And for good reason.

The Jaguars controlled the game Sunday night against the Steelers, but came away with a 17-16 loss, leaving opportunity after opportunity on the field. A missed 33-yard field goal, and two first and goal situations inside the Steelers 4 yard line that resulted in only six points are the most glaring examples of simple things gone wrong that lead to a loss.

“We’ve got to make a play,” Del Rio said as he ran his hand through his hair and shook his head in bewilderment. “And not just at the end of the game. Somewhere, somebody needs to make a play.”

This loss was bitter for the team trying to make the playoffs. At 6-6, it’s not impossible, but it is a steep mountain to climb. “As far as the playoff races and getting knocked out and such, until someone gives me a formal notice that we’re out, we’re fighting for our lives. I’m conceding nothing. I know us making the playoffs is highly unlikely, but it’s not impossible,” Del Rio said.

As far as one thing to point at that can make the difference between a loss and a win in this game, it’s scoring touchdowns and not field goals. The Jaguars made their chances, but couldn’t convert seven points instead of three. In a close game, that gets you beat. “I can talk about it but there's not much to say. It's clearly a sore spot. It's just not good enough to win a close game. We had a number of opportunities to close that game out,” Del Rio said of the red-zone scoring average.

“In order to be a good team, you have to score touchdowns. When you don't execute against a defense like that, you're going to fall short. We just have to score more points,” Leftwich said.

“It’s as bitter a loss I’ve experienced since the ’99 title game,” Jimmy Smith said quietly in a very somber post-game locker room.

The Jaguars distributed 76,877 tickets for the game, which means every seat in Alltel Stadium was sold. It is the largest attendance in Jaguars history.