The Difference Between 9-7 and 8-8
Can these two men make a positive impression on Sunday? (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
There are several reasons why the Jaguars game this Sunday against the Texans is important.
The most obvious reason being the fact that if the Jaguars beat the Texans they will still have a chance at winning the division title, provided that Peyton Manning and the Colts lay an egg at home against a Titans team that may have already given up on the season. I would have to say that after the events of the past two weeks it would be hard to imagine a scenario in which the Jaguars win and the Colts lose on Sunday, but it is the kind of miracle that the Jaguars have been benefiting from all season.
However, regardless of what happens to the Colts on Sunday, beating the Texans in Houston to close out the season should be important to this team for other reasons.
The most important of these reasons is halting this habit of falling off the cliff late in the season. Last season going into December the Jaguars found themselves at an improbable 7-5 record and in control of their playoff destiny, but proceeded to end the season on a four game losing streak and miss the playoffs by a wide margin. This season the Jaguars were at 8-5 and once again sitting in the drivers seat to find themselves in the playoffs, but the Jaguars have again threatened to drive off the cliff by finishing this season on a three game losing streak.
Losing on Sunday would once again leave a nasty taste in the mouth of the fans and would bring up some serious questions about head coach Jack Del Rio and his ability to get his teams ready for important late season games. A win on Sunday would halt the late season slide and give the Jaguars their first winning record since 2007 and give the team a spark heading into the off season.
Jaguars quarterback David Garrard also need to make a positive impression on the organization and its fans on Sunday. Garrard’s inability to take care of the ball has hurt this team in some key situations this season, but he has also shown the ability to make big plays with both his arm and his legs. There is no doubt that Garrard has the ability to be an elite quarterback in the NFL, but he has not been able to display the ability to carry this team when they need him to step up. Last week against the Redskins, Garrard was tasked with carrying the offense without star running back Maurice Jones-Drew in the line up and he responded by throwing two interceptions that ended up costing the Jaguars the game.
With Jones-Drew’s status for Sunday’s game still up in the air, Garrard may yet again get an opportunity to show he can step up for his team in a big situation. The Jaguars are most likely will be drafting a quarterback this off season and Garrard needs to elevate his level of play if he wants to keep his job here in Jacksonville.
The difference between 9-7 and 8-8 for Jack Del Rio and David Garrard could be the difference between being with the Jaguars next season or finding themselves unemployed.
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