Somehow, some way the Jacksonville Jaguars are back in business. After a rough start in Week 14, the Jaguars scored 29 straight points against the Tennessee Titans to pull away and beat their divisional rival, 36-22.
With the win, the 5-8 Jaguars are now two games behind the 7-6 Titans and have a chance to finish the season sweep with a home game in Week 18.
That doesn’t leave much margin of error for Jacksonville, but the win Sunday leaves the door in the AFC South ajar.
Here’s how the Jaguars’ consequential Week 14 win went down:
Jaguars MVP of the game: QB Trevor Lawrence
Jacksonville’s defense couldn’t stop the Titans at all early in the game, and Travis Etienne Jr. never found running room against the Tennessee front. Lawrence erased those issues with a fantastic day in Nashville.
He finished with a career-high 368 passing yards, threw three touchdowns, and ran in one on his own that was complete with a nifty stiff-arm.
That one’s for @jamalagnew 😉@Trevorlawrencee #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/X6QK5NkAJc
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 11, 2022
Titans MVP of the game: RB Derrick Henry
Henry had a big day against the Jaguars. What else is new? He broke free for a 50-yard gain early in the game, scored a first quarter touchdown, and cruised past 100 yards on the day before halftime.
Fortunately for the Jaguars, their late second quarter momentum that carried into a dominant third quarter put the Titans in a huge hole and Henry became a non-factor late.
It helped too that Henry was credited with two fumbles on the day. Still, he finished with 156 yards from scrimmage on the day.
Jaguars play of the game: Trevor Lawrence’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Zay Jones.
.@zayjones11 R U KIDDING #ProBowlVote #JAXvsTEN on CBS/NFL+ pic.twitter.com/Cal96890IV
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 11, 2022
On a day that Lawrence was throwing dimes all over the field, his touchdown pass to Jones was maybe his worst throw of the day. Facing a 14-13 deficit before halftime, the pass easily could’ve intercepted.
Instead, it was deflected and Jones managed to pull off a tight-wire act on the sideline to give the Jaguars a 20-14 lead.
Momentum swung in a major way in that moment, and the Jaguars put the pedal to the floor in the third quarter.
It was over when Lawrence found Evan Engram for his second touchdown grab of the day.
The throw… the catch… @eazyengram @Trevorlawrencee#ProBowlVote #JAXvsTEN on CBS/NFL+ pic.twitter.com/8BHtMIVOxH
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 11, 2022
The Jaguars opened the second half with a lengthy touchdown drive, pushed the Titans back into a fourth-and-30 situation on the next drive, and then poured it on with a 21-yard touchdown for Engram.
While Jacksonville couldn’t convert a two-point conversion to make it a 21-point lead, 19 was all it needed to bury the Titans, who showed a little life late, but not nearly enough.
Stat that says it all: Jaguars +4 in the turnover margin
The Titans had the opportunity to score a lot of points early in the game, but they let the Jaguars stay in it. Travon Walker set up an early touchdown with a strip sack, then Tennessee wasted two trips into Jaguars territory with a Ryan Tannehill interception and a Derrick Henry fumble.
The final turnover of the day came when the Titans attempted a trick play of sorts with Tannehill pretending the ball was snapped over his head. Instead the ball was snapped straight at Henry’s feet and recovered by the Jaguars.
Up next: The 5-8 Jaguars will host the 10-3 Dallas Cowboys, who scored a game-winning touchdown in the final minute of regulation to beat the hapless Texans.
