Game Report, 2024 Week 14: Jaguars 10, Titans 6

Dec 08, 2024 at 04:04 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – This was a good kind of grind.

And if it wasn't exactly a pretty grind, it was a successful – and very much needed – one for the Jaguars.

Second-year running back Tank Bigsby rushed for a fourth-quarter touchdown to give the Jaguars their first lead. That, coupled with a gutty defensive effort, lifted the Jaguars to a 10-6 victory over their AFC South rival, the Tennessee Titans, on a gray December day at Nissan Stadium Sunday.

"It just feels great," Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson said, with Bigsby adding, "It just feels so good to win. You just don't know. It's a blessing."

Added Bigsby, "I forgot how it feels. It's a great feeling. I saw it on coach's face. He was super-excited. You see it on the players' faces. It's a great feeling to see everybody happy. We work so hard. It's amazing to get this feeling."

The Jaguars (3-10), eliminated from the postseason this past week for a second consecutive season, snapped a five-game losing streak and won at Tennessee for the second time in three seasons. The Titans are 3-10.

"It feels great," defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said. "A playoff berth is not there, but we still have a lot to play for. I'd rather be feeling like this than feeling sad. We're going to fight to the end."

Echoed Pederson, "It feels great to get back in the win column. It has been a while."

Bigsby's eight-yard touchdown run came with 6:46 remaining, giving the Jaguars their first lead after they were shutout for the first three quarters.

"There was no quit," Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones said.

It marked the first victory as Jaguars quarterback for Jones, who played high school football locally at The Bolles School.

"I remember when I was a younger player, when we would win, maybe I didn't play as good or whatever and I wasn't as happy," said Jones, who joined the Jaguars as a backup via traded this past offseason after three seasons starting for the New England Patriots. "But once you win in this league, it's amazing. It's just a great feeling and you want to do it again."

The Jaguars held the Titans to two field goals, twice holding the Titans scoreless on possessions that moved inside the Jaguars' 10-yard line – once in the second quarter and once late in the fourth quarter.

"It definitely means something," Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker said. "Just because of what our record is, we're not going to go out and lay down. We're going to come out and get the job done."

Added Walker, "We just have to finish. That was the main thing today. We finished."

Titans quarterback Will Levis' pass into the end zone to wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on fourth-and-3 from the Jaguars 9 fell incomplete and ended the ensuing drive with 1:11 remaining. The Titans forced a punt, with Levis throwing incomplete to wide receiver Tyler Boyd on fourth-and-15 from the Titans 35 with :28 remaining.

The Titans took leads of 3-0 and 6-0 on first- and third-quarter field goals by Nick Folk before the Jaguars moved to within 6-3 on a field goal by rookie kicker Cam Little early in the fourth quarter.

"Nobody pointed the fingers," Pederson said. "We just had to tighten some things up and make a few subtle adjustments."

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Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans

QB Mac Jones (10)

Jones, making his third start in four weeks at quarterback for injured Jaguars starter Trevor Lawrence, completed 23 of 31 passes for 220 yards and no touchdowns with two interceptions.

Mac Jones, making his third start in four weeks at quarterback for injured Jaguars starter Trevor Lawrence, completed 23 of 31 passes for 220 yards and no touchdowns with two interceptions.

Levis completed 19 of 32 passes for 168 yards and no touchdowns with no interceptions.

The Jaguars registered two sacks and no takeaways, with Hines-Allen and rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones each having a sack. They have eight takeaways this season, seven defensively, with 25 sacks.

Hines-Allen has seven sacks this season and 52 for his career, three shy of Tony Brackens' franchise-record 55.

"Hats off to the players," Pederson said. "They battled their tails off. The defense I thought all day kept us in the football game. They came up big."

Step by Step: Breaking Down Jaguars Week 14

Folk's 46-yard field goal capped an 11-play, 51-yard game-opening drive that consumed 6:28 and gave the Titans a 3-0 lead with 8:32 remaining in the first quarter. The Titans ran nine times for 45 yards on the drive, with the Jaguars failing to score a first-quarter touchdown for a ninth consecutive game.
The Titans used 8:14 of the second quarter with a 17-play, 90-yard drive that ended when Levis threw incomplete to tight end Nick Vannett 4:41 before halftime. Jones threw a second interception of the half – this one made by insider linebacker Otis Reese IV at the Titans 49-yard-line – with :01 remaining in the half and Tennessee led 3-0 at halftime.
Folk pushed the lead to 6-0 with a 39-yard field goal with 4:30 remaining in the third quarter. The Titans again controlled clock and tempo with the drive, moving 46 yards on 11 plays in 5:37.
Little's 23-yard field goal with 12:09 remaining capped a 14-play, 65-yard drive and cut the lead to 6-3. Bigsby's touchdown run one possession later capped a seven-play, 81-yard drive.

Notable Game Moments

Jaguars offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen made his first career start Sunday, starting at right tackle in place of Anton Harrison (illness).
Punter Logan Cooke (left knee), long snapper Ross Matiscik (hamstring), cornerback Tyson Campbell (thigh) and linebacker Yasir Abdullah (hamstring), all listed as questionable on Friday’s final injury report of the week, were active.
Inactive for the Jaguars Sunday: Harrison, running back D'Ernest Johnson, rookie defensive end Myles Cole, wide receiver Josh Reynolds, defensive tackle Esezi Otomewo and rookie defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson.

In-Game Injury Report

The Jaguars reported no significant injuries during the game.