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JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Ticker) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars used national television exposure to show why they are the NFL's prime-time players. Backup James Stewart ran for a career-high 145 yards and Mark Brunell recorded his third straight 300-yard passing game as the Jaguars improved to 11-1 with a 20-6 triumph over the lifeless Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jaguars' defense continued its assault on the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a season. Jacksonville has surrendered only 131 in 12 games and is within striking distance of the 1986 Chicago Bears, who yielded only 187 points. "The last few weeks everybody has been questioning us if we were for real," Jacksonville cornerback Fernando Bryant said. "So we challenged ourselves. Teams are going to put up yards and they are going to put points up; our goal is to go out there and win the game." Riding a franchise-best nine-game winning streak, the Jaguars can clinch a playoff berth on Sunday with losses by Kansas City and New England. "We just finished this part of the season we called 'The Grind,'" Jacksonville coach Tom Coughlin said. "We were 6-0 during 'The Grind' and now we get into the final stretch, and it is time for us to eliminate those type of things that keep us from being a complete football team." "Tonight we were able to show the whole country what kind of team we can be," Brunell added. "It was a good night for us. I was pleased with all three phases of our team." Brunell completed 25-of-37 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown. Jimmy Smith hauled in 10 receptions for 124 yards and a score while Keenan McCardell had five catches for 113 yards. "It's clicking right now," Brunell said. "Our production is not just the quarterback. We have guys who are making big plays. Jimmy and Keenan were fabulous tonight. The protection was there and we were able to run the football. We did all the things we need to do to be effective." A change in starting quarterbacks did little to spark the Steelers (5-7), who managed only 15 first downs and 235 yards of offense. Mike Tomczak, starting in place of Kordell Stewart, was 19-of-39 for 194 yards and was sacked three times. "You have to give these guys some credit, they are a good football team, obviously, and their record indicates that," Tomczak said. "This isn't all about Mike Tomczak," said Steelers coach Bill Cowher. "It's about everyone. It is a football team, we've got four games to go and we've got to find ways to win football games. I keep saying that, but it is the truth. It's where we are at. That is the only thing we have to focus on." James Stewart, filling in for injured star Fred Taylor, opened the contest with a 12-yard run but the Jaguars were forced to punt and Tomczak led the Steelers to points on their first possession. Pittsburgh stalled at the Jacksonville 17 and rookie Kris Brown kicked a 40-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Although the Jaguars owned nearly 2-to-1 edge in time of possession, the lead remained 3-0 until the two-minute warning. That's when Jacksonville's Mike Hollis capped a 10-play, 83-yard drive with a 25-yard field goal. The drive was aided by a 30-yard pass interference call on cornerback Deshea Townsend that put the ball on the Pittsburgh 27. The Jaguars took a 6-3 lead when Hollis converted a 32-yard attempt on the final play of the half. Brunell found tight end Damon Jones for 24 yards on 3rd-and-10 and McCardell for eight on 3rd-and-8 just before the go-ahead kick. Pittsburgh drew even early in the second half when they pinned the Jaguars deep in their own territory. After a short punt, the Steelers took over at the Jacksonville 39. Tomczak found tight end Mark Bruener for completions of 18 and six yards, setting up a 38-yard field goal by Brown with 9:42 left in the quarter. The Jaguars took control on the ensuing possession as Brunell engineered an eight-play, 86-yard drive. He found Reggie Barlow for 13 yards on the first play and Stewart broke off tackle for 40 yards on the next snap. Stewart plowed off left tackle for seven more on 4th-and-1 and, two plays later, Brunell found Smith in the end zone with a 27-yard strike. Jacksonville pushed its lead to 20-6 with just over eight minutes left in the final period. Brunell found McCardell for 49 yards and Smith twice on third-down plays. Stewart capped the drive by going in from one yard. Any chance the Steelers had to rally were erased when Tomczak was sacked deep in Jacksonville territory and followed with three straight incompletions. Pittsburgh did convert a third-down opportunity until 69 seconds left in the contest. Defensive end Tony Brackens recorded his 10th sack of the season and with 27 1/2 in his career passed Joel Smeenge on the Jaguars' all-time list. "It really hasn't hit me yet," Brackens said of the record. "I have a few more games to play, so I am going to keep on playing. I was looking at the big picture and really wasn't looking at my goals. "They got some big plays here and there but we kept them out of the end zone, and that is the biggest stat of all," Coughlin added. "Our defense kept getting more physical and more aggressive, and I was glad to see the return of that."
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