The Jacksonville Jaguars are big underdogs heading into the postseason - and maybe for good reason.
Quarterback Byron Leftwich is returning to the starting lineup after missing six weeks because of a broken left ankle. Running backs Fred Taylor and Greg Jones are nursing injuries. And the Jaguars have little playoff experience, getting back to the postseason for the first time since 1999.
They enter the playoffs having won eight of their last nine games, falling only to Indianapolis, but all the victories came against teams with losing records and a combined mark of 33-95.
Oh, yeah, and the warm-weather Jaguars (12-4) open the first round at two-time defending Super Bowl champion New England on Saturday night, when the temperature is sure to be below freezing.
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"We don't mind being the underdogs," linebacker Akin Ayodele said. "We'll take it and ride it. Do we want respect? Yeah, we want respect. But the only way you can get it is by earning it. We don't mind doing that. That's what we've had to do all year."
Ayodele added that even beating the Patriots, who have won three of the last four Super Bowls, might not do much to change the team's perception.
"I'll bet you that even if we do go in and we win, they will find something to say," he said. "They'll say, 'Oh, they got lucky or maybe the other team took us for granted.' I feel like we're not going to get (respect) until we win it all."
The Jaguars feel like they've been overlooked all season. Several players even referred to talk last week about New England and Cincinnati wanting to lose their finales so they could be the No. 4 seed and host the fifth-seeded Jaguars.
"We don't get the type of credit we deserve," Taylor said. "Everybody wanted us. That makes us feel special, right? When you're wanted, that makes you feel special."
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They fail to mention, however, that they beat the Seahawks in draining heat and humidity after Seattle flew cross-country for a 1 p.m. kickoff - 10 a.m. Pacific time. The Jags also like to skip the fact that they beat the Bengals without receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and edged the Steelers in overtime without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and receiver Hines Ward.
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The Jags also need to get healthy.
Leftwich broke his ankle Nov. 27 and spent the better part of the last month on crutches and in a protective boot. He returned to practice last week but sat out Sunday for precautionary reasons. Now, Leftwich hopes to avoid being rusty against the Pats after the long layoff.
Jones missed the last two games with a neck injury, and Taylor has been slowed all season by a nagging ankle injury.
The Jaguars, already missing center Brad Meester and safety Donovin Darius, could be without linebacker Mike Peterson (wrist) and cornerback Kenny Wright (knee). Both were injured against Tennessee, but an update was unavailable Monday because the Jaguars took the day off while the Gator Bowl was played at Alltel Stadium.
