1. A definitive answer if David Garrard is the guy
The Jaguars have invested heavily in David Garrard and what have they gotten from it? Several ups and several downs. One week David Garrard is a Top 10 QB, then next he'll look like a journeyman. Part of it has been the offensive line, but David has shown his ability to improvise in the past. I'm not saying I want Garrard to rank with Brady, Manning, and Roethlisberger. What I want is to have confidence in David week in and week out.
2. Will Maurice Jones-Drew keep it up?
MJD is on pace for almost 1,900 total yards and 22 touchdowns this season. The key phrase being on pace. Fred Taylor was famous for exploding in the 2nd half of the season. Will Jones-Drew fade during it? Questions remain as to whether Jones-Drew can be a premiere back over a 16 game season. If he has as good a 2nd half of the season as first half, then we can be sure we have a special player.
3. Will Jones-Drew set the franchise scoring record?
The current record is held by Mike Hollis who scored 134 points for the Jaguars in 1997. At Jones-Drew's current pace, he'll have 132 points. The Jaguars take on the Browns in Cleveland to close out the season, and stranger things have happened there in franchise history than MJD kicking a FG.
4.Offensive line consistency
Barring injury or severe deterioration in play, I'll just be in facepalm mode if the Jaguars switch around the starting offensive line again. Monroe has shown he deserves to be starting at left tackle and is the future of the position. This team would be best served by sticking with 5 guys game in and game out.
5. Continued development of the rookies
This has been easily the most productive draft class in team history with four immediate starters, a solid contributor in Mike Thomas, and solid jar on the shelf players after that. However, this is not the time for them to feel good about themselves and slack off. I want to write in December how Monroe and Britton are going to be on par with Boselli and Searcy without looking like a fool.
6. Stay with the 4-3
We tried out the 3-4 for awhile. Things weren't going so well but she still had a sense of mystery to her. However, it's time to admit it just won't work out. Unless the Jaguars are down to only 3 defensive linemen then the 4-3 is what we should see from here on out.
7. The WR corps
The Jaguars have had easily the worst WR corp in football for the last few years. Now all of the sudden we have a competent one and it seems like a miracle. Will Mike Sims-Walker continue to show he is a legit #1 WR? Is Torry Holt going to show he is worth keeping on the roster? Is Jarrett Dillard going to establish himself?
8. Reggie Nelson to be better than "Hole in Zone"
Nelson has been one of the main weaknesses in the defense. Whether it's making a wrong read or not understanding fundamental tackling, the Eraser has never let Jaguar fans down. Shack Harris can't go 0 for 6 on 1st round picks. Simple statistics says he has to get one right.
9. A Pass Rush
I'm not asking this team to get to 40 sacks, but I would like to see something more than the a perfectly formed pocket for the opposing QB. To be fair, the Jaguars have gotten better on pass defense. We're all the way up to 26th!
10. Keep Playing Hard
This team's greatest strength is that is keeps scrapping away and playing hard. If they lose that intensity later on in the season, it would prove disasterous.
-Jonathan Loesche