Jaguars shut down Larry Johnson, Chiefs 17-7
07.10.2007 21:00
Sport and Travel
- Source: USA Today
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars suddenly have a big-play offense to accompany their smothering defense. It was the defense that sent an embarrassed Kansas City home muttering to itself.
Maurice Jones-Drew sped 52 yards for Jacksonville's first touchdown and the Jaguars held the Chiefs to a shocking 10 yards rushing. The Chiefs avoided the shutout on the final play when Brodie Croyle completed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Sammie Parker. BOX SCORE: Jaguars 17, Chiefs 7 The Jaguars (3-1), who gave up 282 yards rushing to Tennessee in losing their season opener, have not allowed more than 48 yards on the ground in any of three games since, all wins. Two-time Pro Bowler Larry Johnson, who had 138 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-30 victory over Jacksonville in the regular-season finale here last New Year's Eve, was held to 12 yards on nine carries, and just three yards on five pass receptions. Damon Huard, who beat out Croyle in the preseason, absorbed a bruised right shoulder while throwing an interception to Reggie Nelson and was replaced by Croyle late in the fourth quarter as a light rain began falling and the crowd, which had booed much of the gray, overcast day, began to leave. David Garrard was 20 of 27 for 218 yards and one touchdown, and has not been intercepted since Ty Law picked him off in the game here last Dec. 31 and caused coach Jack Del Rio to bench him. He hit Dennis Northcutt for a 40-yard gain in the fourth quarter and a few minutes later Northcutt wiggled into the end zone with a 3-yard scoring pass. Tight end Tony Gonzalez was most of the Chiefs' offense, catching eight passes for 100 yards. Huard was 19 of 39 for 196 yards and one interception. The Chiefs had 271 yards, and 70 of those came on the final, last-second drive which Croyle capped with his improbable touchdown toss to Parker. As the players trotted off the field and the angry, rain-soaked fans who were still left filed out, the public address announcer yelled in an excited voice, "There'll be no shutout in Arrowhead today." The Chiefs, who have suffered from poor field position all year, began their first three second-half possessions on their own 3, 20 and 8. In the first half, they started only one drive beyond their own 23. In an 18-play, 77-yard march in the first quarter that netted only John Carney's 20-yard field goal, the Jaguars tied a team record for number of plays on a scoring drive. At 10 minutes, 55 seconds, it was the second-longest scoring drive in team history. The Jags had second-and-goal from the 5, but Maurice Williams was flagged for a false start and Donnie Edwards stopped Jones-Drew on third-and-goal from the 3. In the second quarter, Jones-Drew, held to no gain his two previous runs, burst through a big hole and quickly hit full stride. Twice he turned safety Jarrad Page with quick stuttersteps and then outran 33-year-old cornerback Ty Law to the end zone. It was the longest run of the year for the Jaguars.
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