Postgame recap: Jacksonville Jaguars beat Tennessee Titans, clinch AFC South, NFL playoffs
For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the regular season all comes down to this: A Saturday night Week 18 clash at TIAA Bank Field against the rival Tennessee Titans, with the AFC South championship and a playoff berth at stake.
Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne are leading a now-explosive offense for the Jaguars (8-7), who have won four straight and could become only the third team in NFL history to qualify for the playoffs after a 2-6 start. Jacksonville's defense has turned rock-solid, keeping opponents out of the end zone for the last nine periods (the entirety of the Jets and Texans games, as well as overtime against the Cowboys). In all, 126 minutes and 10 seconds of game time have elapsed since the last TD against the Jags.
The Titans plan to start third-stringer Josh Dobbs, a former Jaguar, for Saturday night's matchup because of the injury to Ryan Tannehill and the ineffectiveness of backup Malik Willis. As always, Tennessee's offense is built around Yulee High School graduate Derrick Henry. Henry missed last week's loss to Dallas with a hip injury, but those who underestimate him do so at their own risk: Despite missing a game, he ranks third in the NFL for 2022 with 1,429 rushing yards, and he's having by far his best year as a pass-catcher (32 receptions, 379 yards) since entering the NFL.
For longtime Jags fans, this game might trigger nightmares of the AFC Championship for the 1999 season, when the Titans crushed Jacksonville's Super Bowl hopes. But more relevant may be the teams' meeting on Dec. 11, when the Jaguars rode 368 passing yards from Lawrence and exploited four Tennessee turnovers in a 36-22 victory in Nashville.
Trevor Tracker 2022:Trevor Tracker 2022: How did Trevor Lawrence's second season compare to 2021? Here's how.
National predictions:Who do NFL experts pick to win Jaguars' game vs. Tennessee Titans?
Gene Frenette:Time to flip script on Titans, ease pain for 1999 Jaguars
Jaguars Game Day Guide:Fans should arrive early for the team's first Saturday night game in history
Gene Frenette:Rout of Texans shows it's time to shed past negativity about Jaguars
Former Jaguar dies:Former Jacksonville guard Uche Nwaneri passes away; remembered for his consistency, intellect
11:35 p.m. | Moments of celebration at TIAA Bank Field for Doug Pederson, Jaguars
A photo like this one says it all.
11:25 p.m. | They're in! The Jaguars are playoff-bound after beating the Titans. See our quick takeaways
With just under three minutes remaining, the Jaguars got their miracle.
The Tennessee Titans owned a 16-13 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. With their backs against the wall, Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins made the play of the game — and maybe the season — sacking Titans QB Joshua Dobbs, forcing a fumble that got scooped and quickly taken into the end zone by outside linebacker Josh Allen. See the key takeaways from Saturday's win. | Read more --Demetrius Harvey
11:15 p.m. | Trevor Tracker 2022: How does Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence's second season compare to 2021?
Time for the Trevor Tracker, this time after the Jags' come-from-behind victory to seal the division. | Read more --Tim Walters
11:08 p.m. | FINAL! Jaguars 20, Titans 16: Jaguars win AFC South
It's final. The Jaguars have gone from worst in the NFL to best in the AFC South. They'll be hosting a playoff game next week.
11:05 p.m. | Stuffed! Foye Oluokun stops Titans, who turn over on downs; Jaguars can kneel down
There it is.
Josh Allen strip-sacked Joshua Dobbs again on second down — the QB recovered his own fumble — and after a Titans false start, Dobbs' pass on third down gained only tiny yardage on a Foye Oluokun tackle.
Fourth and 13. Another short pass. Oluokun there again. Stopped short. Ninety seconds left. The Titans have one timeout. It looks like the Jaguars are about to complete their turnaround with a division title.
10:58 p.m. | Two-minute warning, Titans driving
That's the two-minute warning. Joshua Dobbs has advanced the Titans to the 50. The Titans will have first and 10 from there.
The Jaguars lead 20-16. The Titans need a touchdown. If the Jags keep them out of the end zone, they'll win the AFC South, punch a playoff ticket and ensure a home postseason game in one week.
