Jaguars Notebook: QB Blaine Gabbert took step back in Monday night win

Blaine Gabbert got his first NFL victory Monday night, but he's still suffering the growing pains of a rookie quarterback, according to offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter.

"It starts with the quarterback," Koetter said of the problems the Jaguars have experienced with their passing game. "I thought he was making steady progress, and he went up against a top-end defense [Baltimore], and he regressed a little bit."

Gabbert completed 9-of-20 passes for 93 yards against the Ravens.

"He did what he had to do," Koetter said. "We won the game. He didn't turn the ball over, and you would expect a rookie quarterback to be inconsistent at times. We felt like we had been seeing steady improvement, but we felt like he took a little bit of a step back fundamentally. You can say maybe somewhat to be expected from a rookie, but it's not necessarily acceptable. He knows that. I'm not saying anything he already doesn't know."

Koetter noted that the Jaguars played three top defenses in a row, and he seems confident that Gabbert, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft, will become more consistent.

"He sees the field very well. That's one of his strengths," Koetter said. "He can come right off after good or bad plays and immediately tell you what he saw. Not all quarterbacks I've coached can do that. Sometimes, they make a mistake, and they have no idea what happened. Blaine needs to have a more consistent pocket presence. He knows it. We're working on it. And I think that it's going to be better and better.

"Blaine is very coachable. He wants to be coached. He's very hard on himself. All good qualities. The bottom line is we're all driven by results."

Lewis' slow start

The passing game problems might be affecting tight end Marcedes Lewis, who had 58 catches last year, 10 for touchdowns. This year, he has 11 catches and no scores.

Lewis has just one drop this year, according to Stats Inc., but he's had at least two passes in the end zone that defenders kept him from catching.

"They get paid to make plays, too," Lewis said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to come down with those. It's only a matter of time before me and Blaine get on the same page and those plays start becoming positive plays."

Until that happens, coach Jack Del Rio acknowledged that Lewis will get criticism after signing a lucrative deal.

"Anytime you hear stuff like that, you've got to perform, or it will continue," Del Rio said.

Coaches need win

Del Rio and Houston's Gary Kubiak will coach against each other twice in the next month, and those games will be critical to the future of both coaches.

They work for two of the most patient owners in the league - Wayne Weaver of the Jaguars and Bob McNair of the Texans.

Related: Jaguars vs. Texans, 1 p.m., Oct. 30

Del Rio is in his ninth season with one playoff win. Kubiak is in his sixth season with no playoff appearances.

Only one can win the division title this year to guarantee returning next season. The Texans are 4-3 heading into Sunday's game. The Jaguars are 2-5.

Kubiak said he is not thinking of this week's game in terms of saving his job.

"Absolutely not. I think every week is an opportunity in life to go out and accomplish something, and you go out and do your best and prepare the best you can," he said.

Injury update

The Jaguars added two players to the injury report Thursday. Defensive end John Chick (abdomen) didn't practice, and wide receiver Jason Hill (wrist) was limited.

Three players who didn't practice Wednesday - offensive tackle Eben Britton (back), fullback Brock Bolen (calf) and safety Courtney Greene (hamstring) - remained sidelined Thursday.

Del Rio went to practice on a golf cart, but walked around on the field on his ailing leg and said he was "full go."

Del Rio was hit at the end of a punt return during the Monday night victory.

Etc.

The Jaguars are 15-13 after prime-time games and 11-5 before bye weeks. They are 6-2 before byes under Del Rio with six wins in a row. ... For the third week in a row, the defense that has faced the Jaguars has come out of the game ranked No. 1 in the league. Cincinnati went in as No. 1 and retained it, and then Pittsburgh and Baltimore jumped to No. 1 the past two weeks after playing the Jaguars. ... Jaguars receivers have dropped nine passes in the five games Gabbert has started.

Vito Stellino: (904) 359-4279