Friday's notebook

Jaguars at Eagles by the numbers

89    pass attempts
65    total points scored
20    penalties
7     field goals
6     touchdowns
2     touchdowns scored off fumbles
1     safety

Final play lasts 42 seconds; 15 people touch ball

Trailing by one point with 10 seconds remaining, the Jaguars offense started their final drive from their own 23-yard line.  Following an incomplete pass on the first play, quarterback Paul Smith hit rookie wideout Todd Peterson for a 19-yard reception as time expired. That is when things got wacky, with 13 laterals that saw every position on offense touch the ball. Here is the play-by-play:

Peterson to Jarett Dillard to Josh Vaughan to Peterson to Smith to Tiquan Underwood to Tyler Lorenzen to Underwood to Dillard to Smith to Underwood to Cameron Stephenson to Peterson to Lorenzen.  After 42 seconds, Lorenzen was finally tackled at the Jaguars 42-yard line for a 19-yard gain on the play.

Scooping and scoring

Fourth-year linebacker Brian Iwuh was just doing what he was taught in the second quarter when Donovan McNabb's backward pass fell to the ground.  Iwuh's instincts took over and he scooped up the ball and raced 92 yards for a touchdown.

"That is an awareness play that we are always practicing and we always practice scooping and scoring and not just scooping it up," Iwuh said.

His teammates were impressed.

"That is great awareness by Brian Iwuh," cornerback Rashean Mathis said. "We talked about scooping and scoring all during training camp. That lets you know that you never know when the play is dead."

Jaguars defensive coordinator Mel Tucker has preached the importance of turnovers throughout the preseason.  It is a message that the players are hearing.

"Scooping the ball is a skill," defensive end Reggie Hayward said. "It's not something that comes natural. We work on that in practice and it was great to see Brian Iwuh scoop that thing up and take it to the house. Those are the types of miscellaneous points that we need. It's nice to see that we can score on defense. That's something that we were lacking last year so we'll keep that up."

Jones-Drew up to his old tricks

Maurice Jones-Drew entered Thursday's game with only two carries for six yards and four receptions for 21 yards in limited action during the preseason. Jones-Drew gained 12 yards on five carries but the former second-round pick never fails to create excitement.

Jones-Drew took a screen pass from quarterback David Garrard late in the first quarter and darted 45 yards through the Eagles defense to set up the Jaguars' first score of the game.

"It felt great to get out in the open field," Jones-Drew said. "We should have scored but I messed up a little bit.  I didn't want to get a holding call.  Guys were down the field doing a great job blocking."

Jones-Drew says he has talked to the coaching staff about his workload during the preseason and everything is fine.

"We're just working," Jones-Drew said. "As long as we are improving as an offense each week then I don't care about the carries."

10 players not dressed; Jennings and Cox dress but sit out

The Jaguars had 10 players not dressed for the game: Wide receivers Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas, defensive back Don Carey, fullbacks Montell Owens and Brock Bolen, linebackers Clint Ingram, Daryl Smith and Justin Durant, tight end Zach Miller and defensive tackle Rob Meier.  Rookies Derek Cox (cornerback), Rashad Jennings (running back) and Maurice Dupree (wide receiver) dressed but did not play.

Stats don't reflect pass rush

The Jaguars have recorded only two sacks in the preseason through three games but the players don't see reason to panic.  Although they didn't record one on Thursday at Philadelphia, it could have been their best game of the preseason rushing the quarterback. 

The Jaguars were around the Eagles quarterbacks throughout the game and had nine passes defensed including two by defensive tackle Derek Landri.  Defensive end Reggie Hayward and cornerback Tyron Brackenridge were close to sacks and Landri had a sack nullified because of a penalty.

"We put a lot of pressure on the quarterback," Hayward said. "We didn't get the sacks but we did cause two interceptions.  That's what the DB's do for us.  Getting in his face, getting him off his square and messing up his timing is what we do.  The sacks are going to come. Donovan (McNabb) is a quick quarterback so he made some plays with his feet but we made some plays in our secondary."

Hayward says the turnovers lead to good field position for the offense which equals more points.

"If you get turnovers and put your offense in a good position to score then you are going to win games," Hayward said. "We talk about that every single week, winning the turnover battle."

Alexander gets second life

Safety Gerald Alexander is happy just to be playing again. Alexander started all 16 games as a rookie with Detroit in 2007 and then missed the majority of the 2008 season with a fractured vertebra.

The former second-round pick is fighting for a role on the Jaguars defense in the preseason and he helped his cause on Thursday.  Alexander intercepted Donovan McNabb early in the third quarter and returned it 40 yards to set up a Jaguars touchdown.

"That was a play that the coaches and I used to talk about," Alexander said. "I just did exactly what the coaches have us do and they put us in good position to make plays and I was able to take advantage of the opportunity."

