| Jacksonville Jaguars | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| QUARTERBACKS |
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 Sixth-year pro David Garrard emerged in his first full season as a starter, ranking third in the NFL in passer rating. Garrard has proven to be efficient and consistent, completing 64.0 percent of his passes for 2,509 yards, 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Reserve Quinn Gray, who gained valuable experience by starting four games in place of the injured Garrard, is the only other active quarterback on the roster. |  Ben Roethlisberger started every game but the final contest vs. Baltimore and was voted into the Pro Bowl for the first time. Coming off a 2006 campaign in which he threw 26 interceptions, Big Ben threw for 3,154 yards and a franchise and career-best 32 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. He also finished the regular season with a quarterback rating of 104.1, second only to Tom Brady. Backup Charlie Batch stepped in briefly for one series in Week 9 and looked comfortable under center for most of his start in Week 17 as Roethlisberger rested a sore ankle. Rounding out the depth chart is third-stringer Brian St. Pierre, who hasn't seen any game action this year. |
| RUNNING BACKS |
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 The Jaguars finished second in the NFL with 149.4 rushing yards per game behind the potent combination of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. The veteran Taylor came on strong down the stretch, posting six consecutive 100-yard games to finish with 1,202 yards and five touchdowns. The diminutive but powerful Jones-Drew, a threat anywhere on the field, posted 1,175 total yards and nine touchdowns. Leading the way is FB Greg Jones, with LaBrandon Toefield and Montell Owens in reserve. |  Willie Parker was leading the league in rushing before he broke his leg against the Rams in Week 16. Parker paced the Steelers' third-ranked rushing offense (135.5 yards per game). Najeh Davenport filled in nicely in Week 16, but he's not accustomed to taking 20-plus handoffs per game. The Steelers signed veteran Verron Haynes after Parker went on IR, while rookie Gary Russell picked up some valuable experience in Week 17. |
| RECEIVERS |
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 The receiving core has made strides during the season, led by the trio of Ernest Wilford, Reggie Williams and Dennis Northcutt. The speedy Northcutt, signed as a free agent during the offseason, led the team in receptions (44) and yards (601). Williams and Wilford (each 6-foot-4) present match up problems for opposing cornerbacks. Williams was strong down the stretch and finished with a team-best 10 touchdowns. Matt Jones and rookie John Broussard round out the unit. |  The receiving corps is led by Pro Bowler Hines Ward, who had 71 receptions for 732 yards and seven touchdowns, and became the Steelers' all-time touchdown reception leader. Speedy Santonio Holmes has missed three games this year with an ankle injury, but he's racked up 942 yards and leads the team with eight TD receptions. Nate Washington has proven to be a reliable big-play target, hauling in 29 passes, while Cedrick Wilson and Willie Reid provide nice depth. |
| TIGHT ENDS |
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 Marcedes Lewis posted career-bests across the board while starting all 16 games in his second season and is becoming a reliable target for Garrard. The Jaguars lost depth at the position when George Wrighster and Greg Estandia were lost to season-ending injuries in Week 12. The Jaguars re-signed Richard Angulo and activated Isaac Smolko from the practice squad to provide depth. |  The Steelers used their tight ends effectively in the passing game this season, and Heath Miller had his most productive season of his three-year career, hauling in seven touchdown passes and collecting 566 yards. Rookie Matt Spaeth caught five passes this season -- three of them for touchdowns -- while No. 3 tight end Jerame Tuman's ailing back placed him on injured reserve after Week 10. |
| OFFENSIVE LINE |
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 The Jaguars rank seventh in the NFL in total offense (357.4 ypg) and sixth in scoring (25.7 ppg) behind an offensive line that continues to gain momentum. The unit allowed just four sacks over the last four games behind LT Khalif Barnes, LG Vince Manuwai, C Brad Meester, RG Dennis Norman and RT Tony Pashos. Meester returned from a broken ankle in Week 6, but starting RG Chris Naeole was lost in Week 9 to a season-ending quad injury. Valuable reserve Richard Collier pushes the starters and sees regular playing time. |  The Steelers' inability to control the line of scrimmage allowed Ben Roethlisberger to be taken down 47 times, second only to number of sacks permitted by the Lions. The left guard spot is anchored by Alan Faneca, who will be making his seventh consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl. LT Marvel Smith missed four games with a lingering back problem, and C Sean Mahan has remained injury-free at center while RT Willie Colon and RG Kendall Simmons hold down the right side. |
