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Tennessee Titans look to get on track against Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at LP Field

Tennessee Titans (1-4) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5)

Sunday, October 12th, 2014 | Noon CDT
Nashville, TN | LP Field | TV: CBS

Tennessee TitansNashville, TN – The Tennessee Titans (1-4) host the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5) this week. Kickoff at LP Field (capactiy 69,143) is scheduled for noon CDT on Sunday, October 12th.

This week’s game will be televised regionally on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF News-Channel 5. Andrew Catalon will handle play-by-play duties, while Steve Beuerlein and Steve Tasker will serve as analysts.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter (15) carries the ball after a reception against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at LP Field last Sunday. (Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports)
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter (15) carries the ball after a reception against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at LP Field last Sunday. (Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports)

The Titans Radio Network, including Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone, will broadcast the game across the Mid-South with the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith, analyst Frank Wycheck, gameday host Rhett Bryan and sideline reporter Jonathan Hutton.

Titans Look To Get Back In Win Column

Tennessee TitansLast week the Titans began a run of three home games in four weeks. It is a welcomed change from the first quarter of the season, when they opened with three out of four on the road versus playoff teams from 2013. After building optimism with a Week 1 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs, they dropped consecutive games to the Dallas Cowboys at LP Field and to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts on the road.

Then against the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, the Titans appeared to be on their way to ending their three-game skid. They built a 28-3 lead in the first half, only to see the Browns fight their way back and produce the go-ahead score with less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter. A final drive by the Titans fell short, leaving them with a 29-28 defeat.

Titans quarterback Jake Locker was off to a good start against Cleveland, completing eight-of-11 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in addition to another rushing touchdown. However, late in the second quarter, he banged his right hand on a helmet and was forced to the sidelines.

Charlie Whitehurst entered the game in relief of Locker and found success early on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Kendall Wright — Wright’s second touchdown catch of the day — and a 75-yarder to Justin Hunter before halftime. For the game, Whitehurst was 13-of-21 passing for 194 yards and two scores.

The Titans hope to turn the season around with two out of their remaining three October games at LP Field, where the team has a record of 72-50 in 16 seasons. After Jacksonville, the Titans will travel to meet the Washington Redskins and then play the Houston Texans in Nashville prior to their Week 9 bye.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars HelmetThe Jaguars are in their second season under head coach Gus Bradley, who was named to his current post after four campaigns as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. In 2013, he led the Jaguars to a 4-12 mark while the roster was reshaped with 31 newcomers, including 20 rookies or first-year players on the final 53-man roster. The Jaguars posted a 4-4 mark following the bye week with three of the wins on the road.

Last week the Jaguars hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers and endured their fifth setback of the season. Rookie Blake Bortles made his second career start at quarterback for the Jaguars, but the third-overall pick from Central Florida was unable to outduel the Steelers in an eventual 17-9 loss.

Domestic Violence Awareness Game

This week’s contest has been designated by the Titans as the Domestic Violence Awareness Game. The announcement was made at an October 2th press conference, attended by dignitaries such as Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson.

At the event, the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee and the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence were presented checks in the amount of $100,000 each from Titans president and chief executive officer Tommy Smith and co-chair Susie Adams Smith.

Coat Drive

Prior to the game, fans are encouraged to participate in the team’s annual coat drive. New and used coats of all sizes can be dropped off at one of several collection sites around LP Field, where volunters will be stationed to collect the donations. The coats subsequently will be delivered to Middle Tennessee non-profit agencies.

Titans-Jaguars Series At A Glance

  • Overall series (regular & postseason): Titans lead 22-17
  • Regular season series: Titans lead 21-17
  • Postseason series: Titans lead 1-0
  • Total points: Titans 800, Jaguars 723
  • Current streak: One win by Titans
  • Titans at home vs. Jaguars: 10-9
  • Titans on the road vs. Jaguars: 12-8 (including 1-0 in playoffs)
  • Longest winning streak by Titans: 5 (twice, last 2001-03)
  • Longest losing streak by Titans: 4 (1996-98)
  • Titans vs. Jaguars at LP Field: 10-5
  • Last time at LP Field: Jaguars 29 at Titans 27 (11/10/13)
  • Titans vs. Jaguars at EverBank Field: 12-8
  • Last Time at EverBank Field: Titans 20 at Jaguars 16 (12/22/13)
  • First time: Oilers 10 at Jaguars 3 (9/3/95)
  • Ken Whisenhunt’s record vs. Jaguars: 1-0
  • Gus Bradley’s record vs. Titans: 1-1
  • Ken Whisenhunt’s record vs. Gus Bradley: 0-0

A Titans Victory Would

  • Improve Ken Whisenhunt’s career record as a head coach to 51-57 (including playoffs).
  • Improve Jake Locker’s career record as a starting quarterback to 10-13 or improve Charlie Whitehurst’s career record as a starting quarterback to 2-4.
  • Give the Titans a regular-season home record of 73-50 in 16 seasons at LP Field.

What To Look For This Week

RB Shonn Greene (3,908 career rushing yards) needs 92 rushing yards to reach 4,000 for his career.

S Michael Griffin (24 career interceptions) needs one interception to tie Ken Houston for eighth place on the franchise career interceptions list.

S Michael Griffin (735 career tackles) needs four tackles to pass former LB Steve Kiner (738) for ninth place on the team’s all-time tackles list.

