Jaguars at Titans: 3 things we learned
The Tennessee Titans built a huge first half lead on the way to a blowout win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here are three takeaways from that contest.
The Tennessee Titans evened their 2016 record at 4-4 with a convincing 36-22 victory over the perplexing Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night in Nashville.
Mike Mularkey’s team made it look far too easy as it rolled to a 27-0 halftime lead and cruised to their third win in their last four games.
What did we all learn about two teams that appear headed in vastly different directions? If you’re the Jaguars, you may not like the answer.
1. Tennessee’s offensive line has come of age
Entering Thursday night’s primetime affair, only the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills were averaging more yards per game on the ground than the Titans.
Considering Mike Mularkey’s club ran for 214 yards on 43 carries and did not allow a sack in the contest, it’s easy to say job well done by the front five. Last season, Marcus Mariota and his fellow Titans’ quarterbacks were sacked a league-high 54 times. In eight games this season, the second-year signal-caller has been dropped on only a dozen occasions.
2. Marcus Mariota continues to improve
Speaking of the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner, he continues to make strides on a weekly basis. He missed on just four of his 22 throws against the Jaguars, connected for two scores and did not commit a turnover. But his most memorable moment was throwing a key block downfield on DeMarco Murray’s 14-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
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One year after throwing 19 scoring passes and 10 picks in 12 contests, Mariota has thrown more than twice as many touchdown passes (14) than interceptions during the team’s 4-4 start.
3. The Jaguars look like a lost football team
Pick your adjective. Uninspired. Demoralized. Uninterested.
The Jacksonville Jaguars scored two late touchdowns to make the final 36-22 score look respectable. But Gus Bradley’s team was pretty much a no-show in Nashville on Thursday night.
A defense that came into the evening ranked ninth in the league allowed 494 total yards to Marcus Mariota and company. The Jaguars’ ground game managed only 48 yards on 11 carries while Blake Bortles somehow completed 33-of-54 passes for 337 yards by game’s end.
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It’s hard to put into words how lifeless Jacksonville looked in the first half. And even harder to imagine why.