"David Garrard won the quarterback job in the final preseason game in 2007 with two well directed touchdown drives that convinced coach Jack Del Rio to cut Byron Leftwich nine days before the preseason started and to go with Garrard. Leftwich had struggled throughout the preseason.

It worked out well for Garrard and Del Rio. They made the playoffs, won a playoff game at Pittsburgh and both got lucrative contract extensions -- $60 million for Garrard, $21 million for Del Rio.

But after three seasons of not making the playoffs -- the last two featuring last season collapses -- both Del Rio and Garrard are on the hot seat.

Del Rio has to make the playoffs to keep his job and Garrard needs to do it avoid losing his job to rookie Blaine Gabbert, who is the quarterback of the future. Garrrard doesn't want the future to start Sept. 11."