Jaguars bounce back from embarrassing loss with 34-14 drubbing of AFC South rival Titans
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence accounted for four touchdowns, including two perfectly thrown passes to Calvin Ridley, and the Jacksonville Jaguars followed their worst loss of the season with a 34-14 drubbing of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Ridley finished with seven catches for 103 yards, finding the end zone twice for the first time with the Jaguars (7-3). Lawrence also ran for two scores for the first time in his three NFL seasons, becoming the first player in franchise history with two TD passes and two rushing scores in the same game.
Jacksonville scored on five consecutive possessions and finished with 389 yards. The game would have been more lopsided had Lawrence and Co. not had to settle for two red zone field goals.
It was a much-needed performance for a team that had lost three of four at home and was embarrassed by San Francisco a week earlier.
Tennessee (3-7) had been looking for a similar rebound. Instead, the Titans encountered more road woes in their return to the Sunshine State.
Coach Mike Vrabel’s team, coming off a 14-point loss at Tampa Bay, fell to 0-6 away from home. The Titans have yet to top 16 points on the road.
Rookie Will Levis connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 43-yard score — the play came after a questionable roughing the passer penalty — in the third quarter and found two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons for a 2-yard score in the fourth.
Simmons celebrated his first career touchdown by doing the “Griddy” and then spiking the ball.
Levis completed 13 of 17 passes for 158 yards. Both TD passes included a little trickery. Derrick Henry took a direct snap, handed to a receiver, who pitched to Levis, who then found Hopkins deep. Simmons slipped out into the flat after lining up as a fullback, a play that worked earlier with him blocking for Henry.
Levis was sacked twice and lost a fumble.
Lawrence completed 24 of 32 passes for 262 yards, finishing with the fourth-best passer rating (119.5) of his career after the third-lowest outing against the 49ers.
KEY INJURIES
Titans right tackle Chris Hubbard (elbow) was ruled out at halftime. Backup safeties K’Von Wallace (concussion protocol) and Terrell Edmunds (shoulder) left the game in the second half.
UP NEXT
Titans host Carolina next Sunday.
Jaguars play at Houston next Sunday.
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