What's up with the Jaguars?
Before you ask yourself, can anyone take a team who loses to the Bengals seriously? Ask anyone who watched the Giants during last week's first half against the Cowboys, if they would consider the Giants to be a serious playoff contender. Things happen in football, and the Jaguars actually controlled the Cincinnati game, and did something that the Giants do regularly. They failed to put points on the board in the process, and the Bengals were able to steal the game away in the final minutes.
Historically, the (7-8) Jaguars are a better team than their record would show. They have won 43 of their last 63 regular-season games, and have made the playoffs in each of their last four seasons. Over that time, their record is the second best in the NFL, just two games behind the Minnesota Vikings. In fact, last year the Jaguars had the best record in the NFL (14-2).
This year they got off track with injuries to the offensive line. They struggled with lineup changes and quarterback Mark Brunell was sacked 38 times in the first 8 games, the most of any NFL quarterback at that point. During that span, he threw 8 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions. The Jaguars won only 3 games and lost 7 of the first ten games. Since then they've won 4 of 5, averaging 31.2 points a game against 18.6 before that.

What's up with the Giants?
We'll let Jaguars running back Fred Taylor tell you all about it. He was asked some leading questions by the press about the Giants defense compared to the Ravens and Titans. Taylor said the Giants don't have the same speed or quickness. That Tennessee and Baltimore have better athletes, so they don't have to blitz as much.
"On tape you can get a hint of why they are good. They have a great scheme. Even if you don't have the talent, your scheme can make some players better than they are." Taylor said that the Giants whole defense is aggressive, but if they don't get to the quarterback with the blitz, there are going to be big plays all over the field. When asked to elaborate by the drooling press, he responded. "On first down, they tend to put eight guys up there and they're always blitzing a whole lot," Taylor said. "They've been successful but if they don't dial up the right blitz, it's going to hurt them."

So who is Fred Taylor?
Fred Taylor has some impressive credentials to back up his comments. Despite missing the first three games of the season with a knee injury, Taylor is 5th in the AFC with 1,347 yards. Last week Taylor rushed 32 times for 110 yards and one touchdown. With 32 carries, Taylor tied his team record, and he also scored a touchdown for the 6th straight game, extending another team record. It was Taylor's 9th consecutive game with 100 yards rushing, and the 18th 100-yard game of his career in 33 starts in the regular season. Taylor also has three 100-yard games in four postseason games. If he can run against the Giants, he will become the 3rd player in NFL history to rush for 100 yards in 10 consecutive games. Barry Sanders has 14, and Marcus Allen has 11. Rushing for back to back 100 yard games is no easy matter. The players with the next-longest active streaks are Indianapolis’ Edgerrin James and Green Bay’s Ahman Green, with current streaks of two straight.
So far this season the Giants have gone up against running backs who have already rushed for 1,000 yards eight times, and stopped them all except for Eddie George, who cracked them for 125 yards on 35 carries. They held the Cowboys' Emmitt Smith and the Redskins' Stephen Davis under 100 twice, and also stopped Detroit's James Stewart, Chicago's James Allen and Pittsburgh's Jerome Bettis.
Fred Taylor opened his mouth big, and that should only make his 100 yard game task harder. The Giants are the number 2 ranked defense against the rush, allowing only 72.4 yards a game and just 6 rushing touchdowns. Baltimore is 1st, and gives up only 61.3 yards a game and has allowed just 5 rushing touchdowns. When Taylor faced the Ravens he carried 17 times for 54 yards. Asked about getting his yardage against the Giants, he replied, "If I do, I do. If I don't, I don't. The most important thing to me is getting to 8-8 (the team)."
So Taylor has his work cut out for him, but maybe that was his plan. Maybe he hopes all his talk will result in the Giants overextending themselves against the run. Once the Giants bite and fall prey to the passing game, history has shown it will be hard for them to come back. Then there will be plenty of chances for Taylor to work on his running game.
If something like that happens, and the Giants buy into this, Taylor will almost be doing the Giants a favor. It will be a good time for Fassel to remind the players how self discipline worked for them in the Dallas game, and how a lack of it cost them against the Jaguars. That will be a big lesson learned getting them ready for the playoffs. To their credit, the Giants response has been, "I couldn't care less about Fred Taylor and what he thinks of our talent level," says defensive tackle Keith Hamilton. "We're trying to get the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. I'm fighting for home-field advantage for the playoffs. He's the last thing on my mind."

Why Fred Taylor is so high on the Jaguars passing game.
Quarterback Mark Brunell has thrown 104 TD passes in 6 seasons in Jacksonville. His favorite receivers have been wide receivers Jimmy Smith with 30, and Keenan McCardell with 21. Over the last five seasons, WR Jimmy Smith has amassed more receiving yardage than any receiver in the NFL. His teammate Keenan McCardell is 9th. Smith has caught at least one pass in 86 consecutive games played, and that streak is the 5th longest among active players. Jimmy Smith had 15 receptions and 291 yards on September 10 at Baltimore for the 5th-most receiving yards ever in a game in NFL history, and it tied for the seventh-most receptions. Jimmy Smith is 3rd in the AFC and 6th in the NFL with 91 receptions.
Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell set an NFL record in the November 12 game vs. Seattle when they both had 100 yards receiving in the same game for the 8th time. Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell are only the sixth tandem in NFL history to each have 1,000 yards receiving in the same season three different years.
Jaguars TE Kyle Brady has set career highs for both receptions and receiving yards in a game this season, and he is now tied for the 5th-leading receiver among tight ends in the NFL. Brady has caught 60 passes for 698 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brady has already set team records for catches and yards by a tight end, breaking marks set by Pete Mitchell in 1996 (52 catches for 575 yards).

