Titans-Jaguars: Live Updates and Analysis
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Titans (1-0) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) battle for the early lead in the AFC South when they meet Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
The seats will be empty, except for some cutouts in each end zone, but AllTitans at SI.com will provide full coverage throughout the day. Follow along with all the developments throughout the contest and share your thoughts and observations in the conversation below.
Series history: The Jaguars are Tennessee’s longest-standing division rival. The teams have played twice annually since Jacksonville joined the NFL in 1995 and have met 51 times overall, including the postseason. The Titans are 30-20 against the Jaguars in the regular season, 1-0 in the playoffs, and have won the last six matchups at Nissan Stadium.
Words of Wisdom: “At first we got into pregame it was a little different, but I think whenever we got close to the game that everybody was just locked in and focused on what we had to do, and I think that’s how you’ve got to approach it. Just focus on your job and going out there and playing good football. We’re trying to win the football game, fans, no fans, we’ve all got a job to do. It's how we all approached it. I know that’s how I approached it.” – running back Derrick Henry, on playing a second straight game without fans.
Inactives: Tennessee –OLB Vic Beasley, WR A.J. Brown, OL Jamil Douglas, RB Darrynton Evans, DL Isaiah Mack, OLB Derick Roberson and TE Geoff Swaim. Jacksonville – QB Jake Luton, WR Dede Westbrook, CB Josiah Scott, CB Luq Barcoo, DT Doug Costin and TE Tyler Davis.
Six Titans players knelt during the national anthem to bring awareness to social injustice issues. They were: Jadeveon Clowney, Kenny Vaccaro, Jeffery Simmons, Rashaan Evans, Rodger Saffold and Nate Davis.
Jacksonville’s players and coaches remained in the locker room until after the anthem was played.
FIRST QUARTER
(13:22) A little more than a minute into the contest, the Titans are on the board. Tight end Jonnu Smith with a 63-yard reception on the first play from scrimmage and a 13-yard touchdown catch two plays later. Scoring drive: 3 plays, 77 yards, 1:38. TENNESSEE 7, JACKSONVILLE 0
With 76 receiving yards already, Smith is two shy of his single-game high set last season against Tampa Bay (on six catches). The 63-yard reception to open the drive was the longest of his career.
Smith also caught a touchdown pass Monday at Denver. This is the third time in his career he has scored in back-to-back games. The Titans are 8-2 (including the playoffs) when he scores a touchdown.
(11:10) Gardner Misnhew’s pass goes through the hands of fullback Bruce Miller. Two of Minshew’s first three attempts are incomplete. That’s more misses than he had in Week 1, when he completed 19 of 20 against Indianapolis.
(7:39) Rookie cornerback Kristian Fulton with his first career interception off a tipped pass and returns it 45 yards to the Jacksonville 30. The Jaguars had gone 38 yards on 12 plays, including a three-yard scramble by Minshew on fourth-and-3.
(5:43) Corey Davis becomes the first non-tight end to score a touchdown for the Titans in 2020. His 9-yard reception extends the lead. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 30 yards, 1:56. TENNESSEE 14, JACKSONVILLE 0
That is Davis’ seventh career touchdown reception.
(3:43) Jacksonville responds with a touchdown drive of its own. Minshew hits tight end Tyler Eifert with a 19-yard touchdown pass one play after linebacker Jayon Brown drops what would have been an interception. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:00. TENNESSEE 14, JACKSONVILLE 7
End of the first quarter. Titans have 159 yards of total offense to the Jaguars’ 114. Tannehill is 8-10 for 139 yards with two TDs. Jonnu Smith, Anthony Firkser and Corey Davis with two catches each. Derrick Henry has just four carries for nine yards.
SECOND QUARTER
(13:04) Titans punt for the first time today after Tannehill is sacked on third-and-9 from the Jacksonville 32. The drive was undermined by three false start penalties (Saffold, Davis and Henry) in the span of a minute. Not surprisingly, Brett Kern leaves the Jaguars a long way to go. They will start from their own 6.
(9:42) Jack Crawford’s first sack for Tennessee is for a loss of 20 yards and makes it second-and-30. Jacksonville gains just nine yards on the next two plays and is forced to punt.
(1:47) The Titans slow the game down with runs on 10 of 12 plays (eight by Henry, two by Jeremy McNichols) before Tannehill connects with Jonnu Smith on another touchdown pass. Scoring drive: 13 plays, 85 yards, 5:50. TENNESSEE 21, JACKSONVILLE 7
Smith already has tied his season-high with his third TD catch of the season and has the first multi-TD game of his career.
