Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- For all the talk about Derrick Thomas' six sacks last week and Kansas City's blitz-crazy defense, the Jacksonville Jaguars dished out their own brand of punishment yesterday.It was the blunt end of their once-dormant running game.A Jacksonville team that lives and dies with the pass looked curiously like a smash-mouth running outfit in a 21-16 victory over the injury-ravaged Chiefs at Alltel Stadium.While quarterback Mark Brunell passed for the second-lowest yardage total of his career, the Jaguars were busting the Chiefs for 149 yards on 37 rushes.

Phil Savage withdrew his name from consideration for two personnel jobs in 2001 because neither was the right fit. Now, after interviewing for the Jacksonville Jaguars' vacant general manager/personnel position, the Ravens' director of college scouting feels that he is on the right path. "It's attractive for me because I can get on I-10 and be there in five hours," Savage said yesterday from his home in Mobile, Ala. "It would be a dream come true if it plays out right." Jacksonville also has interviewed Ravens pro personnel director James Harris, Buffalo Bills director of football operations Tom Modrak and the Jaguars' director of player personnel Rick Reiprish.

Contrary to popular opinion, Kurt Warner has not yet put the Arena League behind him. No, the quarterback of the St. Louis Rams brought it to the NFL with him this year -- in concept at least. Warner's latest Arena rendition -- 390 yards and five touchdown passes -- will carry the Rams to the franchise's first NFC championship game in 10 years next Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Scoring touchdowns in bunches, Sunday's Arena-like, 49-37 victory over the Minnesota Vikings was still more evidence of how speed and offense have come to rule the NFL postseason.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Byron Leftwich has been everything the Jacksonville Jaguars expected - good and bad - when they out-dueled the Ravens for his rights in last April's NFL draft. The Jaguars expected the big, strong-armed Leftwich to be everything he showed during a gaudy career at Marshall. They also expected him to struggle like any other rookie once they handed him the starting job, and that's exactly what Leftwich is doing as the 1-6 Jaguars prepare to face the Ravens tomorrow. Since taking over for the injured Mark Brunell four games ago, Leftwich has thrown nine interceptions - including three games with three interceptions each - and lost two fumbles.

Two days off for Ravens Despite losing their fourth straight game, the Ravens will have today and tomorrow off, a move that sits well with left guard Edwin Mulitalo. NFL coaches differ on whether to give players Mondays off, but few choose to do so after losses. Punishing the team, according to Mulitalo, would send the wrong message. "If we were college students, yeah, you bring them back and you run wind sprints," Mulitalo said. "As professionals, [we need] to clear our minds. "As for me, spend some time with the family.

BY THE END OF the game, Ravens defensive end Michael McCrary had only five tackles and one sack, but he had an enormous impact in the Ravens' 18-17 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday at PSINet Stadium. Ask Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell when he gets out of the cold tub this morning. Ask Jacksonville offensive tackle Todd Fordham once he gets through with shock therapy. Fordham had the unenviable task of having to block McCrary yesterday. It was a total mismatch. The only thing tighter than McCrary on Brunell was Brunell's skin.

Ravens director of college scouting Phil Savage will remain with the team after failing to reach an agreement to become the Jacksonville Jaguars' general manager. In a surprising reversal of what seemed to be a done deal, Savage left Jacksonville last night and drove to his home in Alabama after talks broke down with Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver earlier in the day. Savage and Weaver had a 45-minute meeting but could not agree on Savage's salary. Jacksonville reportedly is paying new coach Jack Del Rio, who received a strong recommendation from Savage, $1.3 million a season for the next five years, but does not want to pay that much for a general manager.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said yesterday that the team has had "a couple of small conversations" with Byron Leftwich's agent. The Ravens are believed to be one of seven teams that have had preliminary talks with Leftwich, a four-year starting quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars who was cut Saturday after the team decided to go with David Garrard. Like the other teams that have had conversations with Leftwich, the Ravens aren't expected to make a hard push for him, and they have yet to decide whether adding Leftwich would be a distraction for a team that has enjoyed a smooth preseason.

Deja vu struck a painful chord with Ravens cornerback Duane Starks. In a span of five minutes, he went stride-for-stride with a receiver, only to fall a yard short each time in surrendering two critical touchdown strikes. That was a replay from Sunday's 24-14 loss to the Browns in Cleveland. That was a harsh reminder from a year ago against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As old and new memories collide, Starks finds himself defending his ability to stop big plays. That old reputation dates back to the second game of last season, when Starks was victimized for two long touchdown passes to Jaguars receiver Jimmy Smith and was deemed the weak link by teams.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The focus will be on Dan Marino. But the pressure to spring the biggest upset of the NFL postseason will be on the Miami Dolphins' defense today when the AFC's No. 6 seed tackles the top-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars in a divisional playoff game at Alltel Stadium. If the 10-7 Dolphins have any chance to extend their season -- and Marino's quarterbacking career -- they will have to get a big game from their quicksilver defense. Given the injuries the 14-2 Jaguars are nursing and the favorable matchups Miami appears to have, that big game is not beyond reason.