What the teams are playing for.
A win gives the Jaguars an 8-8 record and .500 percentage to finish the year, marking their 5th consecutive non-losing season. It would also be their 6th consecutive victory in their regular-season finale, and their 2nd win in two games against the Giants.
A win gives the Giants home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Team History.
The Jaguars and Giants have played only once in the regular season, and Jacksonville won 40-13. It was their biggest margin of victory at the time, in their home opener at ALLTEL Stadium. Strangely, it was in 1997, also a championship year for the Giants under head coach Jim Fassel. Tiki Barber had a four-yard touchdown run in that game.

Giants who once played for the Jaguars.
Stories on why they left - TE Pete Mitchell (1995-98) and CB Dave Thomas (1995-99).
More Pete Mitchell articles. More Dave Thomas articles.

Where Tom Coughlin is better than Jim Fassel.
Tom Coughlin has a league-best mark of 8-2 since instant replay’s return in 1999.

Playoff info.
Jaguars are out of the playoff race for the first time since their inaugural season of 1995.
Giants have won the NFC East Division Championship, and if the Giants win, or the Vikings and Saints lose, the Giants get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
If the Giants lose and the Saints or Vikings lose, the Giants get a first-round bye.
If the Giants lose and the Saints and Vikings both win, the Giants get a first-round game at home vs. sixth seed.

Jaguars last week.
In the third quarter, Cincinnati's Peter Warrick scored with an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was the first punt return TD ever allowed by the Jaguars team. Then in the final 4 minutes, Cincinnati drove 80 yards for a touchdown. They recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and converted a 27-yard field goal on the final play of the game. This loss had to really burn the Jaguars, because until that time, the Bengals had gone 8 straight possessions without reaching midfield, and they had gained only 151 yards in the first 56 minutes of the game. At the end of the game, Cincinnati ran off 15 straight plays on their two scoring possessions and gained 105 yards.
It was played in Cincinnati, and the game-time temperature was 9 degrees, and a wind chill of 20 below zero made it the second-coldest game in Cincinnati. The field was bad too. Jaguars Quarterback Mark Brunell said, "It was by far the worst field I’ve ever been on in my career. There were holes out there that were six inches deep. I know they had to play on it too, but it was a dangerous field to play on. That is no excuse, but you’re risking careers out there when you have to play on that. This is professional football. Even for this time of year it is ridiculous to have to play on a field like that."
Running back Fred Taylor said, "That’s not a field, that’s a horse track. That was the best cow pasture I’ve played on."

Giants last week.
The Giants had a bad first half against the Cowboys last week, but showed they had the kind of maturity they need to succeed in the playoffs. As usual, the Giants defense is there, and it's their offense that sputters and stalls. The (5-10) Cowboys, even using a scrub team player as their quarterback, were able to gain a 13-0 by the half. The Giants were able to come back and win the game 17-13. They ignored (for the most part) the trash talking, and weren't suckered in by some trash hitting of the envious Cowboys who will be onlookers while the Giants advance to post season play. (Game 15 recap)
In any event, the Giants win over the Dallas Cowboys, its fourth straight, improved their record to 11-4 and clinched the NFC East title. A victory Saturday over the Jacksonville Jaguars ensures that the Giants would not have to leave the Meadowlands for any postseason game other than the Super Bowl.

Injuries: GIANTS: OUT: WR Joe Jurevicius (knee) QUESTIONABLE G Glenn Parker (knee) PROBABLE LB Jessie Armstead (ankle) .
JAGUARS: QUESTIONABLE WR Keenan McCardell (knee) PROBABLE DL Larry Smith (knee).

Notes

Jaguars are 7th in total offense, 8th in rushing, 10th in passing.
Jaguars are 9th in total defense, 12th against the rush, 11th against the pass.

Giants are 10th in total offense, 9th in rushing, 14th in passing.
Giants are 6th in total defense, 2nd against the rush, 18th against the pass.

Jaguars play their first-ever regular-season game on a Saturday.

Jaguars have played on Saturdays 4 times in the postseason.

Jaguars have won six of their last seven games vs. NFC teams.

Jaguars have allowed 52 sacks in 15 games.

Jaguars starting average drive is at the 29.7-yard line. That's third in the AFC.

Jaguars running back Fred Taylor has rushed for 100 or more yards in 9 straight games.

Jaguars running back Fred Taylor has scored at least 1 touchdown in six straight games.

Giants have held opponents to less than 20 points in 12 games.

Giants can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win over the Jaguars

Giants have a combined halftime score in their 11 victories of 118-32.

Giants are 24-1 under Fassel when leading at halftime.

Giants are 30-1 in 4 years under Jim Fassel when starting the 4th quarter with a lead.
Giants have won 29 straight games under those circumstances, the longest such streak in the NFL.

Giants have allowed just 25 sacks all season.

Giants have allowed only 6 rushing touchdowns all season.

Giants RB Tiki Barber needs 72 yards rushing for his first career 1,000-yard season.

Giants WR Amani Toomer needs 99 receiving yards for his 2nd consecutive 1,000-yard season.

Giants are 7-1 on the road, and will use their road-game schedule again this week, where they stay in a hotel the night before to simulate a road game.

If you're looking for a book about the Giants for the holidays, or maybe a team video, we have a pretty comprehensive listing:

Next Game
Dec 23, Jacksonville at Giants, 12PM CBS

For those very organized fans.
If you use a Palm Pilot and want to keep the Giants schedule, and actually, the whole NFL schedule on it, there is a free download available here at PFL.

Last Week's review, Giants 30, Pittsburgh 10

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