Jenkins leads Falcons past Jaguars 23-7

8/25/2005, 11:23 p.m. ET
By MARK LONG
The Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Michael Jenkins showed he can be Atlanta's No. 1 receiver, even if it happens by default. Jenkins caught four passes for 35 yards and scored twice, helping the Falcons beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7 in a rain-drenched, penalty-filled preseason game Thursday night.

Fred Taylor ran four times for 18 yards in his preseason debut for the Jaguars (2-1) and showed signs of being able to recover from knee surgery.

But Atlanta looked primed for another run at the NFC championship game.

The Falcons (3-1) moved the ball with ease against Jacksonville's vaunted defense and scored on three of their first four possessions.

Warrick Dunn ran eight times for 65 yards, including a 42-yard scamper that set up a touchdown.

Michael Vick was 5-of-10 passing for 44 yards with a touchdown and did even more damage on the ground. He scrambled four times for 30 yards.

T.J. Duckett looked sharp, too, gaining 18 yards on four carries.

But the scoring was left to Jenkins and kicker Todd Peterson.

After Dunn's long run, Vick found Jenkins on a slant pattern for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Peterson then kicked two 40-yard field goals, making it 13-7.

Jenkins, a first-round draft pick in 2004 who caught just seven passes as a rookie, found the end zone again with 11 seconds remaining in the first half. He caught Matt Schaub's pass that was intended for tight end Alge Crumpler and tipped by a defender.

It was just a matter of being at the right place at the right time," Jenkins said.

Jenkins got plenty of work early, especially with Atlanta's injury woes at the receiver position.

Roddy White and Peerless Price sat out with injuries, and Dez White hurt his knee in the first half.

Roddy White, the team's first-round draft pick, has been sidelined with a high ankle sprain since the preseason opener.

Price, the team's former No. 1 receiver who was demoted this year and is in danger of being cut, sat out after sustaining a concussion last week against Tennessee.

Dez White, third on the team last season with 30 catches for 370 yards, hurt his knee and did not return. Team officials were unsure about the extent of the injury.

Peterson added a 38-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter for the final margin.

The Jaguars finished with 13 penalties for 179 yards and struggled again on offense.

Had it not been for rookie Matt Jones' one-handed grab on third-and-7 in the first quarter, the Jaguars might not have scored. The first-team offense didn't score a touchdown in either of its first two preseason games.

Jones snared Byron Leftwich's pass over the middle for a 48-yard gain, and LaBrandon Toefield scored four plays later from 4 yards out.

Aside from Jones' grab, Jacksonville had little go right on offense or defense.

Leftwich was 11-of-20 passing for 179 yards, 47 of which came on a desperation pass to end the first half. Ernest Wilford caught the ball at the 2-yard line as time expired.

Taylor was one of the few bright spots.

His first run in more than eight months provided a 13-yard gain for Jacksonville's offense and an even bigger boost for his confidence.

The oft-injured Taylor added two receptions for 8 yards.

"It felt good," said Taylor, who injured his left knee Dec. 19 against Green Bay and missed the final two games of last season. "It was a good start. It was a confidence builder. Physically, I felt OK and I didn't have any setbacks. It is a good sign, so far."