Jaguars’ Del Rio sticks with Garrard

Jaguars Coach Jack Del Rio ended two weeks of speculation surrounding his quarterback situation Monday, saying starter Byron Leftwich is as healthy as he’s going to get this season.

His revelation cleared the way for mobile backup David Garrard to make a third straight start Sunday against Houston, and possibly keep the job the rest of the season.

Del Rio stopped short of naming Garrard his starter after consecutive wins, but made it clear that Leftwich’s injured left ankle could keep him on the bench for the remaining eight games.

“A healthy guy that’s playing well is a no-brainer for me,” Del Rio said.

Del Rio declined to discuss details about Leftwich’s injury, citing privacy issues, but said he might need surgery.

“His ankle is 85% to 90% and it’s probably not going to get much better than that until he gets a long period of time off,” Del Rio said. “At some point he may need to go in there and have a little clean-out. He’s really basically at about the best level he’s going to be at unless he gets an extended time off.”

Leftwich injured his ankle Oct. 1 at Washington. He played well the next week against the New York Jets, but the injury flared up two days before Jacksonville’s game at Houston. Although he missed a practice, Leftwich convinced coaches he was ready to play against the Texans. He played poorly in a 27-7 loss, and Del Rio criticized him for not being forthright about his ankle. Leftwich was benched the next week as Garrard led the Jaguars (5-3) to a 13-6 victory at Philadelphia.

Garrard was even better in Sunday’s 37-7 win over Tennessee. He was 12 for 22 for 177 yards with three touchdown passes. A fourth-round draft pick from East Carolina in 2002, Garrard improved to 6-1 as a starter the last two seasons.