Jaguars vs. Titans: Notes and Thoughts at Halftime

The Jaguars will enter halftime trailing, but exactly how close are they to evening the game up after their locker-room adjustments?

The Jacksonville Jaguars couldn't get out of their own way in the first half of Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, falling behind 24-13 at half-time after a myriad of issues. But what exactly took place in the first 30 minutes of the game and where do the Jaguars need to improve from here?

Plays of the half

The third play of regulation could not have gone any worse for the Jaguars. After already throwing short of the third-down sticks to tight end Dan Arnold, Arnold took a step, turned his body, and was met by multiple Titans defenders. Arnold lost control of the ball, leading to it being scooped up by All-Pro safety Kevin Byard for a 30-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. That sapped a lot of momentum right out of the building for the Jaguars, though they recovered it on the next drive thanks to James Robinson.

On the second drive of the game, Robinson took an outside run 58 yards all the way into Titans territory, nearly scoring a 70-yard touchdown before Byard tackled him in the red-zone. Robinson would come back a few plays later with a one-yard score, but Andrew Norwell and Laviska Shenault deserve touchdown credits after having crucial blocks on the big run. 

And of course, there was the scramble play by Lawrence on the Jaguars' second-quarter scoring drive. The Titans blitzed Lawrence and got early pressure, but the rookie quarterback calmly rolled out of the pocket to his left before finding an open Tavon Austin for a 22-yard gain, helping put the Jaguars into the red-zone and eventually score their second touchdown of the day.

On the defensive side of the ball, there is no question what the two biggest plays were. Both came on the same drive, with each featuring the Jaguars' starting cornerbacks. 

On the first play, cornerback and captain Shaquill Griffin nearly intercepted Ryan Tannehill in the Titans' own territory of the field. Had Griffin, who has multiple dropped interceptions this season, caught the ball, he likely is able to jog into the end-zone for a game-changing turnover. Instead, the drive continued. 

Just a few plays later, the Jaguars got the Titans off the field on 3rd down after a fantastic hit by Josh Allen on Ryan Tannehill, but a defensive pass interference call on Chris Claybrooks wiped it out completely, giving the Titans new life and eventually leading to their second touchdown. 

Where are the Jaguars winning?

With Trevor Lawrence's arm and James Robinson's legs. Lawrence has spread his passes out evenly, throwing it to seven different players in the first-half and showing increasingly improved accuracy and decision-making. Lawrence looked like a different quarterback compared to Week 1, consistently putting passes on the money, including a bold fourth-and-goal touchdown pass from the one-yard line. 

Then there is Robinson. Robinson was an unstoppable force for the Jaguars, having 100 yards on the ground before the 2:00 warning even hit. Ben Bartch, Norwell, and Cam Robinson have all had strong days run blocking and the Jaguars have opened lanes consistently for Robinson, and the veteran running back is making it all worth it.

Where are the Jaguars losing?

On 3rd down. The Jaguars' defense couldn't get the Titans off the field on 3rd down, allowing them to convert 2 of 4, but with both of those coming in the red zone. When the Jaguars needed a big play on defense, the Titans always got the better of them, whether via Henry, A.J. Brown, or ill-timed penalties.

As for the Jaguars' offense, 3rd down is the one area they struggled in. The Jaguars converted just one 3rd down attempt in the entire first-half until the Titans went with a prevent defense on the final drive of the half. The Jaguars can't get off the field or stay on it on 3rd down, which is ultimately dooming them today.

The Jaguars have also missed both of their chances at kicking for points, with Matthew Wright missing an extra-point attempt and a 52-yard field goal attempt. Special teams continues to hurt the Jaguars a month into the season.