from staff
The Jacksonville Jaguars spotted the Dallas Cowboys a 10-0 first-quarter lead, rallied to tie the game 10-10 at the half and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to hold off the Cowboys 24-17 in front of a sellout crowd.
Notes from the game and around Alltel Stadium
• Fans actually left Alltel Stadium early Sunday afternoon when the Jacksonville Jaguars fell behind the Dallas Cowboys 10-0 in the first quarter and it started to rain. Too bad. “We had them and we let them get back in the game,” summed up the Cowboys’ well-publicized receiver, Terrell Owens. That meant that the Jaguars ran off 24 straight points to win 24-17.
• The go-ahead touchdown came when Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich ran three yards on a quarterback draw. “I’m the last guy they expect to run the ball,” said Leftwich.
• There were plenty of fans wearing Cowboys jerseys, but Leftwich said, “They can’t hit me. I worry about the uniforms that hit me.”
• The biggest boom in town Sunday came when four F-15 fighter jets from the Florida Air National Guard flew over Alltel Stadium as part of the pre-game ceremony. The low-flying jets created so much downforce that six car alarms went off in the West parking lot.
• Not at the game was recently-retired Jaguar Jimmy Smith. He was in Dallas, of all places. He was selling a condo there.
• Early morning rains flooded much of the stadium area but almost everything drained off before the game. Some flooding remained on Adams Street due to a clogged drain.
• Cowboys Hall of Famer Calvin Hill was at the game with his son, pro basketball player Grant Hill, who will be at UNF soon for preseason practice with the Orlando Magic. “It’s fun to come here,” said the younger Hill. “It’s a good place to work out.”
• The Cowboys draw plenty of media attention — there were nine Texas TV stations at the game. The Jags have three, at most, when they’re on the road.