Titans march past Jaguars
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said last week that being 1-5 as the Tennessee Titans' starter "was something that doesn't sit well with me."
So on Sunday, Fitzpatrick stood up and did something about it.
The Titans' quarterback, who took over under center in Week 10 for injured starter Jake Locker and has struggled since.
However, he shook off a tough loss last week during a career day against the Arizona Cardinals by marching Tennessee past the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-16 to secure the Titans' first win in the AFC South this year.
"There was a lot of reasons this was an important game for us. Just that locker room after, to get that winning feeling back felt great," Fitzpatrick said. "To be able to get into victory formation at the end of the game and take a knee is something you want to be able to feel. And that's something we haven't felt for a long time. To get that feeling back was the most important thing."
Fitzgerald finished 17-for-26 passing for 181 yards with one touchdown and an interception just one week after throwing for a career-high 402 yards and four TDs.
The Titans (6-9) came in having lost five of the last six and were one of two teams in the NFL without a divisional win. But Tennessee ensured it would not need a victory next week in its season finale at home against the Houston Texans to avoid being blanked in the division.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, lost their second game in a row and fell to 4-11 on the year. Their home woes also continued for Jacksonville, which is now just 2-14 at EverBank Field since last season.
Tennessee wide receiver Nate Washington, who caught the go-ahead, 30-yard touchdown from Fitzpatrick early in the fourth quarter, led all wideouts with six catches for 117 yards. The Titans also got 181 yards on the ground from running backs Shonn Greene (91 yards) and Chris Johnson (90). Greene added a touchdown.
Tennessee secured the win when Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne was intercepted by safety George Wilson on Jacksonville's potentially game-winning drive in the final minute.
"(Wilson) just made a great play," said Henne, whose team closes the regular season next week at the Indianapolis Colts.
Henne was hot-and-cold for the second straight game.
The Jaguars' starter was 15-of-21 passing for 181 yards in the first half before finishing 24 of 34 for 237 yards, two TD passes and a pick. Both passing scores came early -- a 4-yarder to tight end Marcedes Lewis in the first quarter and a 7-yarder to wide receiver Mike Brown in the second. However, the Jaguars' offense struggled after that. Even kicker Josh Scobee, who had been perfect all season in point-after attempts, missed his first PAT of the year.
After halftime, it was all Titans, whose defense held Jacksonville to just 85 yards of offense the rest of the way. Linebacker Moise Fokou led Tennessee with six tackles, while defensive ends Derrick Morgan and Kameron Wimberly each recorded sacks.
With the victory, the Titans may have also saved embattled coach Mike Munchak's job. Munchak preferred not to focus on his future after the game -- only the win.
"A win is always great. It's great (most of all) for next year," he said. "If we don't win, people are saying next year how we couldn't beat Jacksonville and can't beat Houston. Yeah, it's only one win in the division -- and believe me we're not happy about that."
Notes: Before and after the game, the Jaguars honored 14-year veteran center Brad Meester, who announced last week that this season would be his last. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Meester, a former standout at Division I-AA Northern Iowa, was selected by the Jaguars in the second round in 2000. He holds nearly every major service record with the franchise, including seasons (14), games played (208), games started (208) and consecutive starts (93). On the Jaguars' first touchdown, Meester even had a chance to score. He rumbled nine yards to the 4-yard line before being brought down just short of the end zone to set up 1st-and-goal. ... The Jaguars, who knew the postseason was unrealistic after starting 0-8, will miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season. ... The Titans, who began 4-4 and had playoff aspirations, will watch from home for the fifth consecutive year. ... With one game left, both teams should finish with poor enough records to guarantee a top-10 pick in the 2014 draft. ... Tennessee leads the all-time series with Jacksonville 21-17.
