEVELAND Season schedule and results

JACKSONVILLE Season schedule and results

September 12 Pittsburgh L 0-43 September 19 @Tennessee L 9-26 September 26 @Baltimore L 10-17 October 3 New England L 7-19 October 10 Cincinnati L 17-18 October 17 @Jacksonville 1:00pm ET October 24 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET October 31 @New Orleans 1:00pm ET November 7 Baltimore 1:00pm ET November 14 @Pittsburgh 1:00pm ET November 21 Carolina 1:00pm ET November 28 Tennessee 1:00pm ET December 5 @San Diego 4:15pm ET December 12 @Cincinnati 1:00pm ET December 19 Jacksonville 1:00pm ET December 26 Indianapolis 1:00pm ET

September 12 San Francisco W 41-3 September 19 @Carolina W 22-20 September 26 Tennessee L 19-20 October 3 @Pittsburgh W 17-3 October 11 @NY Jets W 16-6 October 17 Cleveland 1:00pm ET October 31 @Cincinnati 1:00pm ET November 7 @Atlanta 1:00pm ET November 14 Baltimore 4:05pm ET November 21 New Orleans 8:20pm ET November 28 @Baltimore 1:00pm ET December 2 Pittsburgh 8:20pm ET December 13 Denver 9:00pm ET December 19 @Cleveland 1:00pm ET December 26 @Tennessee 1:00pm ET January 2 Cincinnati 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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