#10 - Rob Johnson’s Debut – September 1, 1997, Baltimore. Jaguars 28, Ravens 27
Starting in place of the injured Mark Brunell, Johnson turned in one of the greatest debuts of the 1990s, completing 20 of 24 passes for 294 yards and 2 touchdowns and running for another while playing through two separate ankles sprains that he suffered during the game. The Jaguars won 28-27, and Johnson finished with the highest completion percentage of any quarterback making their debut in NFL history. This single performance bolstered Johnson’s cult status throughout the league as a tough quarterback with a strong arm, and the Jaguars traded him in the offseason to Buffalo for a first round pick that later turned into Fred Taylor.
After Brunell sustained a knee injury during a preseason game against the Giants, the Jaguars were faced with the prospect of starting the season with the untested Johnson at quarterback. Coming off the playoff run where they made the AFC final, hopes were high that the team would jump out to a fast start in 1997. Despite Brunell's injury, Johnson helped the Jaguars maintain their momentum, though he too would be lost for several weeks while his ankle healed. Third-stringer Steve Matthews started the week 2 game against the Giants at home, which the Jaguars won 40-13 on the way to becoming the first team in NFL history to win games in one season with three different starting quarterbacks.
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