Broncos

DENVER (AP) ― Rarely has David Garrard looked so sharp, decked out in a gray pinstriped suit, shark-gray shirt, paisley tie and a fedora.

And he looked every bit as good on the field, too, leading the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 24-17 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

"Just something I put together, something I threw on," Garrard remarked of his fancy threads.

Garrard was patient and precise in directing the Jaguars offense, completing 74 percent of his passes while throwing for 276 yards and one touchdown.

"This game today looked exactly like Jaguar football," Garrard said.

That it did as the Jaguars returned to their running roots with Maurice Jones-Drew leading the way, rushing for 125 yards on 22 carries, the second-most attempts in his career.

Jones-Drew was filling in for Fred Taylor, who was dinged up in the first quarter on a collision with Nate Webster, but the team didn't miss a step as he scored two touchdowns, including a 46-yard scamper in the third quarter.

"We've been trying to be an aggressive offense," Jones-Drew said. "We have playmakers."

Garrard looks at his role as keeping those playmakers pleased. He spread the ball around Sunday, taking whatever the Denver defense gave him.

"The ball needs to get into everybody else's hands," Garrard said. "If I get the ball out of my hands and into their hands, they can make something pop."

The Jaguars (3-3) were quite content with his work, too.

"When things kind of got out of whack and no one was open, he scrambled, found guys open, made his reads right," Jones-Drew said.

Even when the Broncos (4-2) had Garrard in their sights, they couldn't bring the 245-pound signal caller down. Broncos defensive lineman Kenny Peterson was lamenting a sack that got away after getting Garrard in his grasp, only to watch him escape.

"I wish I could have that play back. But you can't," Peterson said.

The Broncos defense wasn't caught off guard by the Jaguars using a steady dose of Jones-Drew on a cold, soggy Sunday. They're not surprised by anything opposing teams do these days.

"We haven't done well against the pass all year," Champ Bailey said. "We haven't done well against the run all year."

A little frustrated with the defense?

"I'm just frustrated with the loss," Bailey said.

The Broncos were disgruntled by some of the officiating calls as well. Although they've benefited from their share of friendly calls -- like Ed Hochuli's blown call in a 39-38 win over San Diego -- Dre' Bly thinks the tables may be turning.

"I guess they've been evaluating us and say we won games we shouldn't have won. So, I guess they're going to get a call against us," Bly said.

Bly was called for illegal contact in the third quarter, even though he was tossed to the ground by wide receiver Reggie Williams. The play turned a potential fourth-and-13 into an automatic first down. The Jaguars went on to score when Marcedes Lewis hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass, giving them a 24-10 lead.

Daniel Graham's 11-yard touchdown catch with 9 minutes remaining cut the lead to 24-17, but the Broncos went three-and-out on their next possession and Jacksonville ran out the final 5:46 -- with a little more assistance.

Field judge Scott Edwards threw a flag on Marlon McCree for pass interference after he hit tight end Greg Estandia as the ball sailed just out of Estandia's reach. The play gave Jacksonville a first down at the Denver 32 in the closing minutes.

"Just watching the replays, it's kind of hard not to say anything without getting fined," Bailey said. "I'm not going to say too much about it. ... That's just the way it goes."

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio ducked questions about the contestable calls, pleading amnesia.

"I can't recall anything," Del Rio joked.

Nor does he want to.

"Another big win for us up here," Del Rio said. "It was resolve -- find a way to get a win. We were able to do that. ... It took a complete team effort."

Notes:@ Broncos RB Michael Pittman rushed for 109 yards on 20 carries filling in for Selvin Young (groin). ... Broncos WR Brandon Stokley went out with a concussion shortly after his 11-yard touchdown catch on Denver's opening drive. ... Former Broncos DE Reggie Hayward caused a fumble that set up Josh Scobee's 48-yard field goal.


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(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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