JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars' biggest menace was supposed to be Hurricane Gordon, not the Cincinnati Bengals.
Neither was much of a factor Sunday.
The Jaguars got their first shutout in franchise history, a 13-0 victory over the Bengals behind a 21-yard touchdown pass from Mark Brunell that initially was ruled incomplete, and a dominant performance from defensive tackle Gary Walker.
The Jaguars (2-1), who averaged 409.5 yards in their first two games, had only 241 yards and got 10 points in a span of 1 minute, 47 seconds midway through the first quarter. Then, they turned the game over to their defense in a sloppy, lifeless game.
Brunell celebrated his 30th birthday by going 20-of-32 for 176 yards. He was sacked four times. Without running back Fred Taylor for the third straight game, the Jaguars managed only 85 yards rushing - 26 by Brunell and 20 on a reverse by R. Jay Soward, their longest play from scrimmage.
Against Cincinnati (0-2), that didn't matter. The Bengals crossed midfield just four times and never got
farther than the 27. Akili Smith accounted for a couple of nice gains to Peter Warrick, but he was intercepted twice and finished 18-of-40 for 167 yards and two interceptions.
Walker disrupted play in the middle with five tackles and two sacks. Neil Racker missed two field goals on the rare occasion that the Bengals did threaten to score.
Because of the threat of heavy rain from Hurricane Gordon - or maybe because it was the Bengals - the 45,653 for the Jaguars' first home game of the season was the smallest crowd in their six-year history.
Those who didn't show didn't miss much. Neither team played inspired in a game that featured more mistakes than big plays, and not much rain.
The Bengals didn't get a first down until 12:51 left in the second quarter. The Jaguars squandered a couple of scoring chances on a missed 33-yard field goal by Steve Lindsey and Brunell's lone interception at the 10, which was tipped at the line and caught by Steve Foley.
Bengals cornerback Tim Carter was called for holding on a third-and-13 pass that had no chance. Four plays later, in one of the few bright spots on a gray, drizzling day, Brunell threw a perfect pass across the field to the front left corner of the end zone that McCardell extended to catch.
It was ruled out of bounds, the Jaguars challenged and the call was overturned for a touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tremain Mack fumbled and Kiwaukee Thomas recovered at the 17. That set up a 30-yard field by Lindsey, the kickoff specialist filling because Mike Hollis injured his back. It was Lindsey's first field-goal attempt since his senior year at Ole Miss in 1997.
The Bengals' deepest drive was the 27 early in the second quarter, but Smith was stuffed on a quarterback draw and Rackers missed a 44-yard field goal. Later in the half, Smith completed four straight passes to the 30. Donovan Darius broke up two passes, and Racker's 47-yard field-goal try hit the left upright.
The Bengals got into Jaguars' territory early in the fourth quarter - all the way to the 48 - but were called for a false start and then Walker sacked Smith.
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