NFL: Tennesse Titans Drop Third Straight – a 36-22 Loss to Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans.com
NASHVILLE – The Titans lost their third straight game on Sunday – this one a sloppy, 36-22 loss to the Jaguars.
Titans running back Derrick Henry ran for 121 yards in the contest.
But on this day, the Titans didn't do much else right.
The Titans turned the ball over four times in the game, including three times in the first half, which led to 17 points.
"Nothing was good enough today," Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. "Yeah, we're frustrated. It sucks to lose."
The Jaguars scored 29 straight points at one point in the contest before a Tennessee touchdown in the fourth quarter.
But by then, it was too little, too late.
While the Jaguars were harassing Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was sacked four times, the Titans defense couldn't get to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who wasn't sacked while throwing for 368 yards and three touchdowns.
After starting the season 7-3, the Titans dropped to 7-6 with the loss.
"It is frustrating," Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said. "I hate losing. So, we have to find a way to win a game. The key word is accountability – we have to hold each other to a higher standard. When you walk into the building, the body language, the demeanor, everything, it matters.
"We have to be better as a whole, as a team."
Things looked good early at Nissan Stadium.
Henry scored on a three-yard touchdown on the opening drive, giving the team an early 7-0 lead. The run capped a 10-play, 76-yard drive, and it featured first down completions to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Robert Woods and Chig Okonkwo.
The Titans then forced a three-and-out on Jacksonville's opening drive.
But a fumble by Tannehill, as he was being sacked, gave the Jaguars the ball at the Tennessee 20-yard line. Three plays later, Lawrence connected with tight end Evan Engram on a 12-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-7 with 6:01 left in the first quarter.
It was a sign of things to come.
The Titans reclaimed the lead 14-7 on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tannehill to Okonkwo, which capped a six-play, 75-yard drive.
Then, the Titans turned it over again, this time on a Tannehill interception, and the Jaguars cashed it in for three more points to make it 14-10 with 8:52 left in the second quarter. A second field goal by Jaguars kicker Riley Patterson made it 14-13 with 3:10 left in the first quarter.
A Henry fumble gave the ball back to the Jaguars, and they cashed it in for another touchdown – a 20-yard strike from Lawrence to Zay Jones with 11 seconds left – to take a 20-14 lead at halftime.
The Jaguars extended their lead to 27-14 after taking their opening possession of the second half and driving straight down the field for a touchdown, scoring on a one-yard run by Lawrence.
After a 21-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence to tight end Evan Engram, it was 33-14 Jaguars over the Titans with 3:07 left.
The Titans' fourth turnover of the game – a direct snap to Henry, who couldn't handle it – led to another Jacksonville field goal and made it 36-14 with 10:52 left.
A two-yard touchdown pass from Tannehill to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine – and then a two-point conversion pass from Tannehill to Okonkwo -- with 7:15 left made it 36-22.
"I think we are trending in the wrong direction," safety Kevin Byard said. "But at the end of the day, I am not going to sit here and pout around. I am just going to go in the building tomorrow, watch the film. It is all about how we respond at this point – pouting and pointing fingers is not going to do anything. We still have four games left, and we have to find a way to start winning ball games.
