Recap: Detroit vs. Jacksonville
Sports Network | November 09, 2008
Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Maurice Jones-Drew ran for three touchdowns as the Jacksonville Jaguars crushed the winless Detroit Lions, 38-14, at Ford Field.
Jones-Drew finished the game with 70 yards on 11 carries while David Garrard went 18-for-27 for 238 yards and two scores for the Jaguars (4-5), who stopped a two-game slide. Fred Taylor had 80 yards on 18 carries.
Daunte Culpepper, who was signed on Tuesday, started the game in place of the injured Dan Orlovsky, but was ineffective as he went just 5-for-10 with 104 yards and an interception for the winless Lions (0-9), who have dropped their past 10 games and remain the only team in the NFL without a win. Drew Stanton made his debut in the NFL and went 6-for-8 with 94 yards and a touchdown.
Culpepper was picked off by Rashean Mathis on his second pass attempt of the game and it helped set up a 34-yard field goal by Josh Scobee to give the Jaguars a 3-0 lead just 2:23 into the game.
After an exchange of punts, the Lions took the lead. On 3rd-and-14, the team moved the chains when Culpepper found Calvin Johnson deep for a 51-yard play. On the next snap, Culpepper's short pass to Kevin Smith turned into a 27-yard gain. Facing a 2nd-and-goal at the one-yard line, Stanton, who temporarily took over under center, found John Owens in the end zone for a 7-3 lead with 3:33 left in the first.
Jacksonville, though, answered on its ensuing drive. An eight-play, 80-yard march that bridged the first and second quarters was capped when Jones-Drew ran into the end zone untouched from six yards out for a 10-7 lead just 45 seconds into the second.
After holding the Lions to a three-and-out, the Jaguars extended their lead. A nine-play drive that covered 71 yards was finished on a one-yard push up the middle by Jones-Drew for a 17-7 lead with 8:03 left in the first half.
Jason Hanson lined up for a 33-yard field goal later in the second, but his kick was blocked and returned 34 yards to set up the next drive near midfield.
Seven plays later, Jones-Drew scored his third touchdown of the game on an eight-yard run to give Jacksonville a 24-7 lead heading into the locker room.
The Jaguars started the second half with the ball and ate up over nine minutes of the clock with a 15-play drive that was finished on a seven-yard pass from Garrard to Jerry Porter to make it a 31-7 game with 5:40 left in the third.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jacksonville took a 31-point lead as Garrard found Troy Williamson on a 10-yard score.
Stanton took over under center and guided Detroit on a successful drive. The big play of the possession was a 41-yard catch by Johnson that brought the ball to the Jacksonville 34. Several plays later, Smith punched the ball in from a yard out to make it a 38-14 game with a bit over six minutes to play.
The Lions have not scored on the opening drive of any game this season, the only team in the NFL to have that dubious statistic...Jacksonville hosts Tennessee next Sunday...The Lions play in Carolina next Sunday...Garrard is 7-0 as a starter against the NFC...Smith finished the game with 96 yards on 23 carries...It is the third 0-9 start in Lions history...Jacksonville wide receiver Matt Jones left the game in the third quarter with a thigh contusion while Detroit defensive end Dewayne White suffered a calf injury in the first quarter and did not return...Jacksonville linebacker Mike Peterson was inactive for the game. He returned to the team on Friday after being sent home earlier in the week by head coach Jack Del Rio. It was reported that Del Rio was upset with Peterson after he celebrated a sack in the third quarter of this past Sunday's game against Cincinnati with the Jags trailing 21-3...The Jaguars have won three straight against the Lions.