10:55 p.m. | TOUCHDOWN: Rayshawn Jenkins strip-sacks Dobbs, Josh Allen returns for Jaguars TD
Wow.
Rayshawn Jenkins strip-sacked Joshua Dobbs from behind on the safety blitz on third down. Josh Allen took it to the house on the fumble. The Jaguars are finally ahead. The play stands on review. A moment to go down in Jags history books if they hold on tonight.
The Titans had been gobbling up the clock for more than five minutes. The key play: On third and 4, Jonathan Ward caught a short pass, shrugged off a Chad Muma tackle and rumbled to the Tennessee 20 to convert a crucial first down. Then Joshua Dobbs ran a sneak for another first down at the 30, and more time ticked away.
Jaguars 20, Titans 16, 2:51 4th.
10:44 p.m. | Three-and-out as Jaguars' time is ticking
The clock is running low for the Jaguars.
The Jaguars again made no progress from fine field position. Teair Tart overpowered right guard Brandon Scherff for a sack of Trevor Lawrence and a loss of 9 on first down, and the Jacksonville offense never recovered. Logan Cooke unleashed another solid punt to pin the Titans deep, but at some point — soon — the Jags' offense has to come to life, or their season is looking like ending tonight.
It's Titans 16, Jaguars 13 with 8:06 left in the fourth quarter.
10:39 p.m. | Titans again go three-and-out
Crucial tackle by Andre Cisco. The safety downed Robert Woods just short of the chains after Joshua Dobbs' third-down pass. Travon Walker continues to hold up well against the run, stopping another Derrick Henry run to the left side and starting out the Titans in a long-yardage situation. That means a punt.
The Jaguars will take possession with 9:45 remaining and the ball at their own 34. Tennessee leads 16-13. Tonight's winner wins the AFC South.
10:33 p.m. | Ineffective Jaguars drive goes three-and-out
Prime field position after the Jamal Agnew return, but the Jaguars can't make anything happen.
Trevor Lawrence has thrown five consecutive incompletions. That includes a first-down throwaway and a third-down knockdown by Rashad Weaver. The Jaguars' offense is wildly out of rhythm right now, and with fewer than 12 minutes to go, they'll likely get only one or two more fourth-quarter possessions to keep their AFC South hopes alive.
10:28 p.m. | Jaguars force Titans three-and-out
A fine possession for the Jaguars' defense. Travon Walker drove a blocker backward into Derrick Henry on second down, and then Roy Robertson-Harris sacked Joshua Dobbs on third down after pressure by Arden Key. That's Sacksonville time.
More good news for the Jaguars: A superb punt return by Jamal Agnew is going to start them near midfield. They only need about 20 or 25 yards to get into field-goal range to tie this game up — but Jags fans will be hungry for the chance to seize their first lead of the night.
10:23 p.m. | Field goal Jaguars: Jags settle for three after turnover
The Tyson Campbell interception helped the Jaguars narrow the gap, but they didn't erase it.
The Jags picked up seven yards on the first two snaps, and then Trevor Lawrence looked for Christian Kirk in the end zone on third down. But under heavy pressure from Jeffery Simmons at defensive tackle, Lawrence wasn't able to get quite enough on his throw and Titans DB Roger McCreary deflected it. That led to a 36-yard field goal from Riley Patterson — some points for the Jags, but not what they were hoping for.
Titans 16, Jaguars 13, 14:49 4th.
10:19 p.m. | END OF THIRD QUARTER: Titans 16, Jaguars 10
Fifteen minutes left. The Jaguars are already in field goal range after Tyson Campbell's pick. Can they take the lead?
10:18 p.m. | Interception: Tyson Campbell picks off Joshua Dobbs, returns near red zone
The Jaguars needed a big play on defense. They got one.
Joshua Dobbs looked long but couldn't get maximum pop on that one, in part because of Arden Key's pressure. The ball came up short and Tyson Campbell picked it off for the Jaguars, returning the football to the Tennessee 25. A huge pick for the second-year DB.
