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Backups Play Key Roles For Jaguars

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A Tribune wire report

Published: January 7, 2008

JACKSONVILLE - Jaguars defensive tackle Derek Landri got home around 5 a.m. Sunday and couldn't sleep.

He didn't want to, either.

"I didn't want the day to end," Landri said.

Landri eventually crashed for a few hours, but was on the golf course later in the day, hitting balls with teammate Maurice Jones-Drew.

The two backups played key roles in Jacksonville's thrilling, 31-29 victory at Pittsburgh in an AFC wild-card game Saturday night.

Landri, filling in for two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson, had his first interception, first sack and first fumble recovery.

Jones-Drew had a 96-yard kickoff return to set up a touchdown, a 43-yard TD reception and a 10-yard scoring run.

They weren't the only stars.
David Garrard rebounded from his two interceptions with a 32-yard run on a fourth-and-2 play to set up Josh Scobee's 25-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining. Rashean Mathis had two interceptions, including one returned 63 yards for a score.

It marked Coach Jack Del Rio's first playoff victory and the team's first postseason road win since January 1997.

The Jaguars will play at unbeaten New England on Saturday night.

Pittsburgh went ahead 29-28 with 6:21 remaining. Thanks to two failed 2-point conversions and Pittsburgh's strange decision to run quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on a third-and-6 play with about 3 minutes to play, the Jaguars got a shot to win.

The Steelers were trailing 21-7 and driving near the end of the first half. On second-and-4 at the Jacksonville 21, Landri read a screen, dropped off the line of scrimmage and stepped in front of Roethlisberger's short pass.

After Jacksonville went ahead 31-29, the Steelers had one final shot with 37 seconds left. But Bobby McCray sacked Roethlisberger and caused a fumble that Landri recovered.

Jones-Drew made his plays early. After Pittsburgh opened the game with a touchdown, Jones-Drew took the ensuing kickoff, eluded two tacklers and weaved his way to the 1-yard line. Running back Fred Taylor evened the score on the next play.

In the second quarter, Jones-Drew caught a pass in stride and then juked Tyrone Carter near the goal line to make it 21-7.

RAVENS: Rex Ryan made his bid to become Baltimore's third head coach, interviewing for several hours with the team's search committee.

The popular defensive coordinator was the fourth candidate to meet with the Ravens.

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