Spotlight shines on dominating defenses
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If it’s defense you want, you got your fill during Monday’s 9-0 Jacksonville win over the Steelers. That shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows anything about either of these teams. That the Steelers and Jaguars put together the NFL’s first scoreless half since Jacksonville and Indianapolis did it last season shouldn’t shock anyone either, except that it was the high-octane Colts that Jacksonville managed to blank for 30 minutes.
Monday night, the Jaguars extended a streak of allowing one touchdown in 17 possessions this season by keeping Pittsburgh off the board in five first-half possessions. It grew to 23 possessions as the Steelers were shut out for the first time sine a 6-0 loss to the Jets in the snow in 2003.
In doing so, Jacksonville limited the Steelers to 15 yards on 10 first-half rushes and 26 rushing yards for the game..
The Steelers, meanwhile, played some outstanding defense Monday night, as well. Jacksonville managed 26 yards on nine rushes and had only minimal passing success in the first 30 minutes.
The Jaguars converted their first two third downs, one a third-and-7 and the other a third-and-8, but were fruitless in their next eight tries. Pittsburgh converted only once in six tries in the first half.
It wasn’t because of the reported 104-degree fever Ben Roethlisberger told a sideline reporter he had. Team officials would say only that Roethlisberger had a fever earlier in the day, but that it was under control before the game started. Roethlisberger had not had any setbacks from his appendectomy. The procedure kept him from playing in the Steelers opening win over Miami, but all systems were go for this Monday night game.
Still, he did not play like the Big Ben we have become accustomed to seeing. He wasn’t awful, but he wasn’t sharp, either.
The Jaguars got a drive going midway through the third quarter, moving the ball from their 32-yard line to the Steelers’ 19 and it was an old nemesis beating the Steelers again.
Fred Taylor had some big runs in the drive, but the key play was a third-down conversion pass play to Matt Jones that carried to the 19.
Taylor ran for five more, but Byron Leftwich fumbled the next snap and on third down a Steelers blitz left Leftwich no choice but to unload the ball before Josh Scobee’s 31-yard field goal put the Jaguars ahead. Taylor had 52 yards in the third quarter.
Instead, punter Chris Gardocki proved why Steelers coach Bill Cowher decided to keep him coming out of training camp. He kept Jacksonville pinned deep all night and helped the Steelers defense.
The Steelers had gained only 91 yards through three quarters, but were still in the game thanks to their stingy defense. They moved the ball 22 yards, but had to punt again and again, Gardocki did his part by pinning the Jaguars at their own 8-yard line.
But the Jaguars escaped with a 48-yard pass play to Reggie Williams that put Jacksonville in field goal range again. Scobee connected from 32 yards out to make it 6-0 with 6:15 remaining.
After Pittsburgh got a first down, Rashean Mathis stepped in front of a Roethlisberger pass intended for Holmes and, with 4:53 remaining, the Steelers seemed doomed.
Scobee nailed his third field goal with 4:26 remaining to make it 9-0 and send the Steelers to 1-1 with the Bengals coming to town Sunday.
Sports editor Mike Ciarochi may be reached at mciarochi@heraldstandard.com