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Give the edge to Hare McNair
By David Schoenfield
ESPN.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Steve McNair and Mark Brunell make their living with their arms, but they also create havoc for opposing defenses with their feet.
|  | | | Steve McNair put the Jaguars away with his 51-yard run in the fourth quarter. |
The ability of McNair and Brunell, two of the NFL's most mobile quarterbacks, to avoid pass rushers or scramble for extra yards played an important part in Sunday's AFC title game.
Of course, both also were battling injuries that affected their mobility. McNair had a case of turf toe that kept him out of Friday's practice. Brunell was wearing braces on both knees after getting injured in a Dec. 26 loss to the Titans.
Here's a detailed account of each QB's moves:
First quarter
After Jacksonville's Fred Taylor sprinted up the middle for 31 yards, the Jaguars had a first down at the Titans' 13. Brunell managed to dodge away from Jason Fisk and throw an incomplete pass. Two players later, Brunell hit Kyle Brady for a 7-yard touchdown pass for the game's first score.
Tennessee countered with a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive to tie the score, during which McNair had two crucial runs. On second-and-7 from the Jaguars' 26, McNair escaped the grasp of Tony Brackens and scrambled for eight yards and a first down. On second-and-5 from the 13, McNair spun away from a blitzing Bryce Paup and gained four yards. On the next play, he hit Yancey Thigpen in the right flat for the touchdown.
"He made plays with his legs like he's done all year," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.
On the final play of the quarter, McNair scrambled up the middle for 19 yards on third down. It gave the Titans a first down at midfield, but the drive ended three plays later when McNair was flushed right out of the pocket and tried to find Eddie George out of the backfield. Fernando Bryant fought off George to make the interception.
Second quarter
While Brunell and McNair are both expert at making a quick step to avoid the blitz, Brunell failed to see safety Blaine Bishop on a blind-side rush on a first-down play from the Titans' 39. Bishop caused a fumble, but the ball was snagged out of the air by tight end Damon Jones to keep the drive alive.
On third-and-3 from the 14, Brunell was flushed left and found Fred
Taylor in the flat for nine yards. The drive ended when Marcus Robertson intercepted Brunell in the end zone.
On Tennessee's next possession, McNair scrambled right on third down and threw an incomplete pass to Kevin Dyson. Tony Brackens delivered a helmet-to-the-gut blow that took the wind out of McNair, who nevertheless didn't miss a play.
In the final minute of the quarter, Brackens again found McNair, stripping the ball loose from behind on a McNair scramble. The Titans retained possession and kicked a field goal to make it 14-10.
Third quarter
In one of the game's key plays, McNair somehow avoided Kevin Hardy, slipped away from another defender and completed a pass to George for 15 yards. Brackens delivered a late hit for an additional 15 yards that moved the ball to the Jacksonville 35 . The Titans took a 17-14 lead when McNair scored on a plunge from the 1.
"It was a great play by Eddie," McNair said. "He stuck to his assignment, and I was able to get away from (Hardy) to throw him the pass."
Fourth quarter
Leading 26-14, the Titans faced a second down from the Jacksonville 42 when they ran a quarterback draw. McNair picked up 10 yards but was stripped by Lonnie Marts, and Brackens recovered at the 33. The Jaguars still had hope.
The icing on the cake. The straw that broke the camel's back. The key to the door of victory. After Donald Mitchell's interception, the Titans had the ball again. McNair dropped back to pass, but his receiver was double-covered on a post pattern. He stepped up in the pocket, juked Marts and sprinted 51 yards to the 1-yard line. He then pushed in for his second score of the game. Tennessee 33, Jacksonville 14.
McNair said the play was designed as a fake to George that would hopefully draw in the cornerback and the safety so he could find his receiver downfield. The defense didn't bite, and McNair instead pulled off his magic.
McNair finished with 91 yards rushing on nine carries and scored two touchdowns.
A bad case of turf toe? "You just go out and block it out," said McNair, who also had back surgery just four months ago.
And now you know why his coach loves his toughness.
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