Jaguars 29, Titans 27
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are finally in the win column.
Scoring on its first drive of each half and deriving help from numerous Tennessee Titans mistakes, Jacksonville presented first-year coach Gus Bradley with his first win, a 29-27 upset on Sunday at LP Field.
Running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Jordan Todman each rushed for a touchdown for the Jaguars (1-8), while placekicker Josh Scobee added field goals of 32 and 44 yards.
The defense clinched the win with two fourth-quarter scores. After a safety with 7:44 remaining when Titans right guard Chance Warmack was flagged for holding in the end zone, Jacksonville wrapped it up when cornerback Will Blackmon forced a fumble from backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown with 2:32 left.
Fitzpatrick, whose 4-yard run with 4:15 on the clock got Tennessee (4-5) within 22-20, hit tight end Delanie Walker with a 14-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to two. But the Jaguars recovered an onside kick to wrap it up.
The Titans stayed two games behind Indianapolis, a 38-8 loser at home to St. Louis, in the AFC South. They host the Colts on Thursday night.
Tennessee's gaffes started on its first snap from scrimmage, when running back Chris Johnson fumbled at the end of a 4-yard run and linebacker Paul Posluszny recovered at the Titans' 19.
Jones-Drew covered that distance in three plays, pounding six yards off left tackle for a 7-0 Jacksonville lead 91 seconds into the game. It was the first Jaguars lead since the first quarter of a 34-20 defeat in St. Louis Oct. 6.
Scobee's 32-yard field goal at the 6:31 mark of the first upped Jacksonville's advantage to 10-0, the first time this year the Jaguars have possessed a double-figure lead.
After cornerback Dwayne Gratz intercepted starting quarterback Jake Locker and returned it 17 yards to the Tennessee 38, Scobee tacked on his 44-yarder with 10:47 remaining in the first half.
Locker left the game late in the first half with a foot injury and was replaced by Fitzpatrick. The backup quarterback promptly led a 52-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a 9-yard scoring strike to tight end Taylor Thompson with 41 seconds left in the half.
The Jaguars peeled off a 79-yard touchdown drive to start the third quarter, scoring on Todman's 5-yard run at the 10:17 mark.
Kicker Rob Bironas converted 39- and 37-yard field goals to draw the Titans within 20-13 early in the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Tennessee RT David Stewart missed his second straight game with a shoulder problem and was replaced by Mike Otto. ... Jacksonville LG Will Rackley (concussion), who was injured in the Jaguars' 42-10 loss to San Francisco in London on Oct. 27, was inactive and replaced in the lineup by Mike Brewster. ... The Titans held a moment of silence before kickoff for the late Bud Adams, who founded the franchise more than 50 years ago. Adams passed away Oct. 21.
