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Sunday, September 09, 2001

By Eddie Pells, The Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jimmy Smith looked healthy, Hardy Nickerson hardly showed his age and the Jacksonville Jaguars delivered an opening-day message: They might be better than everyone thinks.

	Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward fumbles in the first half. (Peter Diana, Post-Gazette) Steelers Photo Journal

Smith caught two of Mark Brunell's three touchdown passes, while Nickerson had an interception and forced a fumble Sunday to lift the Jaguars to an unexpectedly easy 21-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brunell threw for a modest 198 yards, but still outplayed Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart, who went 21-for-37 for 181 yards. Stewart was forced to play catch-up in a driving rainstorm after Pittsburgh fell behind by 18 at halftime.

Smashed by a pair of Steelers linemen, Brunell didn't see his first touchdown pass of the season, a 34-yarder to Smith.

Not to worry. It was like so many others the two have connected on in the past. Smith broke free from Dewayne Washington and Brunell led him perfectly down the sideline, the ball landing softly in the Pro Bowl receiver's hands as he crossed into the end zone.

They connected again for a 15-yard score. Smith finished with eight catches for 126 yards, and might have given his final answer to all those questions about whether he could return after a pair of tricky offseason abdominal operations.

The 36-year-old Nickerson also looked good-as-new, back after missing most of last season with a knee injury. He put a shoulder into Hines Ward to force a fumble that led to Jacksonville's third touchdown. Nickerson also made a fourth-down interception to stop a Pittsburgh scoring threat late in the first half.

In many respects, the Jaguars looked like the 1999 team that went 15-3, not last year's injury-ravaged 7-9 version. The Jaguars were largely written off during the preseason because of salary-cap issues that left them with their stars but virtually no depth.

Jacksonville's Fred Taylor rushed for 96 yards, Kevin Hardy had two sacks and a fumble recovery and Donovin Darius finished with an interception and a blocked punt.

The Steelers won here last year, and saw this opening-day trip to Jacksonville as the perfect opportunity to show their 9-7 record was no fluke.

But new offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey's scheme sputtered. Jerome Bettis gained just 28 yards on 12 carries. Amos Zereoue led the Steelers with 60 yards rushing.

The rain made for little offense in the second half, but a number of Football Follies moments in the kicking game.

The best came when Jaguars punt returner Damon Gibson fumbled, but teammate James Boyd picked it up on one hop and went another 46 yards to the Pittsburgh 4. The Jaguars stalled and Mike Hollis missed a 22-yard field goal.

Earlier, Jacksonville punter Chris Hanson mishandled a snap. A scramble ensued, not ending until Jacksonville's Marlon McCree had scooped up the ball and run in circles, tackled for a 37-yard loss. On the ensuing drive, Hardy recovered Stewart's fumbled snap on the Jacksonville 8.

Replacement officials had little impact on this game, calling three valid unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties and not much else.

See pregame stories at Steelers, and get complete game coverage in tomorrow's Post-Gazette, plus additional reports throughout the evening on post-gazette.com.