Struggles continue for Jags' top offense

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- While Quincy Carter and the Dallas Cowboys enjoyed their final taste of preseason success, Mark Brunell and the Jacksonville Jaguars got another dose of futility and frustration.

	Brunell

With Brunell and his teammates sputtering, Carter led the Cowboys to 21 second-quarter points to set up a 28-25 preseason victory Thursday night.

Playing the first half, Carter ran for one score and threw for 136 yards, including a lucky deflection that resulted in a 35-yard completion to Jeremaine Copeland to set up the first touchdown.

Dallas (3-1) led 21-2 at halftime.

"We started kind of slow, and then came on,'' Carter said.

Cowboys coach Dave Campo said he liked seeing his team produce early.

"I'm very pleased with the win,'' Campo said. "I think that's something our guys are starting to get the feel for.''

Meanwhile, Brunell and his first-team offense closed out the preseason without a touchdown -- a stat that only begins to describe the scope of the ineptitude. In 17 drives Brunell has started over four games, the Jaguars (1-3) have produced one field goal and 16 punts.

Cowboys' Steele Injures Neck

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Markus Steele was taken off the field on a stretcher Thursday after straining his neck while making a tackle. Steele was moving his legs and team officials said he had feeling in all his extremities after the injury in the third quarter of Dallas' game against Jacksonville. He was taken off the field for precautionary X-rays. The injury came as Steele, a second-year player out of Southern Cal, tumbled over Jaguars running back Stacey Mack and his neck rolled awkwardly and appeared to jam into his left shoulder. -- The Associated Press

To put it in other terms, Jaguars defenders Wali Rainer and John Henderson have combined for one more point than the Brunell-led offense this preseason. Rainer sacked Carter in the end zone for a 2-0 lead early in the first quarter, and Henderson sacked Chad Hutchinson in the fourth for another safety.

Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin put the blame for this one on Brunell, not his slew of new receivers, playing in place of Keenan McCardell, who left for Tampa Bay, and holdout Jimmy Smith.

"The receivers were in position tonight to make some plays, but it just didn't happen,'' Coughlin said. "We're obviously at the end of the preseason, and some questions prevail. I believe somehow, some way, Mark's going to snap out of this and play with his normal confidence and fire.''

Coughlin ruled out making big changes in the offense "at this point in time.''

"But obviously, we've got to have some production where there is no production,'' Coughlin said. "Can it be a 180-degree turnaround? I don't know.''

The Jaguars open the regular season Sept. 8 against Indianapolis.

Brunell went 4-for-11 for 33 yards, and his preseason passer rating of 58.2 got even worse. He said Smith's holdout has had a negative effect.

"It's frustrating,'' Brunell said. "We're not supposed to talk about it, we don't talk about it, but everyone knows it's there.''

Jaguars backup running back Stacey Mack got going in the third quarter to make it close. He scored a 61-yard touchdown against the Dallas reserves, and had another 5-yard touchdown to pull the Jaguars to 21-16.

Mack finished with 100 yards on 12 carries, but it wasn't enough. Soon after Henderson's safety made it 21-18, the Jaguars turned the ball over and Dallas scored on a 7-yard pass from Hutchinson to Copeland.

The Jaguars scored a touchdown to pull within three with 1:57 left, but the Cowboys recovered an onside kick to end Jacksonville's chances.

With several starting positions and roster spots on the line, a few Cowboys stood out.

Antonio Bryant caught four passes for 41 yards and showed he could be a capable replacement for the injured Raghib Ismail. Rookie Woody Dantzler returned a punt 34 yards and a kickoff 57 yards; he also muffed one punt.

Ennis Haywood had a 36-yard run to set up Dallas' final touchdown. Kicker Billy Cundiff made field goals of 29 and 42 yards after having a 44-yard attempt partially blocked by Henderson.

Campo sounded most excited about Carter, who completed 11 of 22 passes and avoided big mistakes all preseason.

"I thought he handled himself pretty well,'' Campo said. "There are some things he can get better at. He's a young quarterback. Hopefully, we'll have an opportunity for him to grow during the season.''

On the Jacksonville side, defensive tackle Marcus Stroud made two big plays in the first quarter, but later left with an ankle injury. Henderson had three deflected passes to go with his safety and blocked kick.

Jacksonville's Fred Taylor rushed seven times for 7 yards, his poorest outing of the preseason.

Rookie backup David Garrard finished 15-for-25 for 167 yards. He lost the fumble that set up Dallas' last touchdown, and cost his team points when he ran out the clock late in the first half with no timeouts left and the Jaguars in field-goal range.

Hutchinson went 5-of-9 for 39 yards for the Cowboys.