A Great Feeling: Beating a Rival at Home | Game That Was

Dec 29, 2024 at 08:14 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – This was a good day for a good story.

That story for the Jaguars was quarterback Mac Jones, who on Sunday played perhaps his best game since joining the franchise this past offseason – and who won in front of his hometown fans, leading the Jaguars to a 20-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the 2024 regular-season home finale.

It was a clean, good game for Jones – and that meant good things.

"I play the same way each week," Jones said. "It's the NFL. Sometimes the chips fall a different way."

Sunday fell mostly the right way for the Jaguars and for Jones, who played locally at The Bolles School and who on Sunday got his first career victory at EverBank Stadium in his third career start there.

"I know it's a great feeling for Mac, just to be able to get one," Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. said. "Last home game. It's a great feeling for him, amazing feeling."

Jones, who has started six of the last seven games for injured starter Trevor Lawrence, completed 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions Sunday. The victory also gave the Jaguars a season sweep over the Titans, with Jones starting both games.

The Jaguars beat the Titans, 10-6, in Nashville, Tenn., in Week 14 with Jones as the starter.

"It feels great," Jones said. "It's a rivalry game, as we know. It was good to get that win and try to do it again against another rivalry opponent [on the road against the Indianapolis Colts]."

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans

QB Mac Jones (10)

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Jones, who had thrown three touchdowns and seven interceptions in five previous starts, has thrown five touchdowns in his last three games. He has gone the last two games without an interception.

Head Coach Doug Pederson called Sunday "a great performance by Mac."

"I thought Mac played one of his better games today," Pederson said. "I thought he did a great job just putting the ball in play and taking what the defense gave him. He had some really good scrambles early in the game that helped us on our third-down conversion rate.

"He just did things we asked him to do. He's one of many guys who had a hand in this game, but he played really well today."

Jones, the No. 15 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, joined the Jaguars in a trade this past offseason after starting the past three seasons for the Patriots. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

"It has been fun," Jones said. "I've really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to finishing strong with another win. It's been awesome. I've definitely found a little more joy in football, and that's a big credit to the coaches. You want to translate that into wins and that will come."

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Thomas has been good in his normal position this season. He showed Sunday he can play well in other spots, too, rushing for 18 yards on a second-quarter carry as the Jaguars explored ways to use the No. 23 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft out of the backfield. Thomas also caught seven passes for 91 yards and a touchdown Sunday. "It adds a lot," Pederson said. "It's an element of surprise to the defense – a couple of times today on arounds and giving him the football in space. Guys did a great job blocking for him. Anytime you get Brian Thomas the ball in his hands, it's pretty electric. He does some great things with it. We just want to continue to expand that role for him. He's smart. It helps the offense."
The Jaguars not only swept the Titans Sunday, but they also moved into position to finish with a winning record in the AFC South for a third consecutive season and fifth time in the 20-year history of the division. The Jaguars are 2-0 this season against the Titans, 1-0 against the Indianapolis Colts and 0-2 against the Houston Texans. They finish the regular season at Indianapolis in Week 18. "That would be something to be very proud of in the midst of a disappointing season," Pederson said. "To finish 4-2 would be great. To finish that way, to finish strong, it sends a good message to the team that you can still have a hold on your division. It would be a good message to the guys if we can accomplish that."
Pederson: "The guys aren't waving the white flag. When you talk to them in the locker room, they're not. They're busting their tails during the week. They're doing everything I'm asking them to do, coaches and players. Whatever happens at the end of the season is going to happen. We still have one game left. Whatever happens, we want to finish this thing the right way. We won today and that's a huge step. I'm just proud of the way the coaches and players have stuck together and hung together. That we were rewarded today speaks to that."