Game Recap

Game Recap: Titans Lose 20-13 to Jaguars, Drop to 3-13

Dec 29, 2024 at 11:55 PM

Jim Wyatt

Senior Writer/Editor

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When it rains it pours.

The Titans lost to the Jaguars 20-13 here at EverBank Stadium on Sunday.

The loss extended the team's losing streak to five games, and the Titans are now 3-13 with one game left in the season.

"They all feel terrible, to be honest," Coach Brian Callahan said after the game. "It sucks, it's terrible. There is no joy in this process, there is no fun in this. I feel it every day when I walk into work. Nothing is enjoyable about this.

"But our job is to try and fix it and do whatever we can to fix whatever problems we have to fix, to add any players we have to add, and to make sure we have a better football team moving forward."

After a deluge in pregame, rain stuck around for a chunk of Sunday's game before subsiding.

But the Titans never could get their tracking in a sloppy game.

Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph threw for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Running back Tyjae Spears, who got extended playing time with the absence of Tony Pollard, ran for 95 yards before leaving the game with a concussion.

The Titans outgained the Jaguars 337 to 295 yards, and they had 23 first downs to 18 for Jacksonville.

But it wasn't enough.

"We just have to execute better," Rudolph said, "and score more points."

"Losing is never fun, but there's lessons to be learned," Rudolph continued. "And generally, they end up hardening you as a player and teaching you lessons. Experience is the best teacher."

The Titans fell behind 13-0 in the contest, and they couldn't catch up.

The Jaguars took a 3-0 lead on their opening possession on a 48-yard field goal by kicker Cam Little.

The Jaguars extended the lead to 10-0 on a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones to receiver Parker Washington with 8:59 left in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, the Titans played sloppy. A tipped pass thrown by Rudolph went off the hands of running back Julius Chestnut, and it was intercepted by the Jaguars, who cashed it in for a touchdown.

A 44-yard field goal by Little made it 13-0 Jaguars with 2:02 left before the half.

The Titans then closed out the first half with a 10-play, 50-yard drive, and capped it off with a 39-yard field goal by kicker Matthew Wright to make it 13-3 at the half.

The Titans then opened the second half with a 13-play, 85-yard drive and they capped it off with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Rudolph to tight end Nick Vannett to make it 13-10 with 6:51 left in the third quarter.

It was 13-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

Then the Jaguars surged ahead 20-10 on another touchdown pass from Jones, this one an 11-yarder to Brian Thomas, with 7:05 remaining.

The Titans nearly rallied late.

After cutting the lead to 20-13 with 2:02 remaining on a 28-yard field goal by Wright, he Titans got the ball back and drove deep into Jacksonville territory in the final minute.

But a Rudolph pass intended for Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was broken up at the goal line on fourth down in the final seconds.

"It stings every time you lose," receiver Calvin Ridley said. "Guys haven't checked out, we just haven't won. We just have to play better games, and we have to win."

The Titans wrap up the 2024 season next weekend at Nissan Stadium against the Houston Texans. The official date and time for that contest is expected to be announced no later than Monday.