JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars' 20-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in a 2024 Week 17 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday

1. Big play late. The Jaguars led start to finish Sunday but needed a stop late. The Titans, trailing by the final margin, drove from their 31-yard line to the Jaguars 26 and faced fourth-and-10 with :14 remaining. Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph threw down the middle to wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who appeared open before second-year safety Antonio Johnson broke on the ball and knocked away the pass on the goal line. "Antonio Johnson made the play, and you win the game," Head Coach Doug Pederson said, with defensive end Travon Walker adding: "Anytime it comes down to the last play of the game, I'd rather for it to be in our hands. Not to say the offense can't do it, they truly can, but I'd rather for it to be in my hands than anybody else's hands, or the defense's hands." The Jaguars are 3-9 this season in games decided by seven points or less, with Pederson saying: "The plays we made today are the ones we weren't making in those close games. If it goes the other way maybe we win a few more of those close games and it's a different story."

2. Attack the middle. The Jaguars' game-long lead was in jeopardy early in the fourth quarter Sunday with the Titans having trimmed a 13-0 second-quarter Jaguars lead to 13-10. The Jaguars early in fourth quarter faced second-and-16 at the Jaguars 30-yard line when quarterback Mac Jones found second-year wide receiver Parker Washington wide open in the secondary for a 24-yard gain to the Titans 46-yard line. The Jaguars used 16 plays to drive 74 yards, with an 11-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. extending the lead to 20-10 with 7:05 remaining. "He made a great catch," Jones said of Thomas. "They brought a blitz coverage, and it was man to man, so I threw it to the back."

3. Dominant D. Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen turned in one of his better games of the season Sunday – a performance that included a key series at a big moment. With the Jaguars leading 13-10 late in the third quarter, the Titans drove to the Tennessee 39-yard line with momentum. Hines-Allen on first-and-10 from there tackled running back Tyjae Spears for a five-yard loss, then sacked Rudolph for a seven-yard loss. Hines-Allen and defensive end Arik Armstead tackled tight end Chig Okonkwo for a six-yard reception on third-and-22 to force a punt. The Jaguars drove for Thomas' touchdown on the ensuing series. "I hit that groove," Hines-Allen said. "I felt like I kind of knew what to expect on those plays."

4. Again, and again and again. The Jaguars pushed ahead throughout the first half – and if anything defined the half, it was the continued standout play of Thomas the Jaguars took a 13-3 halftime lead and Thomas – who already holds franchise rookie single-season records for receptions, yards and touchdowns – caught five passes for 71 yards in the half. He was key on all three Jaguars scoring drives, including a field-goal drive late in the first half on which he caught a 31-yard, over-the-shoulder reception for a first down at the Titans 38. Kicker Cam Little's 44-yard field goal gave the Jaguars a 13-0 lead with 2:02 remaining in the half. Thomas caught seven passes for 91 yards and a touchdown for the game.

5. Piiiiiiick! The Jaguars at long last broke their takeaway drought Sunday when Lloyd intercepted Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph early in the second quarter. With the Jaguars leading by a field goal, the Titans drove from their 7-yard line to their 42 before Rudolph threw in the middle of the field to running back Julius Chestnut. Jaguars rookie defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson tipped the pass and Lloyd intercepted at the Titans 43. Jones five plays later passed two yards to Washington, who got his feet down in the back of the end zone for a 10-0 Jaguars lead with 8:59 remaining. Lloyd's interception snapped a five-game streak without a takeaway for the Jaguars and marked their ninth takeaway of the season, the eighth on defense.

5a. Inching ahead. Sunday's game not unexpectedly started a bit slow, with the teams navigating a field soaked by pre-game rain. The Jaguars took a 3-0 lead when Little capped a 38-yard drive on the game's first possession with a 48-yard field goal with 10:46 remaining in the first quarter. Key play on the drive: An 11-yard pass from Jones to Thomas on the first play of the possession, giving the Jaguars a first down at their 43 and giving them the field position they turned into an early lead. "We did enough to get a W," Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. said. "That's all that matters at the end of the day. We came up with the W. That's what we're here for."