Longwell long shot sets Vikings record

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. - Ryan Longwell set a Vikings record with his fourth field goal of 50-plus yards this season in the 30-12 victory over the Jaguars on Sunday.

Longwell's 54-yarder in the first quarter also was the longest field goal made in Jacksonville Municipal (formerly Alltel) Stadium, which opened in 1995. Longwell has two 53-yard field goals and two from 54 yards, and it's also a personal record for the 12-year veteran.

"It's exciting," he said. "I have a great snapper [Cullen Loeffler] and a great holder [Chris Kluwe]. The kicks from that range are a lot of about the snap and hold, and they're doing a great job."

Longwell, who said his leg feels "fresh and strong," went 3-for-3 on Sunday despite difficult conditions.

"It was a tough day," Longwell said. "The footing was iffy, and it was windy. They said [the field] was soft last week and just tore up so they filled it all in with sand. That just makes it more difficult. It was just whether you slipped or not."

Even though the Cover-2 defense the Vikings use often calls for zone coverage, the team usually plays a mix of zone and man-to-man. However, the Vikings played man coverage "all day," according to cornerback Antoine Winfield.

"That is the most man we've played all season," Winfield said. "We weren't really scared of their receivers. ... We really didn't feel like they could separate from us.

"They are big, tall guys. If you watch film on them, they rarely throw the ball down the field. So they were coming out there, running a lot of under routes, using their body position, catching some balls like that, but it wasn't really hurting us."

Jaguars quarterback David Garrard completed 27 of 45 passes for a career-high 317 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Nine of those completions went to running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Nickel back Benny Sapp and safety Madieu Williams had interceptions.

Kluwe was able to smile about a nasty hit he took from Gerald Sensabaugh on a punt in the first quarter. Kluwe didn't see Sensabaugh, who unloaded on him. Kluwe lay on the field for a few minutes before getting up and running to the sideline.

"His shoulder pad hit me right in the sternum, and I couldn't breathe for a couple of minutes," Kluwe said. "I thought they had set up a wall to the left, so I didn't think there was anyone on the right. Apparently, there was still one more guy over there."

The Vikings tweaked their special teams by using new returners for both punts and kickoffs. Bernard Berrian took over as the punt returner, while rookie Darius Reynaud was promoted from the practice squad and replaced Maurice Hicks as the kickoff returner.

Berrian had not returned a punt since 2006 when he played for the Chicago Bears. His only return Sunday proved to be adventurous. Jacksonville gunner Chad Nkang got so close to Berrian that the ball bounced off Nkang's back. The ball ricocheted off Berrian's chest, but it bounced up and Berrian returned it 19 yards.

Nkang was called for interference, but the Vikings declined the penalty.

"I actually wanted to try and sidestep him and let him tap my shoulder and still try and make a play on the ball," Berrian said. "The ball made a perfect bounce, and I was able to run with it."

Reynaud's promotion fills the roster spot of cornerback Charles Gordon, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a dislocated ankle against Green Bay.

Hicks, signed as a free agent during the offseason, was a healthy inactive for the first time. He declined comment.

Hicks averaged 22.3 yards on 26 returns, including 21.6 yards on five returns last week at Tampa Bay, where he had a costly fourth-quarter fumble.

Artis Hicks got his first start of the season at right tackle in place of struggling Ryan Cook, but Hicks did not last the entire game. He came out in the fourth quarter after he "tweaked his arm," according to coach Brad Childress. Childress said Hicks probably could have returned, but the decision was made to let Cook finish.

"I feel like I did some good things," Hicks said. "It took me a series or two to kind of get my rhythm a little bit. But once I did, I kind of calmed down and settled in a little bit."

The Jaguars dominated the time of possession in the first half (20 minutes, 21 seconds to 9:39) in part because they converted five of their first seven third-down opportunities. They converted on a third-and-13 and a third-and-10 in the first half.

"Obviously that's uncharacteristic for our defense," linebacker Ben Leber said. "We had them where we wanted them, third-and-long situations."

The Vikings did a better job in the second half. The Jaguars converted only one of their past seven third downs.

The Vikings offense was just the opposite on third down. They started 1-for-8 on third down but went 3-for-3 on their final touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

Yes, that was nose tackle Pat Williams lined up at defensive end late in the game. Williams said he asked defensive line coach Karl Dunbar to give him a few plays at that spot.

"I was just out there having fun," Williams said.

Williams got around right tackle Tony Pashos, but Garrard hurried and was intercepted by Madieu Williams.

"I told him he's going to be slow, but he looked pretty good going around there," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said of his sidekick.

Pashos had a miserable performance with four holding penalties.

"I heard one of the commentators say that [Pashos] is the leading tackler with all the holding he was doing," Kevin Williams said.

• Linebacker David Herron left the game in the first quarter when he injured a shoulder on a Jaguars kickoff. Linebacker Vinny Ciurciu (hand) and tight end Garrett Mills (ankle) were inactive.

• Jacksonville wide receiver Troy Williamson did not play because of a groin injury. The seventh overall pick by the Vikings in the 2005 draft, Williamson was traded during the offseason. He caused a stir by saying he wanted to fight Vikings coach Brad Childress at midfield. Asked jokingly if Williamson was inactive because of him, Childress said, "I think he was known to be inactive when he was beating his gums."

JUDD ZULGAD, CHIP SCOGGINS