JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- When Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio turned his offense over to David Garrard a week before the season opener, he expected the longtime backup to step up.
He never envisioned this, though.
Garrard has a higher passer rating than Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning. It's not even close, either.
Garrard has given the Jaguars (8-3) something few NFL teams enjoy: "clarity" at the quarterback position.
No questions. No controversies. Not even the slightest hint of a concern.
"I'm very pleased to see where he is now and have the idea that he's going to continue to get better," Del Rio said Wednesday. "I really believe that. I think he'll continue to improve as a quarterback and as a leader of this team."
Garrard already has made huge strides.
He ranks fourth in the NFL in passer rating, trailing only Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Tony Romo. Garrard is even better than Brady on third down, completing 72 percent of his passes for 538 yards, six touchdowns and an NFL-best 127.6 rating.
"There's a difference in knowing that you've got a key position here and in knowing that this is your team. This is David's team," receiver Ernest Wilford said. "He's stepped up to the challenge and he's come up big in big situations. He's gained confidence, he's become more mature and he's become a big-time leader."
Garrard, 6-2 as a starter this season, has completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,626 yards, with nine touchdowns and no interceptions.
Although his statistics aren't gaudy, they include exactly what the ball-control, defensive-minded Jaguars want from their quarterback: few turnovers. Garrard has just one all season, a fumble following a sack in Week 2.
Garrard has thrown 209 times without turning it over.
Miami's John Beck (two starts) and Tennessee's Kerry Collins (one start) are the only other starters in the league without an interception.
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