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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Embarrassed by four second-half
touchdowns in a bitter loss last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars
were determined to prove their defense is good enough to carry the
load.
|  | | Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell celebrated his 30th birthday Sunday with a shutout victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. |
They stated their case Sunday with the first shutout in
franchise history -- even if it came at the expense of the lowly
Cincinnati Bengals.
Mark Brunell celebrated his 30th birthday with a 21-yard
touchdown pass that initially was ruled out of bounds, and Gary
Walker and the rest of the defense took over from there in a 13-0
victory over Cincinnati.
"I made everyone aware before the game that this team had never
had a shutout," said Walker, who disrupted the middle of the line
with five tackles and two sacks. "I said that today would be a
good time to get one."
It wasn't all that difficult.
The Bengals (0-2) have scored one touchdown in two games this
year. Akili Smith was intercepted twice and sacked five times,
while Corey Dillon managed only 32 yards on 17 carries.
"I'm sick of it," Bengals linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "I
don't like anybody to call me a loser. I think this year will be
better, but I've been saying that the last two years."
It was hardly a masterpiece by the Jaguars, who averaged 409.5
yards in their first two games and struggled to get 241 yards.
Brunell was 20-of-32 for 176 yards and was sacked four times.
Without running back Fred Taylor for the third straight game, the
Jaguars managed only 85 yards rushing -- 25 by Brunell and 20 on a
reverse by R. Jay Soward, their longest play from scrimmage.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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The Bengals defense showed some signs of life this week. But the Jaguars defense was even better -- particularly in the second half -- and came up with the shutout.
The Jags got good pressure on Akili Smith. It was the best that Tony Brackens has played this year, and they got good inside pressure from Gary Walker. They were able to do some things with their pass rush that disrupted Smith and Cincy's offense.
Most of this game was played in Cincinnati's red zone. They did a good job holding the Jags to a single touchdown and a couple of field goals.
But one of the Bengals' problems this year is that their offense is young -- they have a young quarterback, they have a couple of young receivers, and they have a running back in Corey Dillon who had virtually no training camp. Dillon only managed 32 yards for a 1.9 average in this game, and that's obviously not good enough.
This game featured lots of sacks and was played in sloppy conditions, but the Jaguars did what they needed to do.
Jacksonville misses running back Fred Taylor. He could be back next week, and the Jags need him to have a chance to beat the Colts in Indianapolis on Monday night.
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But the Jaguars (2-1) got 10 points in a span of 1 minute, 47
seconds midway through the first quarter. Against Cincinnati,
that's all they needed in a sloppy, lifeless game.
"After last week, we made a commitment to give our best and to
finish," said linebacker Hardy Nickerson, who had an interception
in his home debut with the Jaguars. "You get a shutout, that's
something special. There are no pushovers in this league."
The Bengals crossed midfield just four times and never got
farther than the 27. Smith was 18-of-41 for 183 yards, and spent
most of the game running for his life.
"We're just not in synch," coach Bruce Coslet said. "We just
need to stay together and keep playing and keep trying to
improve."
Because of the threat of heavy rain from Hurricane Gordon -- or
maybe because it was the Bengals -- the 45,653 for the Jaguars'
first home game of the season was the smallest crowd in their
six-year history.
Those who didn't show didn't miss much. Neither team played
inspired in a game that featured more mistakes than big plays, and
not much rain.
The Bengals didn't get a first down until 12:51 left in the
second quarter. The Jaguars squandered a couple of scoring chances
on a missed 33-yard field goal by Steve Lindsey and Brunell's lone
interception at the 10, which was tipped and caught by Steve Foley.
Bengals cornerback Tim Carter was called for holding on a
third-and-13 pass that had no chance. Four plays later, in one of
the few bright spots on a gray, drizzling day, Brunell threw a
perfect pass across the field to the front left corner of the end
zone that Keenan McCardell extended to catch.
It was ruled out of bounds, the Jaguars challenged and the call
was overturned for a touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tremain Mack fumbled and Kiwaukee Thomas
recovered at the 17. That set up a 30-yard field by Lindsey, the
kickoff specialist filling because Mike Hollis injured his back. It
was Lindsey's first field-goal attempt since his senior year at Ole
Miss in 1997.
The Bengals' deepest drive was the 27 early in the second
quarter, but Smith was stuffed on a quarterback draw and Neil
Rackers missed a 44-yard field goal. Later in the half, Smith
completed four straight passes to the 30. Donovan Darius broke up
two passes, and Racker's 47-yard field-goal try hit the left
upright.
The Bengals got into Jaguars' territory early in the fourth
quarter -- all the way to the 48 -- but were called for a false start
and then Walker sacked Smith.
Game notes
Jacksonville kicker Mike Hollis missed his first game in
team history because of a bad back. Receiver Jimmy Smith and punter
Bryan Barker are the only Jaguars to play in all 91 games. ... The
previous low attendance for Jacksonville also came against
Cincinnati, 57,408 in December 1996, in which it also rained. ...
Aaron Beasley had an interception late in the fourth quarter,
giving him 13 takeaways for the most in Jaguars history. ... The
Bengals average starting position was the 20. The Jaguars average
start was their 48.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Cincinnati Clubhouse
Jacksonville Clubhouse
Week 3 wrap-ups
Week 3 infirmary report
TJ's Take on Week 3
Week 3 stats leaders
Prime Time Players
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