JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Pro Bowl quarterback Mark Brunell says he took all the snaps in practice Thursday. Jacksonville Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin says it was more like 60 percent.
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, which means
there's no way to be sure Brunell will start Saturday's playoff
game against the Miami Dolphins.
"If the game was today, it would have been Tom's decision, but
I had a good day," said Brunell, recovering from a knee sprain he
suffered Dec. 26. "I felt good and I think I would have been able to go."
Coughlin conceded Brunell probably would have been declared
active for the game had it been played Thursday. But he wasn't
willing to commit to starting Brunell. The coach said that could be
a game-day decision.
"I can't say anything yet," Coughlin said. "My reluctance is
that I want to make sure I know what all the medical circumstances
are before we make the decision. I'm sure at this point in time,
Mark would be active, but that's all I know."
Caught in between is backup Jay Fiedler, who has been trying to prepare as if he'll be the starter. Fiedler started his first NFL game in the regular-season finale against Cincinnati. He threw for 317 yards in a 24-7 victory.
"I think the team has enough confidence in me that it's not
going to be a big shock or a big disappointment if I'm in there,"
Fiedler said. "Obviously, if the starter isn't playing, it's going
to be a disappointment. But people have come up to me and said they
have total confidence that I can do it as well."
Brunell said he feels much better than he did at playoff time
last season, when a high ankle sprain limited his mobility and
forced him to play at about 80 percent effectiveness.
"It's nothing like that," he said. "I expect to have full
mobility. I moved around on it today and it felt very comfortable."
Brunell is listed as probable on Jacksonville's injury report. Brunell said Tuesday that the knee was at about 95 percent and he expects to play Saturday.