This stretch run will be different for Jaguars

There’s no doubt a lot is on the line right now for everyone involved with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It was easy to see this season was going to be pivotal for the Jaguars. Not only for the coach and the quarterback, but for an entire organization that wasn’t selling out games and had to run campaigns to avoid television blackouts. The team’s future in Jacksonville was also very much in jeopardy.

Everyone knew then that Jack Del Rio‘s job was up in the air. There was a lot of talk about whether David Garrard was the real deal and a franchise quarterback. Another failed season would bring about drastic changes, including the threat of the organization moving. Jaguars fans need to respond, but we all know they’re not going to respond to a team that drops the ball two Decembers in a row.

Last year, the Jaguars went 0-4 after a 7-5 start and missed the playoffs. Entering Week 14, the Jaguars found themselves right back at that 7-5 point. But what leads me to believe the stretch run will be different this time around is not only that Del Rio has taken a different approach, but also because young leaders have emerged for the Jaguars.

Del Rio has become more of a player’s coach this season. As Garrard told me, Del Rio is no longer coming down hard on players at stressful points. He’s enjoying the entire process, including coaching the young players, more this season. I think that manifested itself in the win over the Raiders.

The Jaguars are a young team that is growing up a little bit. I know that Maurice Jones-Drew pulled the team together at halftime against the Raiders and told them their time was now. Then they went out and did it. When Aaron Kampman went down, it was Terrence Knighton who called a meeting with the defensive line. Since then, their run defense has been stellar. When the Jaguars got behind last season, Garrard struggled to be a leader and displayed an inability to bring them back. Now he’s helping the team finish strong late in games.

I’m seeing young players step up and become significant leaders, and it leads me to believe the Jaguars have the right stuff.

Now they have to prove they can do it on the road in Indy, the ultimate test for this organization. That’s no easy task, but they stand one game away from accomplishing it. If they beat Indianapolis next week, you can go ahead and hand a playoff spot to the Jaguars.

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Beware of Ravens during stretch run

After watching the Ravens dismantle the Panthers last week, I left the stadium very impressed with the team from Baltimore. Right now, I think they’re as good as any team in the AFC, and most importantly they’re ascending.

The Ravens play what I call great complimentary football, where the offense knows how to protect the defense, and the defense knows how to defend until the offense gets going.

What the Ravens did to the Panthers was a great example. Yes, it is the Panthers, but the Ravens did exactly what they were supposed to do. The Ravens had scored only three points in the first quarter of their five road games this season, so the goal of Cam Cameron’s offense was to get going early. They did just that on the first possession on a 56-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. That series really got the offense going.

The Ravens also played very well defensively, making big plays in their typical fashion while delivering the knock-out blows on back-to-back possessions during the fourth quarter. First it was the interception by Ed Reed, who lateraled it to Dawan Landry for a touchdown. On the very next play from scrimmage, Ray Lewis brought back another pick six.

Where the Ravens had lost fourth-quarter leads against the Bengals, Patriots and Falcons, they knew they had to close this game out, and they did it decisively. The Ravens are ready to move forward, with four of their next six games at home.

Beware of the Ravens down the stretch.

The Ravens are a well-coached team in terms of understanding where they need to improve. It’s something that John Harbaugh has his team work on weekly. I know everyone will look back at the losses to the Falcons and Patriots, but the Ravens will be an improved team when December rolls around. If you ask any of the teams they’ve played — even the ones they’ve lost to — no one will want to face the Ravens again. Their schedule sets up nicely, and after already beating the Steelers on the road, the next round is at home.

When teams are stacked up as closely as they currently are in the AFC, you have to look at where teams are going and who they will be in the final month of the season more so than where they’re at now. I’m already impressed with the direction the Ravens are going, and when it matters most in six weeks, they’re capable of being the best team in their conference.

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