Washington Redskins vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Can the Jags Win by 7 with No MJD?

Washington Redskins at Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday, December 26, 2010, 1:00 PM EST

Line: Jacksonville -7

Overview

The Jacksonville Jaguars are tied for first place with the Indianapolis Colts heading into Week 16. The Jaguars can’t afford to drop a game this late in December, when they are in such a close division battle against Peyton Manning in crunch time. They should have the upper hand over the 5-9 Redskins, but the injury bug has hit the Jaguars at an inopportune time.

Keys to the Game

• Rashad Jennings has to fill in for Maurice Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew is a guy that can completely take over a game. The entire offense is affected by his play and a struggling MJD results in a slow-moving Jaguar offense. Nobody expects Jennings to come and duplicate Jones-Drew, but he needs to make his presence felt if the Jaguars want to have any chance at winning. The Redskins cannot tackle in the open field and could fall victim to a big gainer.

• The Washington Redskins cannot find themselves turning the ball over at an unrecoverable rate. Rex Grossman is under center, and we all remember just how bad the bad version of Rex Grossman can be. Despite the stubbornness of Mike Shanahan, the Redskins will not recover from throwing multiple interceptions. He needs to have a tight leash on Grossman regardless of how he feels about the Donovan McNabb situation. Giving the Jaguars the ball could allow this one to get out of control.

Key Matchup: David Garrard vs. Redskins’ Front Seven

• David Garrard is the definition of a game manager. He cannot succeed when the offense is not doing well, but he is not a liability when things get rolling. He can do his part, but only when there are eight in the box and when everything around him is working. The only way the Redskins are going to get the best of the Jaguars is if they are able to lock down the run and force the Jaguars to force the ball through the air.

• The Redskins need to be aggressive with their front seven. By creating turmoil in the backfield, it will not only slow down the run but also rattle Garrard. Brian Orakpo needs to get off the ball and get in the face of Garrard. By making his presence felt, a meltdown could be in store for the Jaguars.

Wrap-up

The Jaguars simply aren’t going anywhere without Maurice Jones-Drew. He is the entire offense and his loss on the field will automatically result in a team loss. The Redskins are a franchise in disarray, but even with their playoff hopes dashed, I can’t see the Jaguars getting anywhere without the guy that got them in this position in the first place.

Free NFL Pick: Redskins +7