• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Jags, Chiefs need help to make playoffs

Dec 31, 2006 - 2:24 PM Jacksonville (8-7) at Kansas City (8-7) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs hope a playoff berth will result for the winner of Sunday's contest. But the chances are that will not be the case.

After losing two straight games, the Jaguars have lost control of their playoff destiny. In order to make the postseason for the second consecutive season under coach Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville needs a win here coupled with losses by the New York Jets, Cincinnati and Tennessee.

Kansas City has lost three of its last four games and also needs plenty of help to make the playoffs in Herman Edwards' first year as coach. The Chiefs need a win on Sunday along with losses by Cincinnati, Denver and Tennessee.

Last season, the Chiefs failed to make the playoffs with a 10-6 record in Dick Vermeil's final year as coach. Edwards guided the New York Jets to three playoff appearances in five seasons before leaving to replace Vermeil.

Jacksonville hopes to have 1,000-yard rusher Fred Taylor back for Sunday's regular-season finale. Taylor missed last week's 24-21 loss to New England due to a strained hamstring and is listed as questionable.

Rookie Maurice Jones-Drew carried the load in Taylor's absence and rushed for 131 yards on 19 carries, including a 74-yard touchdown, and six catches for 41 yards in the loss to the Patriots.

A second-round pick from UCLA, Jones-Drew has 895 rushing yards, 42 catches for 420 yards and 15 touchdowns.

But the Jaguars will need better play from quarterback David Garrard, who committed three turnovers that resulted in three touchdowns in a 24-17 loss at Tennessee two weeks ago. He also fumbled the ball away in the final minute of Jacksonville's loss last week.

Kansas City's Larry Johnson is second in the NFL in rushing with 1,651 yards and 14 touchdowns. LaDainian Tomlinson of San Diego is the league leader with 1,749 rushing yards.

Last week, Johnson rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown in a 20-9 victory at Oakland. Rookie safety Jarrad Page had two interceptions for the Chiefs.

Jacksonville is one of the league's toughest teams defending the run with Marcus Stroud and John Henderson at the tackle positions.

The Jaguars have won four of five meetings, including the last one in 2004.