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Jaguars look to avoid letdown

Dec 23, 2007 - 11:22 AM Oakland (4-10) at Jacksonville (10-4) 1:00 pm EST

JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Ticker) - The Jacksonville Jaguars won't have to worry about snow and freezing temperatures this week.

After beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, 29-22, in snowy conditions last week, the Jaguars return to the "Sunshine State" to host the Oakland Raiders.

Jacksonville can clinch a playoff spot with a win but needs to guard against a letdown following last week's emotional victory.

The Jaguars beat the Steelers at their own game, rushing for 224 yards. Fred Taylor ran for a season-high 147 yards, becoming the first opposing running back to surpass 100 yards in Pittsburgh in 30 games.

While the conditions figure to be better this week, the Jaguars likely will still look to pound the ball behind Taylor, who has strung together four straight 100-yard games.

Without much fanfare, the Jaguars boast one of the league's most efficient offenses. The gained 421 yards and possessed the ball for nearly 38 minutes against the Steelers, who came into last week's game with the league's second-ranked rushing defense.

Jacksonville has set a franchise record with four straight games with at least 400 yards of total offense and has scored 24 or more points in each of its last eight contests.

In keeping with the Jaguars' low-key approach, David Garrard has quietly thrown 10 touchdown passes in the last five games, including three against the Steelers.

Garrard is the league's second-rated quarterback - trailing only New England's Tonm Brady - and has thrown only two interceptions in 307 passes this season.

Even if the Jaguars stumble this week, they would clinch a playoff spot if either Cleveland or Tennessee loses. The Browns play at Cincinnati and the Titans host the New York Jets.

If the playoff started this weekend, the Jaguars would be headed back to Pittsburgh to play the fourth-seeded Steelers - a prospect that doesn't worry them.

"That wouldn't bother us," Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew said about a possible rematch with the Steelers. "We're built for whatever it takes to win."

The Raiders put up a good fight last week before falling to the Indianapolis Colts, 21-14. The loss assured Oakland of its fifth straight season with at least 10 defeats.

Raiders running back Justin Fargas rushed for 89 yards to go over the 1,00-yard mark but he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee and is likely out for the season.