Jaguars Continue to Make Mark in 28-21 Victory

The Jacksonville Jaguars started fast and finished strong Monday night to defeat the Miami Dolphins, 28-21.

Fred Taylor scored on a 77-yard run on the first play of the game, and Mark Brunell connected with Keenan McCardell for a 56-yard play for the decisive touchdown with 2:36 to go. Brunell and McCardell also teamed up for 23-yard touchdown to tie the game with 12 minutes left.

“We made the plays when we had to make them,” Jaguar Coach Tom Coughlin said. “It’s a continuation of what’s been happening all year long. We find a way to win.”

Jacksonville (5-0), Denver and Minnesota are the only undefeated teams in the NFL. The Jaguars, who have won four of their games by a total of 18 points, took a two-game lead over Pittsburgh in the AFC Central.

Miami (3-2) fell one game behind AFC East leader New England.

The Dolphins, who came into the game ranked last in the NFL in offense, squandered the best performance of the season by Dan Marino. He went 30 for 49 for 323 yards and two touchdowns to help Miami control the ball for 39 minutes.

“We thought they would throw the ball, and they certainly did,” Coughlin said. “They had one of the greatest passers in history throwing the ball, and he did an outstanding job.”

But Marino lost a fumble at the Jacksonville 38 when sacked by Tony Brackens with two minutes left. Brackens, who also recovered the fumble, was playing for the first time this season after returning from an ankle injury.

With the score tied and less than three minutes to go, Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson gambled by letting Olindo Mare try a 54-yard field goal, and the strategy backfired. Mare was wide right, and McCardell beat Terrell Buckley deep on the next play to break the tie.

“That’s a new play for us this week,” Brunell said. “You throw it up there and hope the timing is there. Fortunately the ball came down where it should.”

A crowd of 74,051, the largest in the Jaguars’ four-year history, watched the first meeting between Florida’s two AFC teams.