Earlier in the possession, Derrick Henry took off down the right sideline, a gain of 36 yards to flip field position... but it came back. Chigoziem Okonkwo got flagged for holding Travon Walker, which ultimately led Tennessee into the third-and-17 play that set up the pick.
The Jaguars need to make this count.
10:10 p.m. | Jaguars' drive runs out of steam near the 50
That's the first Jacksonville punt for a long time.
Trevor Lawrence found Christian Kirk with a 33-yard strike to advance near midfield, but three consecutive incompletions followed. It looked like Marvin Jones had a chance to grab a low throw from Lawrence on second down, but the veteran receiver wasn't quite able to bring that one in. Tennessee continues to stuff the Jacksonville ground game, and they're starting to generate increasing pressure on Lawrence as well.
Tennessee has the ball with a six-point lead, and the way they've controlled the clock with long drives, it's possible the Jaguars might get the ball back only a couple more times on offense. Can the Jags avoid another heartbreaker against the Titans?
10:03 p.m. | Field goal Titans: Randy Bullock pushes Tennessee lead back to six points
It's not always flashy, but Tennessee keeps churning out yards and first downs. Joshua Dobbs made a clutch throw to Robert Woods over the middle to convert third and long. Making that play possible: a less-than-popular pass interference call on Andre Cisco on a Derrick Henry throw.
The Jacksonville defense stood firm inside the 30, though. Rayshawn Jenkins broke up a second-down pass to the end zone — one that maybe could've been picked off — and heavy pressure off the edge hurried Dobbs into a third-down incompletion. So Mike Vrabel called for the field goal unit, and Randy Bullock converted from 41 yards. More points for the Titans, but the Jaguars' defense did keep them out of the end zone. Now a chance for Trevor Lawrence and the offense to put Jacksonville on top for the first time tonight.
Titans 16, Jaguars 10, 6:03 3rd.
9:51 p.m. | Field goal Jaguars: Riley Patterson converts kick, but TD opportunity missed
Ouch. That's the kind of opportunity the Jaguars just can't miss: A wide-open Zay Jones in the end zone, but a wild overthrow by Trevor Lawrence forced the Jags to settle for three. They're still behind.
It had been an excellent drive up to that point: a Trevor Lawrence quarterback sneak here, a conversion to Luke Farrell there, a strike over the middle to Christian Kirk to convert third-and-7, just after a false start had threatened to derail the drive. Then, Lawrence found Marvin Jones over the middle to the Tennessee 11 for one of his best passes. Third down, though, was one of his worst: With Zay Jones completely open in the back of the end zone, Lawrence fired the ball at least five yards too far. Riley Patterson converted a 26-yard field goal but a big, big opportunity to take the lead slipped away.
Titans 13, Jaguars 10, 10:09 3rd.
9:42 p.m. | Second-half kickoff
The Jaguars are ready to receive the kick. They've got two quarters left to turn things around against the Titans.
9:27 p.m. | HALFTIME: Titans 13, Jaguars 7
That's halftime, and it's a first-half score that Jaguars fans were hoping to avoid. But there's still 30 minutes left...
9:27 p.m. | Field goal Titans: Randy Bullock extends Tennessee edge
Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs doesn't have the Trevor Lawrence resume, but he has played a fine first half of football for the Titans in Jacksonville — and the Jaguars are going into halftime with a deficit.
The Titans initially appeared content to drain the first-half clock, but Dobbs converted third and long to tight end Austin Hooper and then scrambled for a first down. Dobbs found Hooper once more as Tennessee advanced inside the red zone, but Foye Oluokun sacked the QB on third down and Randy Bullock followed up with a 39-yard kick. Ball-control offense, including 17 Derrick Henry carries for 71 yards, has powered the Titans so far.
The Jaguars have ground to make up. They'll get the ball first to open the second half.
Titans 13, Jaguars 7, HALFTIME.
9:08 p.m. | Touchdown Jaguars: Christian Kirk gets Jags on board after long Jamal Agnew kick return
The Jaguars needed something big on special teams, and they got it. Jamal Agnew returned the Tennessee kickoff to the midfield stripe and ignited the TIAA Bank Field crowd.
