Victorious Jaguars don't believe the T.O. hype

The Jaguars are a team that went 12-4 in 2005, yet spent the offseason hearing about how they were nothing more than a product of their soft schedule. Their status wasn't helped in the preseason when the first-team offense didn't produce a point.

"I told you we'd get it going once the season started," said running back Fred Taylor, who rushed for a tough 74 yards on 21 carries, while scoring on a 5-yard run.

For a quarter, it didn't look like they would. Dallas jumped to the 10-0 lead, scoring on a 23-yard run by Julius Jones and a 32-yard field goal by Shaun Suisham. The kicker was dressed instead of veteran Mike Vanderjagt, who Bill Parcells opted to leave at home.

Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe was 6-for-10 in the first quarter for 97 yards, but he finished 16-for-33 for 246 yards and three interceptions. His passer rating of 45.8 is bound to set off the quarterback controversy in Dallas. His play looked even worse than the numbers.

Bledsoe was sacked twice, but there were several pressures and he never seemed able to step into a throw. He was often caught holding the ball, forcing a pass somewhere late or just making a bad throw to an open receiver. On one play in the second quarter, he missed a wide-open Owens on what could have been a touchdown.

As for T.O., he finished with six catches for 80 yards, but 21 of those came on a touchdown catch with 1:19 left as the Cowboys tried to get back into the game. Owens and fellow receiver Terry Glenn were limited in large part because the Jaguars defensive line caused Bledsoe to look old. Really old.

The Jaguars used a variety of coverages to try and slow down Owens. Mathis played him some, as did fellow corner Brian Williams. They had safety help on some plays, and some times they singled him.

Mostly, he was stopped by the Jaguars front, a front that didn't allow Bledsoe a chance to get comfortable.

"It wasn't about covering him (Owens), it was about stopping their passing and running game and we did that," Mathis said.

After the game, Owens didn't rant or didn't rip anybody. He just met the media and said a few things.

"We can't hang our heads," Owens said.

Is that Owens giving a pep talk? It sure sounds like it.

While the Jaguars defense was shutting down the Cowboys, the surprise of the day for many may have been how well the Jacksonville offense played, especially the passing game. With Jimmy Smith retired, there was a fear that the receivers wouldn't be good enough, even though Matt Jones and Reggie Williams were both first-round picks.

Using a lot of three-receiver sets with those two and Ernest Wilford, the Jaguars receivers actually had games as good as Owens. Williams had six catches for 47 yards and a touchdown, the first of his three-year career, while Jones caught five for 71 and Wilford had three catches for 58 yards.

Those three were able to benefit on some pinpoint passing by Leftwich. He completed 23 of 34 passes for 237 yards and the one touchdown. After a slow start, in which there was some booing, he completed 10 consecutive passes during one stretch.

For Leftwich, it was a chance to quiet a lot of skeptics in Jacksonville, some who have been calling for backup David Garrard to take his job. His preseason struggles, which were in large part due to the offensive line, didn't help his cause.

Yet last week during a chat, Leftwich insisted that the offense would be fine. He knew then that the Jaguars planned to spread the field against the Cowboys using the three-receiver sets. Getting those receivers involved is imperative to the Jaguars' chances of making a strong playoff push.

"I know how good they are, and I know the questions they had to answer all offseason," Leftwich said. "I know the plays they can make. And to me, this is just the beginning. Those guys know how to play football and know how to make plays."

As he dressed at his locker, his diamond-studded teeth being put in as the last accessory to his tailored, grey suit, Williams summed up the day best.

"It was there on television for all to see," Williams said. "From the East to the North to the South and places in between, people now know we're a good football team. If there are any doubters out there, they better think again."

Even Owens conceded that.

"Jacksonville's a good team, and they did take advantage of the opportunities we gave them," Owens said.

He might want to change that thinking. The way the Jaguars saw it, it was opportunities they took, tired of playing second fiddle to T.O, the Cowboys or anybody else for that matter.

"Maybe now we'll get some attention in our own paper," Peterson said.

Or better. Maybe now they won't be underdogs on their own field anymore.