Icy Issue: Which off-season move is proving to bear the most fruit here in the playoff harvest season?

Icier Response: Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio’s decision to dump QB Byron Leftwich in favor of David Garrard.

Del Rio shocked the football world when, days before the start of the 2007 season, he dumped Leftwich, the former No. 1 pick and face of the franchise, and rolled his dice with journeyman Garrard.

The Cold, Hard Football Facts applauded the decision then and – much like Del Rio and Jaguars fans in general – have not been disappointed.

The Jaguars are 10-4 and well positioned to wrap up a playoff spot this weekend with a home win over Oakland. If not for a four-point loss in Indy a couple weeks ago, the Jaguars would be a fighting for a No. 2 seed and first-round bye.

Garrard is the singular force behind the resurrection of a team that went just 8-8 last year. Jacksonville's defense was actually much tougher last year, when it ranked No. 2 in total defense and No. 4 in scoring defense. This year's Jaguars rank a mere No. 14 in total defense and No. 8 in scoring defense.

But Garrard has played well enough to overcome any decline on the other side of the ball.

His passer rating of 101.6 is second in the NFL, behind only New England's Tom Brady. He's thrown just two picks in 307 pass attempts, a rate of 0.65 percent, the second-lowest single-season rate in NFL history. And his completion percentage of 64.2 is better than notable quarterbacks (and 2007 Pro Bowlers) Peyton Manning and Matt Hasselbeck. All from a guy in his first full year as an NFL starter.

Bottom line: no team made a gutsier move before the start of the season than Jacksonville. And no team has been rewarded more handsomely for a controversial decision.

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