Packers @ Jaguars Preview - Packers and Jaguars meet in clash of underacheivers

The Packers and Jaguars will meet in Jacksonville this weekend for a clash of teams that failed to live up to expectations in 2008. Many prognosticators picked these teams to win their respective divisions, in which case this game could have been seen as a Super Bowl preview. Instead, the players find themselves playing for jobs and pride.

Jacksonville rides a four game losing streak, their latest defeat coming at the hands of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field last weekend. Problems continue to stack up for the Jaguars as they will be without their leading receiver and second-leading rusher in Matt Jones and Fred Taylor. Jones violated the league’s substance-abuse policy and will sit out the final three games of the season. Taylor went on injured reserve earlier this week with an injured thumb.

Even with Taylor in the lineup, the Jaguars weren’t getting the same punch out of their running game that made them such a threat last year. In 2007, Taylor and his backfield mate Maurice Jones-Drew combined for nearly 2000 yards rushing in helping lead Jacksonville to an 11-5 record and high expectations for this season. The threat of the run certainly helped quarterback David Garrard in the passing game, as he threw for 18 touchdowns against just three interceptions. But the running game has struggled to reach the same heights, and with Taylor now on IR, odds are against the tandem getting to even 1,500 rushing yards combined. Without the same threat on the ground, Garrard has thrown just 11 touchdowns this year to go along with 10 picks.

With Taylor out and the Packers run defense struggling, Jones-Drew should see an increased workload. With only 142 carries on the year, his legs are fresh, and, despite his low rushing total, he still has a nose for the end zone with 11 rushing touchdowns on the year. The Packers have surrendered 417 yards rushing to opposing running backs in the last four games, and the Jaguars will undoubtedly look to attack the Packers on the ground. If the Packers are able to contain Jones-Drew, it may open the door for the Packers’ secondary to take advantage of a depleted receiving corps that boasts only one expected opening day starter in Reggie Williams (wide receiver Jerry Porter will also miss this Sunday’s game).

Like the Jaguars, the Packers will also look to take advantage of a disappointing Jaguars D that has surrendered 23 points per game overall and 107 points in the team’s last four contests. Jacksonville’s run defense has struggled even more than the Packers, giving up 439 yards to opposing running backs over the last four games. It will be especially important for the Packers to get running back Ryan Grant involved early. In the four games Grant has rushed 20 or more times, he has averaged 106.5 yards. In 9 games of less than 20 attempts, Grant has averaged just 50 yards on the ground. Establishing the running game early will allow the Packers to eat clock and keep their decimated defense fresh and able to contain an equally decimated Jaguars offense.