Nashville, TN – Down 10 points early in the 3rd quarter, the Tennessee Titans (6-9) come from behind scoring 14 unanswered points to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11) 20-16 at EverBank Field.
The Titans got the go ahead score when clutch receiver Nate Washington slipped behind the Jaguars defense and hauled in a 30 yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick just 0:29 seconds into the 4th quarter. It was a lead Tennessee would not relinquish.
It was a game of players stepping up and making big plays. None bigger perhaps than when Bernard Pollard blocked Josh Scobee’s extra point attempt making it 13-6 Jacksonville at the end of the half. The missed point would come back to haunt the Jaguars.
Late in the 4th quarter, Jacksonville had 4th and 1 on the Tennessee 20 yard line. The missed point forced the Jags to go for it. The Titans defense stiffens and defensive end Ropati Pitoitua tackles running back Maurice Jones-Drew for a 1 yard loss.
Jacksonville would get one last opportunity with 1:08 remaining in the game. With the ball on their own 20 yard line, Chad Henne throws a short pass to Ace Sanders for a 4 yard gain. On the next play, safety George Wilson makes a one handed interception of a pass from Henne to tight end Marcedes Lewis sealing the win for the Titans. It was Wilson’s first interception as a Titan and the 13th of his career.
For Tennessee, Ryan Fitzpatrick was 17 of 26 for 181 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Nate Washington led all receivers with 117 yards and a touchdown on 6 receptions. Delanie Walker caught four balls for 35 yards.
Shonn Greene carried the ball 19 times for 91 yards and a touchdown. Chris Johnson got 90 yards on 22 attempts. The two kashed the Jaguars defense for 181 rushing yards. The 182 yards as a team made it the second-highest total of the season (198 on November 3rd at St. Louis Rams). The 44 attempts were the most by the team in any game since recording 49 against the Jaguars on November 11th, 2009.
“We felt like we could come in here and run the ball today. The guys up front did a great job and the defense did a great job too in holding them, allowing us there at the end to kind of grind it out. I think the guys up front really stepped it up today and the running backs stepped up and did a great job,” said Fitzpatrick after the game.
“The beginning wasn’t like we hoped, but we worked our way through it. Both (running) backs had 90 yards each or close to it and that is what we envisioned and it was great to see it today. Nate (Washington) had a big-time game. We were blocking well and had only one turnover, but we got one back at the end because George (Wilson) makes a great play,” said Munchak.
“This (win) meant a lot to them like I have been saying all week for obvious reasons that we hadn’t won in a while and it was a division game,” stated Munchak. “It was close and we did accomplish a lot of things today.”
The Tennesee Titans are at home for their last game of the 2013 season against the Houston Texans (2-13) Sunday, December 29th. Kickoff is at 12:00pm CT at LP field.
Box Score
Tennessee Titans 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 16
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Tennessee Titans | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
| Tennessee Titans | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing | CP/AT | YDS | TD | INT |
| R. Fitzpatrick | 17/26 | 181 | 1 | 1 |
| Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
| S. Greene | 19 | 91 | 1 | 29 |
| C. Johnson | 22 | 90 | 0 | 12 |
| R. Fitzpatrick | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Receiving | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
| N. Washington | 6 | 117 | 1 | 30T |
| D. Walker | 4 | 35 | 0 | 11 |
| K. Wright | 4 | 22 | 0 | 14 |
| J. Battle | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| C. Johnson | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| S. Greene | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
| R. Bironas | 2/2 | 52 | 2/2 | 8 |
| Punting | NO | AVG | I20 | LG |
| B. Kern | 3 | 38.7 | 0 | 50 |
| Punt Returns | NO | AVG | TD | LG |
| L. Washington | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing | CP/AT | YDS | TD | INT |
| C. Henne | 24/34 | 237 | 2 | 1 |
| Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
| M. Jones-Drew | 13 | 45 | 0 | 11 |
| D. Robinson | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| J. Todman | 6 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| C. Henne | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Receiving | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
| M. Brown | 5 | 71 | 1 | 24 |
| M. Lewis | 4 | 50 | 1 | 30 |
| K. Taylor | 4 | 45 | 0 | 17 |
| M. Jones-Drew | 4 | 24 | 0 | 10 |
| A. Sanders | 4 | 20 | 0 | 8 |
| L. Thomas | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| B. Meester | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| J. Todman | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
| J. Scobee | 1/1 | 36 | 1/2 | 4 |
| Punting | NO | AVG | I20 | LG |
| B. Anger | 4 | 45.8 | 2 | 56 |
| Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | TD | LG |
| K. Taylor | 1 | 43 | 0 | 43 |
| Punt Returns | NO | AVG | TD | LG |
| A. Sanders | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