Trevor Lawrence picked up a couple of first downs with passes to tight end Evan Engram, who has been finding some space underneath. From there, Lawrence had plenty of time to deliver a strike to the end zone, 25 yards, to Christian Kirk to put the Jaguars on the board.
Titans 10, Jaguars 7, 2:36 2nd.
9 p.m. | Touchdown Titans: Chigoziem Okonkwo TD makes Jags pay for turnover
The Jags are in a growing hole early on — just the situation Jaguars fans were hoping to avoid.
It's Derrick Henry time in Jacksonville. Tennessee started the possession with a screen to Henry, who rumbled to midfield for a gain of 19. Joshua Dobbs then converted third and long to tight end Austin Hooper over the middle. Then, Henry flattened Rayshawn Jenkins with a patented stiff-arm, running down to the Jacksonville 21.
From there, Dobbs looked left and found tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, behind Foye Oluokun on the left sideline, and the result was a 21-yard touchdown pass. The Titans aren't doing much tricky stuff on offense (the weird double pass on the last drive aside), but they're controlling the clock. Henry is already up to 66 yards from scrimmage.
Titans 10, Jagaurs 0, 5:32 2nd.
8:53 p.m. | Fumble: Jaguars lose possession on trick play
Jaguars fans remember the turnover-fest that marred the 1999 AFC Championship against the Titans. They don't want to even think about turnovers in this matchup — but the Jags just committed their first.
The Jacksonville offense advanced across midfield this time, with Trevor Lawrence converting a short pass to Travis Etienne over the middle, then driving a strike to a diving Christian Kirk over the middle on third and 13. Then, a Jaguars disaster: A botched pitch on what looked like a double reverse to Jamal Agnew, who wasn't able to come up with it. Instead, Tennessee's Rashad Weaver pounced on the fumble and the Titans will take over.
8:43 p.m. | END OF FIRST QUARTER: Titans 3, Jaguars 0
It's an early lead for Tennessee at TIAA Bank Field, with the AFC South title at stake.
8:39 p.m. | Field goal: Titans take lead after 10-minute march
That was a marathon drive from the Titans, and now the Jaguars are going to have to come from behind.
Derrick Henry got the Titans moving with a couple of nice runs to the right, although the Jaguars have won the battle in the trenches more often than not against the former NFL rushing champion from Yulee. Then, on fourth down from midfield, Titans coach Mike Vrabel went for it and Joshua Dobbs rewarded that boldness with a pass to tight end Austin Hooper.
Another fourth down and Vrabel again passed up the field goal, converting on a pass to Robert Woods to the Jacksonville 25. Then, on third down from the 20, the Titans got flagged for holding to nullify a Dobbs scramble for the first, and on the next play, Treylon Burks bizarrely threw the ball across the field after catching a short pass and got whistled for an illegal forward pass. That led to a 51-yard Randy Bullock field goal to cap a 17-play, 9:59 drive.
Titans 3, Jaguars 0, 1:23 1st.
8:23 p.m. | Jacksonville drive stalls after slip
So close. Zay Jones was on the verge of converting third down on a short pass from Trevor Lawrence, but he slipped and came up just short of the chains. Doug Pederson left the offense on the field for the fourth-and-inches play, but when the Titans didn't jump offside, the Jaguars elected to punt it away instead. Logan Cooke's punt pinned the Titans inside their own 20.
8:17 p.m. | Titans open with three-and-out
That's a great start for the Jaguars' defense. They stuffed Derrick Henry for a first-down loss, overwhelming the Tennessee line. After Jonathan Ward failed to hold a low third-down pass from Joshua Dobbs, the result was a quick three-and-out. The ball is going over to the Jags' offense after the punt.
8:15 p.m. | Kickoff time: Jaguars win toss and defer
Ready for some football. After the coin toss, it'll be the Titans going on offense first at TIAA Bank Field.
8 p.m. | Jacksonville Jaguars predictions: Who do national NFL experts pick to win game vs. Tennessee Titans?