(0:12) Jaguars manage to get something before the half with Josh Lambo’s 35-yard field goal. Those three points are big given that Jacksonville gets the ball to start the second half. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 1:35. TENNESSEE 21, JACKSONVILLE 10
(0:00) Titans make Jacksonville pay for a squib kick and answer with a field goal of their own – 51 yards by Stephen Gostkowski. A 16-yard completion from Tannehill to Anthony Firkser set up the kick. Scoring drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:12. TENNESSEE 24, JACKSONVILLE 10
First half stats: Total offense – Tennessee 231, Jacksonville 211; First downs – Tennessee 13, Jacksonville 12; Turnovers – Tennessee 0, Jacksonville 1; Time of possession – Tennessee 15:20, Jacksonville 14:40.
Tannehill is 12-14 for 172 yards with three touchdowns (157.4 passer rating). Smith, Firkser and Humphries with three receptions each. Henry has 13 carries for 43 yards.
Twenty-four points in the first half match the Titans’ most under Mike Vrabel. They also had 24 against New England in 2018 and Atlanta in 2019 (both wins).
THIRD QUARTER
(7:04) Jacksonville starts the second half by marching right down the field and eating up more than half the quarter. James Robinson caps the possession with a 17-yard touchdown run. Scoring drive: 14 plays, 89 yards, 7:56. TENNESSEE 24, JACKSONVILLE 17
The Jaguars outscored Indianapolis 13-3 in the second half en route to a victory in Week 1. They’re probably not sweating the current situation.
(2:04) Ryan Tannehill stands in against the rush and finds Adam Humphries for an 18-yard touchdown pass. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:00. TENNESSEE 30, JACKSONVILLE 17
Stephen Gostkowski misses a PAT for the second straight game. He has missed at least one in five straight games dating back to last season with New England.
Notable on the drive was the fact that running back Senorise Perry carried on back-to-back plays for nine yards. In six NFL seasons before he signed with the Titans, he had 11 rushes.
Tannehill’s four TD passes match his career-high. He did it twice in 88 starts for the Dolphins. This is his 12th start for the Titans.
End of the quarter. Jacksonville on the move again, has it first-and-goal at the Tennessee 8.
FOURTH QUARTER
(14:16) Bad news: The Titans have allowed another touchdown. Good news: Gostkowski’s missed PAT is no longer a problem because Jacksonville’s Josh Lambo just missed one of his own. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:48. TENNESSEE 30, JACKSONVILLE 23
This is now just the second time in the last 14 meetings that the Titans and Jaguars have each scored at least 23 points. The only other was Tennessee’s 42-39 victory in 2015.
(12:59) Titans go three-and-out for the first time today when Henry is stuffed for a 2-yard loss on third-and-1 from the 31. Henry has 59 yards on 19 carries. The Jaguars have a chance to tie.
The Titans announce that cornerback Johnathan Joseph has a leg injury. His return is questionable. Not good considering Minshew already is 25-36 for 273 with 2 TDs (one INT).
(7:35) Chris Thompson with a 14-yard touchdown reception and this game is tied. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 86 yards, 5:02. TENNESSEE 30, JACKSONVILLE 30
Jacksonville has had the ball three times in the second half: 14 plays, 89 yards, TD; 7 plays, 75 yards, TD; 9 plays, 86 yards, TD. Its offense already has had the ball for more than 15 minutes in the third and fourth quarters
(5:42) Brett Kern does what Brett Kern does and forces a fair catch at the 10. He is 3-for-3 today and 5-for-7 thus far this season on punts inside he 20, with no touchbacks.
(3:42) The defense finally forces a punt. Jadeveon Clowney pressures Minshew into an incomplete pass. Titans get the ball at their own 40 with a chance to win it.
(1:46) A five-yard pass to Anthony Firkser is not enough for a first down on third-and-10, but it does get the Titans a little closer to a go-ahead FG attempt, which will be from 49 yards. The kick is good. Scoring drive: 8 plays, 29 yards 1:53. TENNESSEE 33, JACKSONVILLE 30
(0:47) The defense makes a play. Minshew’s pass batted at the line by Jeffery Simmons and falls into the hands of Harold Landry. Titans win another close one and have sole possession of first place in the AFC South.
FINAL SCORE: Tennessee 33, Jacksonville 30
