With the 2007 season over for the Jacksonville Jaguars, they can now sit down and look back at what was considered a very good year. After the 2006 season ended like a bad nightmare by losing their final three games and miss out on the playoffs, the Jaguars wasted little time getting the bad taste out of their mouths.

It started right after the preseason schedule concluded when Head Coach Jack Del Rio abruptly changed his mind and cut starting quarterback Byron Leftwich. Insert career backup David Garrard. This is where every football analyst and fan raised their eyebrows and scratched their heads thinking about how dumb Del Rio is. People across the country were taking bets as to which team Del Rio would become defensive coordinator for after Jacksonville floundered in the regular season and Del Rio would get canned. 17 weeks later it was Del Rio who got the last laugh as he had a new challenge; preparing for a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Garrard was playing quite well through the first quarter of the season, leading the Jags to a 3-1 record before getting hurt on Monday Night Football against the Colts. After losing to Indy, it would have been easy for the Jaguars to fold with the inexperienced Quinn Gray under center. But Gray held his own and won two out of the three games he started in place of Garrard and from there Jacksonville found their identity as a team.

Led by the resurgent Fred Taylor, who has been the subject of just about every article I have written here, the Jaguars boasted the NFL’s second best rushing attack. Second year back Maurice Jones-Drew avoided a sophomore slump as he once again proved he can play at a very high level in the league. Forget all the touchdowns MoJo scores, it was evident that the 5’7 212lb. human bowling ball can hold his own when he planted Charger linebacker and steroid user Shawn Merriman flat on his back while blocking out of the back field. Taylor, who finally will be going to the Pro Bowl, was a little slow out of the gate but started racking up yards and touchdowns while continuing to lead the team as a captain.

 The Jaguars have a lot to look forward to going into 2008 as Del Rio has already let it be known what he wants and that is the AFC South crown. Jacksonville will need to make a couple of minor additions but nothing serious as they are already well built for next year.