Here's what the national writers are expecting for Saturday night's showdown at TIAA Bank Field. | Read more --The Times-Union
7:50 p.m. | Eye on the Titans: How Joshua Dobbs went from 6 years as NFL backup to Tennessee Titans starting quarterback so fast
But Saturday will be the real challenge Titans QB Joshua Dobbs has spent six years preparing for. Through that time, the 27-year-old Dobbs learned plenty about what it takes to be an NFL quarterback. The most important takeaway, though, was to never stray from the traits that make him who he is. | Read more --Nick Suss
7:40 p.m. | Gene Frenette: Time to flip script on Titans, ease pain for 1999 Jaguars
Nearly two decades after his NFL retirement, Aaron Beasley still can’t bring himself to play the Tennessee Titans in a video game.
For many of the ‘99 Jaguars, what happened on their home field 23 years ago in the most heartbreaking loss in franchise history can’t be easily dismissed or forgotten. Bad Titans memories linger in varying degrees for those Jaguars, who collapsed in the second half and lost 33-14, falling one game short of the Super Bowl. | Read more --Gene Frenette
7:30 p.m. | ‘Turnaround’: Does Jaguars HC Doug Pederson deserve Coach of the Year consideration?
It takes some time, as a head coach, to gain the trust of a locker room. It takes even more time to gain the trust of a locker room that has grown accustomed to lies, half-truths and losing as the Jaguars have over the past couple of seasons, especially in 2021.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson's task wasn't an easy undertaking from the time he was hired on Feb. 3, 2022. It's an undertaking that he fully embraced and has, thus far, excelled at. | Read more --Demetrius Harvey
7:20 p.m. | Times-Union staff predictions for Jaguars-Titans
Who's coming out on top in the Jaguars' Week 18 battle against Tennessee? The Times-Union's sports staff weighs in on the big game. | Read more --Tim Walters
7:10 p.m. | Former Jaguars guard Uche Nwaneri remembered for his consistency, intellect
The Jaguars are remembering former offensive lineman Uche Nwaneri, who died last Friday in West Lafayette, Ind. Nwaneri was a mainstay on the offensive front in Jacksonville for seven seasons. | Read more --Garry Smits
7 p.m. | Bulldozer alert: Beating the Tennessee Titans still goes through stopping Derrick Henry
Every Jaguars defensive game plan against the Tennessee Titans in the past seven seasons has focused on one issue: stop running back Derrick Henry. And with the Titans the most injury-plagued team in the NFL this season (Henry himself missed the last game) and the quarterback position being filled by Joshua Dobbs, who made his first career start on Dec. 29 in a 27-13 loss to Dallas, it becomes even more important for the Titans (7-9) to get Henry rolling if they want to have a chance at beating the Jaguars (8-8) on Saturday when the two teams stage a winner-take-all showdown at TIAA Bank Field for the AFC South title. | Read more --Garry Smits
6:45 p.m. | No surprise on Jaguars' inactive list for Titans game
The Jaguars announced their inactive players for Saturday night, with no starters on the list. Inactive are cornerback Montaric Brown, linebacker De'Shaan Dixon, cornerback Gregory Junior, defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter and wide receiver Kendric Pryor.