| DEFENSIVE LINE |
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 The strength of the Jaguars' defense was hurt when DT Marcus Stroud was lost with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 14, his first game after returning from a four-game suspension. The interior line is still formidable with DT Rob Meier, Grady Jackson and Derek Landri rotating along run-stuffing DT John Henderson. DE Paul Spicer leads the Jaguars with 8.0 sacks, while DE Bobby McCray has improved late in the season. DE Reggie Hayward started nine games throughout the season and provides depth. |  The Steelers defense as a whole is ranked first in the league, but the steel curtain started to show wear and tear as the season progressed. The line suffered a blow after Week 14 when DE Aaron Smith was placed on injured with a torn biceps. He was part of the run-stuffing trio of NT Casey Hampton and DE Brett Keisel. Travis Kirschke has filled in nicely at both ends, collecting two sacks and 39 tackles. |
| LINEBACKERS |
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 The unit took a hit when leading tackler Mike Peterson was lost to a broken hand in Week 11. OLB Daryl Smith moved to the middle in the absence of Peterson and has played well, while rookie OLB Justin Durant has responded with strong play since moving into the starting lineup on the outside, registering 42 tackles over the last six games. OLB Clint Ingram has started 11 of 13 games opposite Durant since Week 5. |  After the release of Joey Porter, the Steelers were in search of a pass rusher. What they got was an oft-injured reserve in James Harrison, who turned out to be a gem. He finished the season with eight sacks and earned a trip to Hawaii. James Farrior and Larry Foote are a solid duo in the middle, and LaMarr Woodley, backing up starter Clark Haggans on the outside, finished with four sacks, the most by a Steelers rookie since 2001. |
| DEFENSIVE BACKS |
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 The Jaguars secondary is susceptible to big plays, but finished 15th overall in pass defense (213.5 ypg) and tied for fourth in interceptions (20) after several poor performances to start the season. Veteran CB Rashean Mathis anchors a revamped unit that added three starters - CB Brian Williams, SS Sammy Knight and rookie FS Reggie Nelson -- during the offseason. Knight led the Jaguars in total tackles, while Nelson finished with a team-best five interceptions. |  The Steelers' pass defense is ranked third in league, but has been inconsistent because of injuries. Pro Bowl strong safety Troy Polamalu spent five games as a spectator due to a lingering knee injury and Ryan Clark was placed on injured reserve after Week 10. The Steelers promoted Anthony Smith to the starting role and he made an ill-advised guarantee of victory over the Patriots, where he was torched twice in the game and later lost his No. 1 spot on the depth chart to Tyrone Carter. CB Ike Taylor leads the team with three interceptions and reliable CBs Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden round out the unit. |
| SPECIAL TEAMS |
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 The Jaguars struggled in the kicking games for much of the season. K Josh Scobee was out until Week 11 with a strained muscle, but has returned to hit 12 of 13 (92.3 percent) field goal attempts. Rookie P Adam Podlesh averages 41.6 yards per punt as the Jaguars rank 30th overall in punting. Jones-Drew handles kick returns and is 18th overall at 26.2 yards per return, including a 100-yard touchdown return in Week 9. Northcutt is an experienced punt returner for the Jaguars, who rank eighth overall at 10.1 yards per return. |  Kicker Jeff Reed has made 23 of 25 field goal attempts and all of his extra point tries this season. Rookie punter Daniel Sepulveda averages 42.4 yards per punt (21st in the league) and he completed a 32-yard pass up the middle to Najeh Davenport on a fake punt play that gave the Steelers a first down. Veteran Allen Rossum handles kick return duties for Pittsburgh. He's fumbled three of his 36 kick returns averages 23.3 yards per return. |
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