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It’s sort of a shame that the Jaguars and Steelers have to play each other so early in the playoffs. Both teams are extremely well-coached and have excellent defenses and terrific running games. Both teams would have a solid chance to take out the New England Patriots, but only one team will probably have the chance to do it.

In any case this should be a drag out, tough to pick game. Maybe, some trends will help us in that area:
The HOME team is 14 and 5 against the spread in the last 19 meetings between these two teams.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are 7 and 1 against the spread in their last 8 games overall.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 2 and 6 against the spread in their last 8 games overall.

The Jaguars are actually the team to fear in the playoffs. They have a good defense, two strong running backs, and a quarterback who doesn’t make any mistakes. David Garrard threw only four interceptions all year.

The Jaguars are going into this game with a lot of momentum. They know how good they are on defense. They have faith in their quarterback and with both Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew running lights out towards the end of the season, the Jaguars have no business losing this game.

Pittsburgh has a few questions going into the playoffs. First, can Ben Rothelisberger find the form that led the Steelers to the Super Bowl Championship just two years ago? Second, is Heinz Ward healthy enough to pose a threat to the Jags’ defense? Third, is Najeh Davenport carry the load in Steeltown now that Willie Parker is out for the year?

 Although I believe that Davenport will have a decent game this Sunday, all of the above questions will have a bad effect on the mental stability of the Pittsburgh Steelers. When faced with adversity, this team tends to fold. If they show any sort of weakness at all versus the Jaguars, this game could be over early.

Yes, the Jaguars are that good.

I like the Jaguars to upset the Steelers in this game. Jacksonville should win this game outright. They are too good on defense, have the perfect quarterback for the playoffs, and both star running backs, Taylor and Jones-Drew, should have

If you enjoyed this article then you may be interested in:

1. NFL Wild Card Playoffs Picks: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Odds
2. 2008 NFL Wild Card Playoff Picks & Odds: Washington vs. Seattle
3. NFL Wild Card Weekend & NFL Playoffs Opening Odds & Lines Report
4. 2007-2008 NFL Football Postseason Schedule – NFL Playoff Picks
5. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. St.Louis Rams Picks & Odds: Thursday Night Football