Jacksonville Jaguars 2007 NFL Playoff Preview

With a 49-11 victory over the hapless Oakland Raiders, the Jacksonville Jaguars look to be rolling right now, and they are going to be a real tough team to face in this year's playoffs.

David Garrard continued his reliable ways, passing for 199 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. He also had 19 yards on the ground and a rushing score. Garrard, one of this season's biggest Pro Bowl snubs, is the driving force behind this Jacksonville offense. He doesn't try to do too much in the pocket and has scrambling ability to evade pressure.

In my opinion, Garrard is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He is remarkably efficient week in and week out, and his steadiness will help Jacksonville settle in quickly into a high pressure playoff situation.

The running backs are incredibly effective as well, with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew manning the backfield. Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio has done an incredible job utilizing these two running backs to best suit their abilities, and it has shown on the football field. Fred Taylor, who earned the nickname "Fragile Fred" early on in his career, has avoided injuries this season and has provided remarkable production running on first and second downs.

Maurice Jones-Drew, on the other hand, is one of the leagues brightest young running backs. He can pick up the tough yardage in short yardage and goal line situations, and the Jaguars are definitely a better team because of his ability to convert the tough yardage. Not to mention, he has quite a fantasy football commercial!

The receiving core is nothing special, but Reggie Williams, Ernest Wilford, Dennis Northcutt, and Matt Jones provide several reliable targets for Garrard. Del Rio likes to mix and match these players, and it is a highly effective means of running their offense.

There are several reasons why I like the Jaguars so much in this year's playoffs. The offense is not prone to making mistakes, and it all starts at the quarterback position. Looking back on the former quarterback controversy, Jacksonville took the right step and let go of Byron Leftwich to make room for the efficient Garrard, and he is a perfect fit for their offense and what they attempt to accomplish.

They have a savvy running game that continues to move the football on the ground, and no matter how good the rush defense, everyone finds it hard to stop this incredible duo. With an above average defensive unit, the Jaguars have the talent and the moxie to make it far into this year's playoffs. I am very excited to see this team when the pressure turns up a notch, in just a couple of weeks.