6:40 p.m. | Jaguars assistant Press Taylor praises his brother Zac Taylor for his part in handling Damar Hamlin incident
Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor praised his brother, Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor, for his handling of the aftermath of Monday’s shocking collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. | Read more --Garry Smits
6:30 p.m. | Wake-up call: How a boombox and a 40-point drubbing renewed Jacksonville’s swag
In the bowels of MetLife Stadium, as the Jaguars prepared to take on the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, cameras caught Arden Key skipping through the hallways with a large speaker anchored on his shoulder. Key was rapping the words of “Set it Off” by Lil Boosie as he vibrantly bounced through the tunnel and made his way toward the field. The clip went viral with San Francisco fans clamoring at Key — a former 49er — for stealing their trademark pregame tunnel routine. But in Jacksonville, it signaled a renewed confidence. | Read more --Juston Lewis
6:25 p.m. | Sprinkles on the vanilla: Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence may break loose on the battered Titans
Because of the weather one week and an abundance of caution on another, the offensive production for the Jaguars in their last two games has been rather pedestrian. But with the playoffs on the line, the dash and daring of Doug Pederson’s offense, with Trevor Lawrence at the trigger — the catalyst for the Jags going 6-2 after a 2-6 start — is likely to surface against the Titans (7-9), who are dead last in the NFL against the pass. | Read more --Garry Smits
6:20 p.m. | 'For all the marbles': Jaguars look to take AFC South under the lights Saturday vs. Titans
Saturday night's Jaguars-Titans game will decide who takes home the AFC South division title and a spot in the playoffs. If the Jaguars can do it, they would win the division for just the second time since the NFL's realignment brought the AFC South into the picture in 2002. | Read more --Demetrius Harvey
6:15 p.m. | Jaguars vs. Titans: AFC South title on the line at The Bank
The Jags can reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and earn a home playoff game with a victory over the Titans. If that happens, it would be the first sweep of the season series since 2005. | Read more --Garry Smits
6:10 p.m. | Wait goes on: Jaguars RB Fred Taylor not among Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists
This week, Jaguars legend and running back Fred Taylor learned that he will have to wait at least another year to hear a knock on his door for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. | Read more --Demetrius Harvey
6 p.m. | Eye on the Titans: What does Tennessee RB Derrick Henry want for his birthday? A win, for starters.
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry celebrated his 29th birthday Wednesday, not that he felt it. Henry heads into Saturday night's game at the Jaguars rejuvenated. | Read more --Nick Suss
5:35 p.m. | Gene Frenette: GM Trent Baalke also deserves credit for speedy Jaguars resurgence
As the Jaguars battled their way up from an NFL afterthought the last six weeks to now a strong AFC South division favorite, most of the effusive praise went in the direction of head coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Rightfully so, because the coach-QB combo in this league is paramount to becoming a formidable contender.
But in the Jaguars’ case, easily forgotten — conveniently so for some critics likely wiping the egg off their faces — has been the behind-the-scenes work of a man toiling for 25 years as a scout/personnel man for four different organizations. | Read more --Gene Frenette
5:30 p.m. | By the numbers: What did we learn about the Jaguars' Week 17 win over the Texans?
As the Jaguars get ready for kickoff against Tennessee, here's a deeper look into their midseason turnaround and their success last week against the Texans. | Read more --Demetrius Harvey
5:20 p.m. | Fan Friday: Answering your questions as Jaguars get set for AFC South title game vs. Titans
The excitement in the air in Duval County is palpable ahead of Saturday's Jaguars-Titans game. Here are some of the questions on the minds of fans ahead of the kickoff in the Times-Union's weekly Fan Friday mailbag. | Read more --Demetrius Harvey
5:15 p.m. | Jaguars Game Day guide: Fans should arrive early for the team's first Saturday night game in history
The Jags have never played a regular-season game on a Saturday night. With an expected sell-out crowd for the second home game in a row, the team is advising fans to arrive early at the parking lots, begin filing through the gates early and be patient from getting on the road to getting into their seats. | Read more --Garry Smits
What time do the Jaguars play today?
When: 8:15 p.m. Saturday, January 7
Where: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
How to watch Jaguars game today
TV: ABC, ESPN (Channel 206 on DirecTV, Channel 140 on Dish), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial), fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Live stream: WatchESPN.com (need cable subscription), ESPN+ ($9.99 per month), ESPN app, NFL+ (7-day free trial)
Jaguars radio station: How can I listen to Jags vs. Titans?
Radio: WJXL 1010AM/92.5 FM, 99.9 FM, SiriusXM Channel 225
Online radio: 1010xl.com, TuneIn, SiriusXM.com (Channel 814)
What's the latest betting line for Jaguars vs. Titans?
Jacksonville is a 6.5-point favorite over Houston, according to Tipico, the oddsmaker for USA TODAY. The over-under is 40.5 points.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans game score, live updates
