On the next play, Fred Taylor rushed up the middle for four yards and the Jags were now in the red zone. On third and six, Leftwich dropped back to pass and began to scramble. As he cocked back to throw, rookie defensive end Kenechi Udeze swiped for Leftwich's arm and the ball came loose. Vikings defender Kevin Williams picked up the ball, was sprung by an Antoine Winfield and ran an exhausting 77 yards for the game clinching touchdown.
On the day, Jacksonville out-gained Minnesota in total yards, 379 to 330. They gained more rushing yards than the Vikings, 154 to 112 and won the time of possession battle by holding the ball for almost three minutes longer. Despite all those positives, they are useless when you consider the fact that the Jags went a miserable 0-for-4 in the red zone, while the Vikings converted 2-of-5 times in the red zone.
Byron Leftwich completed 19 passes for 235 yards and a TD, which were the same exact statistics Daunte Culpepper posted. Fred Taylor carried the ball 22 times for a season-high 147 yards. Jimmy Smith lead all receivers with four receptions and 68 yards. Rookie tight end Brian Jones caught his first career TD pass in the second quarter. Josh Scobee hit all three of his FG attempts and sent all five of his kickoffs into the end zone, including four touchbacks. Donovan Darius intercepted a pass for the second consecutive game and John Henderson had another solid game recording seven tackles and two sacks.
More pretty statistics, but all that got the Jaguars was a grand total of 16 points. Against a team like the Vikings who have an explosive offense, that kind of inconsistency is not going to cut it. This is a team that is contending for a playoff spot, but in the AFC all a 6-5 record will get you is a second-place in your division.
The Cardiac Jags started off a perfect 3-0, improved to 5-2 through week 7 and even held a lead over the Colts in the AFC South at that point. Since then, the Jaguars have lost three of four games. In all three of those losses, they had the ball in the fourth quarter and had a chance to drive for the game-winning or game-tying touchdown inside the final minutes.
The last two games against Tennessee and Minnesota were do-or-die games. They were games that many people believed the Jaguars had to win in order to stay alive in the playoff hunt. They lost both games painfully but are still alive and desperately hanging on for a wild card berth. Losses by Baltimore and Denver last week gave the Jags a second wind and leave them just one game behind both teams for the final wild card spot in the AFC.
Next on the schedule will be one of the toughest tests the Jags will face all season; a home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on national television. Jacksonville and Pittsburgh had a very competitive rivalry while playing together in the AFC Central from 1995-2001.
Pittsburgh has played below average the past few weeks, but will be playing at a high level as they are still competing for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Jacksonville has nothing to lose and needs a win in the worst way. Plaxico Burress and Duce Staley are expected to play despite each player nursing sore hamstrings.
The Jaguars have placed defensive end Rob Meier on injured reserve with a broken ankle. They signed free agent Eddie Freeman, a flexible lineman who was released by Kansas City earlier this year. They also re-signed return specialist David Allen, who the Jaguars cut earlier this season. Allen appeared in 14 games for Jacksonville last season.
