Situations change very quickly in the NFL.  A few weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings looked headed towards another disappointing season. 

Brad Childress had his future in doubt.  Tarvaris Jackson was playing like a raw college quarterback who can’t stay healthy. 

Now the Vikings have surged into playoff contention. 

Playoffs?!?! 

Most scouts and coaches wrote the Vikings off a month ago. 

Tarvaris Jackson has grown a lot over the past few weeks.  He’s limited his mistakes and is pushing the ball downfield.  His athleticism and tremendous arm strength are intriguing.  His mistakes can be corrected with experience.  Now the big question with Jackson is whether he can stay healthy.  And most scouts around the league share the same question. 

The key is Jackson down the stretch.  The other components are there.  They have a strong run game with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor.  Not many teams can also defend the run like the Vikings with their strong play in the trenches.  And they are getting strong linebacker play from E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway, and Ben Leber. 

While Peterson has been their headline rookie – don’t forget Sidney Rice and now Aundrae Allison.  Rice has displayed natural size and athleticism in creating favorable matchups.  He’s taken a very mature approach to the game as a rookie – which has surprised a lot of scouts.  Allison displayed big-time quickness on Sunday against Detroit.  Allison should have more opportunities to stretch the field this season as he grows into the team’s long-term plans. 

In the AFC, Jacksonville made a step forward despite losing against the Colts on the road.  The Jaguars are gaining a lot of respect throughout the conference.

They are committed to a strong run game.  Maurice Drew-Jones and Fred Taylor get nicked up a lot, but they complement each other tremendously well.  The defense isn’t playing at a high level this season, but they are still respected by most coaches. 

The key this season has been minimizing turnovers and nobody is more responsible here than David Garrard.  Garrard has matured into a legitimate starting quarterback this season.  Garrard always had the tools, but gave up too many turnovers in past stints.  That’s why a lot of eyebrows were raised with Jack Del Rio’s late summer switch at quarterback. 

Garrard has really grown into the position since the season began.  He’s been efficient with the football and has earned the respect of everyone in the locker room.  And this has been done without a true playmaker in the passing game, although Reggie Williams has made strides throughout the season. 

Are the Jaguars closing in on the Colts in the AFC South?  They have closed the gap, but the Jaguars have a big off-season ahead.  Del Rio has gained influence recently – especially after staying afloat without Garrard for a few weeks.  The Jaguars just need a few playmakers to take the next step.  Look for Del Rio to focus on addressing the pass rush, finding a veteran safety with better speed than Sammy Knight, and a playmaker at wide receiver.