Many consider last season to have been a rebound year for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After having made the playoffs in 2007, the Jags fell to 5-11 in 2008, leaving head coach Jack del Rio rumored to be on the hot seat heading into 2009. Although the Jags started the season 3-3, taking three of their next four games showed promise of seemingly being headed in the right direction at 6-4 at that point. Unfortunately, the floor dropped out and Jacksonville lost five of their last six, finishing at 7-9 (5-3 home, 2-6 away).

This is a team with potential, as it seems that quarterback David Garrard has emerged as a more than decent signal-caller, having completed 314 passes (60.9%) for 3,597 yards and 15 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions. Wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker led the receiving crew with 63 receptions, 869 yards, and 7 touchdowns, while first-year wide out Mike Thomas set the franchise rookie record with 48 receptions, with 453 receiving yards being second-most by a rookie after Pete Mitchell’s 527 yards in 1995.

In the backfield, the story was all about fourth-year running back Maurice Jones-Drew who set a franchise record with his 15th rushing touchdown, surpassing Fred Taylor who had 14 in 1998. While a little help couldn’t hurt, Jones-Drew seems more than capable of handling the running chores himself, and his 1,391 yards rushing ranks him third in Jaguar history. Based largely upon Jones-Drew’s performance (8 rushes, 177 yards) Jacksonville ran for 217 yards in Week 10 vs. Tennessee; the team’s 13.6 yards per carry average in that game was the highest in the NFL since 1970, while Maurice’s personal average was a whopping 22.1 yards per carry!

On defense the Jaguars were led by linebacker Daryl Smith who topped the team stat charts with 107 tackles, 84 solos, 23 assists, and 3 forced fumbles (tie), in addition to defending 6 passes to go along with one pick. Behind Smith, it is cornerback Derek Cox keeping things in check with his team leading 11 pass defenses and 4 interceptions, while safety Gerald Alexander forced 3 fumbles, defended 5 passes, and added 2 interceptions of his own. Up front, the numbers lacked a bit – defensive tackle John Henderson led the team with only 3 sacks, while his fellow DT Terrance Knighton only had 1.5 to go with his 6 tackles for loss – and D-line may be where the Jaguars want to look for help, either through free agency or 2010 Draft.

Look for Maurice Jones-Drew to continue leading the way for this team in 2010, and get your tickets now if you want to be there in person to see the Jacksonville Jaguars turn things around. This is a team with solid potential and the ability to win ten or more games this year, so order the tickets and witness the resurgence as it takes place at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.