QB Jake Locker (4,738 career passing yards) needs 201 passing yards to pass Matt Hasselbeck (4,938) for ninth place on the franchise’s passing yards list.

TE Delanie Walker (2,400 career receiving yards) needs 100 receiving yards to reach 2,500 for his career.

KR Leon Washington (6,971 career kickoff return yards) needs 29 kickoff return yards to become the second active player to reach 7,000 (Darren Sproles) kickoff return yards and the 11th player in NFL history to reach 7,000.

KR Leon Washington needs one kickoff return for a touchdown to become the NFL’s all-time leader (currently tied with Josh Cribbs for first in NFL history with eight).

WR Kendall Wright (1,928 career receiving yards) needs 72 receiving yards to reach 2,000 for his career.

Titans-Jaguars Series History

The Jaguars are the Titans’ longest-standing division rival. The clubs have met at least twice each year since Jacksonville began play as an expansion franchise in 1995. For the first seven seasons of the rivalry they played in the AFC Central, and for the last 12 years they have been members of the AFC South. The teams have met a total of 39 times, with the Titans holding a 22-17 advantage.

The majority of Titans-Jaguars contests have been highly competitive. Overall, 23 of the 39 Titans-Jaguars meetings have been decided by seven points or fewer. Such was the case in both 2013 matchups, the first a 29-27 Jaguars win at LP Field and the second a 20-16 triumph for the Titans at EverBank Field.

The Titans have posted two separate five-game winning streaks against the Jaguars, dating from 1998-00 and 2001-03. Jacksonville’s longest winning streak in the series was a four-game run from 1996-98.

The stakes of the rivalry were never higher than in 1999, when the Titans and Jaguars met three times, including the AFC Championship Game in Jacksonville. Steve McNair rushed for two touchdowns and Derrick Mason returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown as the Titans earned their first Super Bowl berth with a 33-14 win.

Tennessee went on to Super Bowl XXXIV  and eventually fell at the hands of the St. Louis Rams, 23-16.

The Jaguars played their first game in franchise history against the then-Houston Oilers on September 3rd, 1995. Playing in Jacksonville, the Oilers won the game by a 10-3 final score.

Titans-Jaguars: The Last Meeting

Tennessee Titans 20 at Jacksonville Jaguars 16
Sunday, December 22nd, 2013
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL

1 2 3 4 Final
Tennessee Titans 3 3 7 7 20
Jacksonville Jaguars 7 6 3 0 16

 

In Week 16 of the 2013 season, the Titans used 44 carries for 182 total rushing yards to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-16 at EverBank Field.

A late interception by Titans safety George Wilson sealed the win after Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington gave the Titans the lead early in the fourth quarter.

The carries in Tennessee’s ground game were split nearly equally between running backs Shonn Greene and Chris Johnson. Greene led the team with 91 yards on 19 attempts, while Johnson produced 90 yards on 22 attempts.

Meanwhile, Washington provided several big plays and finished the game with 117 yards on six receptions.

The Titans defense limited the Jaguars’ opportunities for much of the game, particularly after halftime. The only points the Jaguars scored in the final two quarters came on a field goal after an interception. In contrast to the Titans’ success on the ground, the Jaguars were held to 63 yards on 21 total rushing attempts in the game.

Before falling behind for most of the first three quarters, the Titans got on the scoreboard first. On their opening drive, Fitzpatrick completed consecutive passes to Washington of 26 and 25 yards. When the 64-yard drive stalled, Rob Bironas kicked a 45-yard field goal.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (4) throws the ball during the first half of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. (Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (4) throws the ball during the first half of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. (Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports)

The Jaguars stormed back with a nine-play, 80-yard march. Quarterback Chad Henne found tight end Marcedes Lewis for a 30-yard pass, and the duo connected again moments later on a four-yard touchdown pass.

A 52-yard field goal by Bironas pulled the Titans to within one point, but the Jaguars responded with their second touchdown drive. Henne completed passes of 24 and 17 yards, and with less than a minute remaining in the first half, he threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Mike Brown. However, Josh Scobee’s extra point attempt was blocked by safety Bernard Pollard, the impact of which was felt later in the four-point final score.

In the third quarter, Scobee capitalized on a Titans turnover with a 36-yard field goal, putting the Jaguars up 16-6.

But the Titans offense followed its miscue with its first of two consecutive touchdown drives, highlighted by a 29-yard run by Greene. To cap the 11-play, 80-yard possession, Greene found the end zone on a one-yard run.

The Titans offense was back on the field quickly after a Jaguars three-and-out. Scrimmaging from their own 27-yard line on what turned out to be the game-deciding series, the Titans crossed midfield after a 14-yard reception by Kendall Wright and a 12-yard run by Johnson. Fitzpatrick picked up three yards rushing on a critical fourth-and-two, and two plays into the fourth quarter, he found Washington for the go-ahead score.

The Jaguars later would get as far as the Tennessee 20-yard line, but another key fourth down went the Titans’ way. Maurice Jones-Drew took a hand off on fourth-and-one, only to be stopped behind the line of scrimmage by Pollard and defensive end Ropati Pitoitua.

The Titans kept the ball on the ground, and after seven consecutive running plays they had used more than four minutes and forced the Jaguars to exhaust all three timeouts.

With the clock running inside the final minute of regulation, Wilson’s one-handed interception on a pass intended for Lewis ended any lingering suspense.

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