Garrard's draw play showed why Jags are real threat

Quarterback David Garrard's 32-yard run set up the Jaguars' game-winning field goal in the final minute Saturday night. AP

Two-minute warning. Pittsburgh 29, Jacksonville 28. Mucky field in Pittsburgh. Biggest game of David Garrard's life, and he hadn't exactly distinguished himself to this point (9-of-20, 140 yards, one touchdown, two picks). Jacksonville ball, third-and-two at the Steelers' 43. Garrard jogged to the sidelines.

"Quarterback draw!'' he said to the coaches. "I can make two yards!''

He knew he shouldn't be selfish. But this wasn't selfish. He knew the surest way to get two yards was to hurl his 245 pounds into a gap on the line. And for one of the few times all season, Garrard didn't like the call that had come down from offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter: a short pass, probably to tight end Marcedes Lewis in the left flat, to pick up the two yards.

The Jags stuck with the pass play, but when Lewis couldn't handle the throw, Garrard knew Jacksonville was in four-down territory and that he might get another chance.

Into his headset, with the crowd noise roaring, anticipating an incredible Steelers comeback win, Garrard listened intently as quarterback coach Mike Shula, the man charged with passing along the plays from Koetter, made the call.

"Gun trips left,'' Shula said. "QB 40 base.''

Euphoria. From the shotgun, he'd run the quarterback draw, the play he had wanted to run on third down.

"So happy,'' Garrard said from the Jags' bus, almost two hours after their 31-29 victory. "To hear the draw called with the game, and our season, on the line was the greatest thing I could have heard.''

Quick detour: I'm not saying Jacksonville is going to beat New England on Saturday in its divisional playoff game in Foxboro. In fact, I will certainly pick the Pats when I make my predictions later this week. But what happened on this play says loads about the character of the Jaguars -- about the confidence of their quarterback and the ethos of their players -- and, if I were New England, it would give me a healthy degree of respect for my next opponent.

On the snap, Garrard hesitated a split second while his line began to engage the Steelers' defensive front. His hope was Pittsburgh would expect a pass and come aggressively after him.

From Garrard's left, Troy Polamalu blitzed, but was forced by a chip block wide behind the backfield, barely keeping him from Garrard. As Garrard lunged forward toward the guard-tackle gap on the left side of the line ... well, let him tell it.

"I saw some great things happening,'' he said.

Center Brad Meester neutralized linebacker James Farrior. Right guard Maurice Williams leveraged noseman Casey Hampton into the ground. It's hard to tell from the replay, but it looks like left tackle Khalif Barnes was the one who kept the Steelers' top rush man, outside 'backer James Harrison, from the middle of the line. Left guard Vince Manuwai blocked defensive end Brett Keisel toward the right, away from the gap. And through the hole burst Garrard.

"I got a glimpse of the blocks, and they were beautiful,'' he said. "Then I get past the line and I looked up, there was only one guy, and I'm thinking, Maybe I can score. Who knows?''

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