Ok. Let's just forget about all the negatives right now.

I know, it's tough.

Even though Jaguars fans have completely thrown their hands up in surrender it's still difficult to fight off the sting of a year that was supposed to be one of the best in team history.

Instead of a season that many thought had the potential to end with a legitimate run at a Super Bowl, Jaguars faithful have gotten nothing but a constant string of disappointments.

From injuries to free agent busts, Jaguars fans have experienced just about every type of letdown you can experience during a football season.

But despite the funeral-like atmosphere over at Municipal Stadium, there are still some good things going on with the Jaguars.

You just have to look closely to find them.

There are plenty of players on this roster who will be asked to take on a bigger role not only on the field next season, but also off of it. Many of those players are beginning to show that they will be up to the task.

Look no further than Maurice Jones-Drew if you want a prime example.

The Jaguars diminuitive running back is quickly emerging as the new face of the franchise and showing that he has what it takes to be a featured back in the NFL. As Fred Taylor gets phased out of the offense, Jones-Drew continues to get phased in and he continues to look impressive in the process. Maurice is the Jaguars scariest threat by far on offense and will be a huge piece in their foundation for the coming years.

Defensively it looks as if some of the younger players are ready to step up and assume larger roles.

With Mike Peterson clearly on his way out the door at the end of the year the Jaguars will need a new leader to emerge on that side of the football.

Daryl Smith and Justin Durant look to be the most likely candidates to fill the impending void Mike Peterson is sure to leave. Smith has played well since he was given the starting middle linebacker spot while Justin Durant continues to show that he has what it takes to be a staple of this defense for years to come.

It's starting to look like you could say the same thing for defensive end Derrick Harvey.

After missing all of training camp and the preseason, Harvey has picked up his play during the past couple of weeks and is starting to show flashes of being the player the Jaguars thought he would become when they traded up in the first round to get him. He still has a way to go, but if Harvey continues to make progress he should be ready to make significant contributions to the pass rush in 2009.

The final three games of the Jaguars season need to be treated as a sort of preseason. My friend Cole Pepper from WOKV radio and I discussed this after the Jaguars latest setback to the Chicago Bears. We both agree that fans should be watching this team and trying to look for what it can do, not what it is doing.

If you're looking in the right spots you will see players who look like they can carry the Jaguars into the next phase of their existence.

Then it's just a matter of finding a way to build a team around those parts.

Nobody is really sure how long that will take.

But let's not think about that right now.

I know, it's tough.