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Scobee kicks second straight game-winner for Jaguars

Sep 29, 2008 - 2:07 AM JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Ticker) -- Kicking game-winning field goals is becoming routine for Josh Scobee.

He did it for the second time in as many weeks Sunday, converting a 37-yarder with 11:25 remaining in overtime that lifted the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 30-27 victory over the Houston Texans.

Last week, Scobee drilled a 51-yarder with four seconds remaining to give the Jaguars a 23-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

"Every kicker lives for this moment,"Scobee said. "Either you make a living doing it or you don't. This year, I've gotten two opportunities and made both of them. I've been very fortunate."

"He's become more than a power kickoff guy," Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio said. "He's become a complete kicker."

The back-to-back thrilling wins have allowed Jacksonville (2-2) to climb out of an 0-2 hole to start the season.

"We have to enjoy this one," said Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor, who was held to 25 yards on 10 carries. "We are going to enjoy this one, very similar to last week. If that is the pattern we are going to be known for this year, so be it. As long as they end in W's."

In a game in which neither team punted in the second half, the turning point may have come when the Jaguars won the coin toss to start overtime. The Texans (0-3) never saw the ball in the extra period.

"I just think we're finally coming together as an offense," Garrard said. "We just needed that confidence to be able to drop back and throw the ball deep down the field and just make plays."

Garrard drove the Jaguars 62 yards late in the fourth quarter for the go-ahead score, then marched the team 51 yards in overtime. Completions of 24 yards to Matt Jones and 22 yards to Greg Jones set up the winning field goal.

"Thank God we have a quarterback like Dave (Garrard) that can do it with his arms and legs," Taylor added.

The fourth quarter featured three lead changes. Jacksonville had taken a 27-24 lead on Garrard's 5-yard keeper with 1:48 remaining, but the Texans forced overtime on Kris Brown's 47-yard field goal with one second remaining.

"That's the way the league works," Brown said. "We just really came up one play short today. We like the fight. But it all boils down to making plays."

Matt Schaub threw a career-high three touchdown passes for Houston. He twice hooked up with Kevin Walter for touchdowns in the second half, including an 8-yard strike that put the Texans ahead, 24-20, with seven minutes remaining.

"Guys were getting open for us and beating man coverage," Schaub said. "They were giving a little help to Andre (Johnson)."

The Jaguars responded with a 13-play, 62-yard march that took more than five minutes off the clock. Garrard carried on the final three plays, keeping alive Jacksonville's hopes by scrambling for nine yards on a 4th-and-8 at the 18 just before the two-minute warning. He then ran for four yards on the next snap and scored on second down.

"It turned into an offensive battle," Del Rio added. "It's huge for David Garrard to lead us for the second week in a row,"

Garrard finished as the Jaguars' leading rusher with 41 yards on seven carries.

"He was just going up the middle," Texans defensive end Mario Williams said. "He was able to see some holes and some gaps, using his legs to make yardage."

Garrard completed 23-of-32 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. His 16-yard TD pass to Matt Jones gave the Jaguars a 17-10 lead four minutes into the second half.

The Texans tied it on Schaub's 5-yard TD pass to Walter with five minutes left in the third quarter before Scobee kicked a 40-yard field goal 1:20 into the final period to give the Jaguars a 20-17 lead.

Schaub completed 29-of-40 passes for 307 yards.

The Jaguars caught the Texans napping early, as Montell Owens rambled 41 yards for a touchdown midway through the first quarter off a fake punt to open the scoring.

The Texans settled down, however, and grabbed a 10-7 lead on Schaub's 30-yard TD pass to rookie Steve Slaton before Scobee converted a 46-yarder with 19 seconds left in the first half to forge a 10-10 tie at the intermission.