JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Brad from Holly Springs, NC
Jags win! King Henry's reign of terror is over! Does this make the changing of the guard in the AFC South "official" official?
The Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans, 20-16, in the 2022 regular-season finale at TIAA Bank Field Saturday night – a victory that indeed gave the Jaguars their second AFC South title and their first since 2017. The victory gave the Jaguars a season sweep over the Titans for the first time since 2005, and it marked the second time in franchise history they have swept the Titans. This also marks the first time the Jaguars have won the AFC South while beating every team in the division. When they won it in 2017, remember, they lost both meetings to the Titans. Does all that mean "the guard" has changed? I suppose an argument can be made that the Jaguars need to win more than one division title for something like that to feel "official" official. But the Jaguars on Saturday night beat a team they haven't beaten often enough in a really big game, and that victory kept the Titans from winning a third consecutive AFC South title. If the changing of the guard isn't yet "official" official, it's official enough to feel really good for longtime Jaguars fans.
Jeremy from Jacksonville by way of Miami
What a victory. I can't think of a better example of total team effort. Coffin kicks again and again. Advantageous returns from Agnew. A defensive score. An offense that never stopped moving the ball. Total team win. I'm all in. Let's go jaguars
Good eye. The Jaguars were disappointed in the offense Saturday, but the defense and special teams combined for a big-time performance. The defense not only held the Titans to 116 second-half yards, the unit forced two second-half turnovers that led to 10 points and scored the game-winning touchdown. The unit also increasingly pressured Titans quarterback Joshua Dobbs as the game continued and dominated the fourth quarter with three sacks. And this was truly a special game for the special teams. Riley Patterson converted both field goals. Returner Jamal Agnew set up a touchdown with a 54-yard kickoff return when the Jaguars were trailing 10-0 and needed a big play. And Jaguars punter Logan Cooke had a phenomenal game in what for him has been a phenomenal season: Four punts for a 51.5-yard average and four punts inside the 20. That's pretty much a perfect punting game, and the Jaguars probably don't win Saturday without him.
Josh R. (And Carter R.) from Fernandina Beach, FL
It happened, Zone. It really, really happened. Go Jags!
Winning is cool. Fans like it.
Brendan from Yulee, FL
KOAF! All the hate mail I sent blasting the "same old Jags," and criticizing Josh Allen, I take it back. I take it all back. I'm sorry. Go jags.
This was a cool night for a lot of Jaguars players, but yeah … it was really cool for outside linebacker Josh Allen, whose 37-yard fumble return for the game-winning touchdown with 2:51 remaining was part of a big night that included a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries. Allen, the No. 7 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, indeed has been criticized this season – sometimes fairly, sometimes unfairly. But he made the biggest play of his career Sunday, and one of the biggest plays in franchise history. It was a big moment for a good guy. And it was cool to see.
Nick from Milton, Canada
Trevor and Travis need to rediscover their Clemson form.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence passed for more than 4,000 yards with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions after throwing 17 interceptions with 12 touchdowns as a rookie last season. Running back Travis Etienne rushed for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns after missing his rookie season last season with a Lisfranc injury. Neither had their best game Saturday and the offense as a whole struggled against a very good Titans defense – and a very, very good Titans defensive front. This is the NFL, not college football. Lawrence's form and Etienne's form were fine this season.
Daniel from Jersey City, NJ
O-man, will being a Jaguars fan ever be less stressful?
You should hope not. Big, competitive games are usually stressful. It's losing that usually doesn't feature a lot of drama.
Jeremy from Wise, VA
This defense put the D in DUUUVVVAAALLL!!!!
The defense deserves a lot of credit. The unit has allowed one touchdown in the last three games. Those games have been against teams with quarterback issues, but bottom line: The unit has played its best stretch of the season when it mattered most. And it has made big plays at key moments.
Jay from Portland, OR
I couldn't be happier for Josh Allen. There's been a bit of shade thrown his way, but he's always been a team-first guy. Here's one for ya Josh!
One fer Allen.
Blues Man from Jacksonville
Troy Aikman is right … how can a quarterback who has been on the roster 17 days look like a Pro Bowler? Because it's the Jaguars defense and the defensive coordinator's inability to adjust to defending a tight end that is open all night long. Mike Caldwell really needs to go.
Dobbs did a nice job at times Saturday. The Titans scored 16 points and the Jaguars forced two key second-half turnovers. I don't know that Dobbs looked like a Pro Bowler.
Pradeep from Bangalore, India
Hi, John. It was too close for comfort. Great effort from defense and special teams. Offense needs to play better if we want to win conference.
Winner-take-all games for division titles in the NFL are rarely comfortable. They shouldn't be comfortable. You have professional athletes playing 60 minutes for a goal for which they have worked and strived all season. Remember, too: The Jaguars needed four turnovers to beat a beat-up Titans team in Week 14. This game never was going to be easy. The Jaguars won Saturday. They're in the postseason for the first time in five seasons. They have a winning record for the first time in five seasons. They're AFC South Champions for the first time in five seasons. Margin of victory mattered not a whit.
Marji from Jacksonville
One of the most beautiful sights in the NFL is when the defense scores! Thank goodness we have a defense which forces turnovers and does this from time to time.
The Jaguars' defense scored three touchdowns in the final four games of the season. This defense wasn't great at all season. I don't know that it's great now. But it was really good forcing turnovers, and the desire and resiliency the unit showed late in the season was remarkable. And the Jaguars wouldn't be a playoff team without those traits.
Brad from The Avenues
I'm exhausted John. My throat's raw, my cat's traumatized. Once again, I'm just so freakin happy.
Winning is cool. Fans like it. As it turns out, they really like winning division titles in winner-take-the-AFC South games.
Scott from Jax to Mid Atlantic
How about Rayshawn, again?!?! DUUUUVVAALL!!!!!
This absolutely shouldn't be overlooked. Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins made a huge play Saturday – perhaps the biggest play of the season and one of the biggest in franchise history. He blitzed on third-and-six from the Titans 35 with around three minutes remaining, forcing Dobbs to fumble. Allen picked up the fumble on one bounce and on the run, returning it for a touchdown and the game-winning points. It was the second time in four games Jenkins made the game-winning play; he returned an interception 52 yards for the game-winning touchdown in a 40-34 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. This has been a season of remarkable moments. Jenkins has been responsible for perhaps the two most remarkable.
Don from Marshall, NC
They have plenty of places in Nashville to cry in your beer! Go Jaguars!
We've spent a lot of time here in the O-Zone in recent weeks and months discussing the importance of being nice. This was not "nice."
Brandon from Burlington, KY
Josh Allen wasn't down!
I smiled at this.
Sean from Jacksonville
Ecstatic over here. A great story. Not to take away from the win, but the rushing game only garnered 19 yards? Yes, the Titans are run stufferss, but it is still a concerning part of the team heading into the playoffs.
The Jaguars need to run better in the postseason. The Jaguars don't need to be dominant in the running game in this offense, and they don't always even need to be above 100 yards rushing, but they ideally must run enough to get opponents to respect the threat of the run. For one of the first times this season, that didn't feel as if it happened Saturday.
Nick from Palatka, FL
It's the dawning of a new day, John, a brand ...new ...day!!
It certainly seems that way.