Alexander says the neck injury "is like it never happened." After being traded to the Jaguars on June 29, he is no longer learning the defense after going through a full training camp. He could play a vital role on the club's special teams unit, something he has no problem with.

"Absolutely," Alexander said. "I've always played a lot of special teams. I am very receptive to doing that. Whatever my role is on this team I'm going to execute to the best of my ability."

Starting linebackers don't make trip

The Jaguars had some different faces at linebacker on Thursday as the starting trio of Clint Ingram, Daryl Smith and Justin Durant did not make the trip. 

"Each of them did some good things and obviously our other three guys are back in Jacksonville on the mend right now," head coach Jack Del Rio said. "We should get them back for next week but it was a good opportunity to evaluate those guys and decide who stays. There will be great tape to evaluate. That's one of the good things that we got out of having a difficult crunch of three games in eleven days. It really will allow us to do some great evaluation and gain some valuable insight into the type of guys that we are selecting from, so I think it can be a positive from that." 

Remember the name

Cornerback Tyron Brackenridge has seven tackles on defense and two tackles on special teams in two preseason games, but don't be misled by the stats.  The second-year pro out of Washington State is making an impact when he's on the field.

Brackenridge has a knack for making plays in his limited NFL action. He was signed as a rookie free agent by Kansas City in 2007 and played in 13 games.  He returned a fumble for a 50-yard touchdown at San Diego that season and forced a fumble on Houston Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Following training camp in 2008, Brackenridge was waived and re-signed by the Chiefs for one game. In his only action, he finished with four tackles, one forced fumble and two special teams tackles against Tampa Bay.

"I try to do all I can and be around the ball," Brackenridge said. "Even if the ball is going to the other side, sometimes the ball might pop up.  That trait has been with me since high school."

After signing with the Jets in February, he was claimed off waivers by the Jaguars in May.  He is willing to play any role for the Jaguars, literally.

"If I have to wipe sweat off of my guy's backs I can do that." Brackenridge said. "Obviously they see something in me so I am going to take this opportunity and run with it."

Brackenridge has impressed his defensive-minded head coach.

"(Tyron) Brackenridge has had a nice camp for us," Del Rio said. "He has been a nice addition to our football team. He has done a good job not only on special teams but he's done a good job learning the nickel, playing some corner, and I like his temperament. He has had a nice showing from the time that he's been in Jacksonville."

Making it count

The Jaguars had three trips into the red zone in Philadelphia and came away with points each time.  Nate Hughes was hit hard on a reception at the one-yard line in the second quarter and fumbled but the ball, which was recovered by Torry Holt for a touchdown.  The Jaguars settled for a 21-yard field goal by Josh Scobee early in the third quarter, and rookie wide receiver Jarett Dillard had a 13-yard touchdown reception from Todd Bouman later in the third.

The Eagles scored all 33 points in their eight trips into the red zone, finishing with three touchdowns and four field goals.  Brian Iwuh had a 92-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the second quarter with the Eagles at the one-yard line.

Homecoming for several Jaguars

It felt like old times for rookie Terrance Knighton when he started at defensive tackle for the Jaguars on Thursday night.  Knighton played collegiately at Temple and the Owls use Lincoln Financial Field as their home stadium.

First round pick Eugene Monroe had more than 25 friends and family members in attendance.  Monroe was a first-team All-America selection at Plainfield High School in New Jersey, about a 90-minute drive north from Philadelphia.

"Jersey was definitely in the house," Monroe said.

Scobee in regular season form

Josh Scobee is the only kicker on the club's preseason roster and he has handled the workload with ease.  Scobee has been successful on all seven field goal attempts including four from 40-plus yards.  He connected on two 49-yard field goals on Thursday.  In addition, he has reached the end zone with seven of his 16 kickoffs with three touchbacks.

2008 draft class represented well

All five members of the Jaguars 2008 draft class played on Thursday but one of the five was on the opposing team. Eagles cornerback Trae Williams was one of the Jaguars' two fifth round picks in the draft last year.

Extra points

Steve Weatherford had two of his three punts downed inside the 20 . Maurice Jones-Drew had seven touches for 70 yards . Six players had at least two receptions . The Jaguars had two plays of 20-plus yards: Jones-Drew's 45-yard reception and a 28-yard reception by tight end Marcedes Lewis . David Garrard left the game for three plays in the first quarter after suffering a neck burner but returned to play the remainder of the half.

Did you know?

The Jaguars are 10-4 in their final preseason game with wins in five of the last six finales.

The last word

"We needed this game because the first two games were kind of up and down for us. We knew we had a great camp coming in so this is a game where we're doing pretty much what we did all during training camp; that is playing fast and making tackles." 
     -- Cornerback Rashean Mathis on the defense against the Eagles