JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars’ 20-13 over the Tennessee Titans in a 2024 Week 17 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…

1. So good, so soon, so often. This admittedly is a repetitive quick thought, but how can you watch the Jaguars this season without thinking that rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is really, really good? Here's what's more important for the Jaguars and Thomas – that the No. 23 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft is improving rapidly and showing all the signs of being an All-Pro receiver. Thomas reportedly has shown a high-end football IQ this season with the ability to learn all receiver positions, and he has the work ethic and professional approach of a veteran deep into his career. "The way he works, the way he handles himself as a young kid … very impressive – very impressed with Brian," Head Coach Doug Pederson said Sunday. Thomas already holds franchise rookie single-season receptions, yards and touchdowns records. He is ascending and playing better each week. In an otherwise dismal season, the Jaguars have found a No. 1 receiver and superstar. The best in this vein is unquestionably still to come.
2. One for the home crowd. This was the sort of NFL Sunday on which storylines are hard to find. But while this was a game between two teams long since out of the postseason, it did have an element of cool for the Jaguars – even beyond the decidedly cool emergence of Thomas and a sweep of the Titans. Sunday's cool? The story of Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones, who won as a starter for the first time in front of his hometown fans. The fourth-year veteran who joined the Jaguars via trade in the offseason made a seventh start in eight games for injured starter Trevor Lawrence. He had won earlier this month at Tennessee, but The Bolles School graduate hadn't won in two previous home starts. He threw two touchdowns Sunday and went interception-less for a second consecutive game. He also had one of the better post-game moments, when he was asked if he kept the ball after the game for a particular reason. No, Jones said. "I just like to keep it, so we don't give it to the refs, so they don't take it home," he said with a laugh. Fun stuff on a comparatively fun late-December Sunday at the 'Bank.

Brian Sexton, Jaguars Senior Correspondent…

1. That's the Josh Hines-Allen the Jaguars paid big money last summer. I will never forget a Denver Broncos-Jaguars game here when Broncos All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller was nowhere to be seen – that is until the game was on the line late in the second half. Miller then made a tackle for a loss, had a quarterback pressure to force a bad throw by Blake Bortles and made a tackle to force fourth down and the Jaguars rally was killed. I felt the same way on the Titans' second possession of the second half Sunday. After Tennessee gained a first down near midfield, Hines-Allen tackled running back Tyjae Spears for a loss of five yards, then sacked quarterback Mason Rudolph for a seven-yard loss, then made the tackle on tight end Chig Okonkwo to force a Titans punt. He took over to kill a Tennessee drive that had some momentum driving for either a game-tying field goal or go-ahead touchdown. We haven't seen that No. 41 for the Jaguars in 2024. While it seems too little, too late, I'll take the Jaguars' best defensive player showing up to kill the opponent's rally on any Sunday, I can get it.
2. Thomas is really hard to defend. All any quarterback has to be able to do it put the ball out in front of him and he's going to make a play. He did on the 31-yard ball down the Jaguars sideline in the second quarter and again on the 11-yard touchdown in the fourth. If only Jones had been more accurate with his down the field passes – he threw it behind him on another deep ball down the same sideline – BTJ's day might have been even better. It's really encouraging to see – and exciting to think about what's possible when Lawrence, who was one of the most accurate deep ball passers in the NFL this season before his injury, is back out there looking for No. 7.

Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter/Producer ...

1. A fittingly frustrating finish. The Jaguars got their fourth win of the season Sunday, but not without some late-game dramatics to make it interesting. The Jaguars had possession and a lead at the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter but could not get a first down. That enabled the Titans to get the ball back with 1:42 remaining and a chance to win. Jacksonville's defense allowed some big chunk plays and kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Unlike many other games this season, the Jags' defense did just enough to get a stop at the end. A stressful ending to a frustrating set of home games at EverBank Stadium.
2. Thomas sees his name among elite company. The rookie wide receiver continued to add to his resume with another great offensive performance Sunday. Thomas ended the day with seven catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. That puts him in rarified air alongside Randy Moss as the only rookies in NFL history to have eight games with 60-plus receiving yards and a touchdown. A Pro Bowl selection is looking more and more within reach for Thomas with one game remaining.