Trent Edwards knows all about being the target of fan dissent.
"I think I did a good job of not listening to it. You've got to be numb to it. It's part of the business," Edwards said when asked if he had any advice for Jaguars starting quarterback David Garrard.
Edwards was cut by the Buffalo Bills on Monday and claimed off waivers by the Jaguars on Tuesday. Edwards described the 24-hour waiting period as "almost like draft day all over again."
With his new team, Edwards will be given a fresh start. Coach Jack Del Rio said Edwards will be the Jaguars' "third quarterback" this Sunday, which means it's unlikely he'll play. Del Rio would not comment on Edwards' status beyond Sunday.
"He's a nice young player at a premium position. We'll bring him along as quickly as we can; teach him our system. If he's called upon, we expect him to play well," Del Rio said of Edwards.
Ironically, the Jaguars will play at Buffalo on Oct. 10.
"We're headed back to Buffalo in a week so I'll get a return visit. Next week, I'll be able to help them a lot because I know a lot about their personnel in Buffalo," Edwards said.
Though quarterbacks elect not to reveal their emotions for the booing they endure from fans, it's probably safe to assume Edwards' feelings for Buffalo are on a par with those of Bills fans for him. In the end, it was a troubled marriage.
Now he finds himself backing up a quarterback who's enduring his own troubled relationship with fans, largely the result of consecutive poor performances in 25-point losses to San Diego and Philadelphia. Jaguars fans see Edwards as offering a potential for change at the position; Garrard is dedicated to recovery.
"We have to make sure we get things turned around," Garrard said. "I'm fine. I know the guys on this team are confident in me and I'm confident in myself."
The fans' dissent, however, is undeniable. Garrard heard boos on multiple occasions this past Sunday.
"You can't come off two games like that and not get flak," he said. "It definitely frustrates you but that's not something I can control. A win cures everything," he added.
Can the 1-2 Jaguars beat this week's opponent, the 2-1 Colts?
"It's a huge game for us. It's a swing game. It has the effect of two games. Have it not go your way, then you're back two-and-a-half (games)," Del Rio said. "We just need to get a little spark. Guys are probably pressing and stressing and those aren't good things.
"I talked to our guys about this league being full of pressure. Your enemy is stress and stress occurs when you're not prepared. We are prepared and we need to let it loose and play," he added.
The Colts have long been the Jaguars' nemesis.
"They keep putting in new parts and they continue to play at a high level. 'Father Time' will end up catching everybody, but it hasn't caught him, yet," Del Rio said of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.
