(Sept. 1) DALLAS—You'd hardly call it a tune-up. You might call it a rest-up.
The Jaguars put their second-team defense on the field for the start of Thursday night's preseason finale and the Dallas Cowboys' first-team offense marched down the field twice to hold a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Quarterback Drew Bledsoe capped a nine-play, 87-yard drive on the first possession of the game with a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terry Glenn, who had beaten rookie cornerback Scott Starks on a corner route. It completed a drive in which the Cowboys moved the ball on the ground and through the air. Cornerback Kenny Wright was the only first-team player on the field for the Jaguars.
The Jaguars' first-team offense didn't get the night off but hardly broke a sweat in a three-and-out possession the first time the Jaguars had the ball.
Dallas went 68 yards on 12 plays in its second possession, with the Cowboys running the ball at will against the left side of the Jaguars defense. Jose Cortez booted a 26-yard field goal with 2:01 to play in the quarter. At that point, Dallas had held the ball for 12 minutes and seven seconds, having gained eight first downs and 170 total yards.
Jacksonville didn't experience its first high moment until rookie Derrick Wimbush returned a short kickoff to the Cowboys' 47-yard line. Quarterback Byron Leftwich immediately followed that return with two big passes; the first to Ernest Wilford for 33 yards to the Cowboys 14-yard line. Leftwich then completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Williams with 1:15 to play in the quarter.
That score marked the Jaguars first-team offense's second touchdown of the preseason.
Ironically, the Jaguars scored a 31-0 win in last year's preseason finale, in New England, when Patriots coach Bill Belichick rested all of his starters.
