AFC Today

* Story line: These are teams coached by control freaks who want to run the ball, play defense and kick a field goal to win the game. Coach Jimmy Johnson will ask his Dolphins to pound the NFL’s fourth-ranking defense, on occasion allowing Dan Marino to throw. Marino is trying to prolong his career, but Jaguar fans like to point out that their team ended the career of Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly in a playoff game. Jacksonville Coach Tom Coughlin will counter the Dolphins’ game plan with running back Fred Taylor, trying to compensate for a limping quarterback, Mark Brunell (knee), and the loss of left tackle Tony Boselli (knee). Brunell has been splitting practice time with Jay Fiedler, who has one NFL start on his resume.

* Key offensive stat: Marino has a 90-43 record--7-3 in the playoffs--in games played in Florida.

* Key defensive stat: The Jaguars are the only NFL team with three defenders who have 10 or more sacks: Tony Brackens, 12; Kevin Hardy, 10 1/2, and Gary Walker, 10.

* Potential star of the game: Taylor. The Jaguars led the league in rushing, averaging 130.7 yards, and that was with Taylor not being at the top of his game. He has 248 yards rushing in two playoff games.

* But keep an eye on: Jimmy Smith. Johnson used the 36th pick in the 1992 draft to select the wide receiver at Dallas but left after the 1993 season, before Smith’s talents could be exploited. The Cowboys released Smith in ‘94, the Eagles signed and released him the same year, and now he’s the hottest receiver in the game, having caught 60 passes in the Jaguars’ last seven games, topping the 100-yard mark in six of those.

* History says: Jacksonville, which defeated Miami a year ago, 28-21, pulled off one of the NFL’s all-time playoff upsets on a visit to Denver in the 1996 playoffs, so the Jaguars understand Miami’s mission. But the Jaguars are also one of only two teams--Minnesota is the other--that has advanced to the playoffs each of the last four years, and that playoff experience has to mean something.

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* Injury update: The Jaguars have moved starting left guard Ben Coleman to left tackle to replace Boselli, and will start Rich Tylski at guard. The Dolphins will be without tight end Troy Drayton (knee), and listed wide receiver Oronde Gadsden as questionable because of sore ribs.

* Line: Jacksonville by 8.

* And the winner is: Jacksonville in a romp, although that runs contrary to the way Coughlin directs a game. But the Jaguars won’t be able to help themselves; they are that much better than the Dolphins.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Logs MIAMI (9-7, 1-0)

Miami Opponent

38 At Denver 21

19 Arizona 16

18 Buffalo 23

34 At Indianapolis 31

31 At New England 30

16 Philadelphia 13

16 At Oakland 9

17 Tennessee 0

3 At Buffalo 23

27 New England 17

0 At Dallas 20

34 Indianapolis 37

20 At N.Y. Jets 28

12 San Diego 9

31 N.Y. Jets 38

10 At Washington 21

20 At Seattle 17

*

JACKSONVILLE (14-2)

41 San Francisco 3

22 At Carolina 20

19 Tennessee 20

17 At Pittsburgh 3

16 At N.Y. Jets 6

24 Cleveland 7

41 At Cincinnati 10

30 At Atlanta 7

6 Baltimore 3

41 New Orleans 23

30 At Baltimore 23

20 Pittsburgh 6

27 Denver 24

24 At Cleveland 14

14 At Tennessee 41

24 Cincinnati 7