JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Titans went on the road again on Sunday, and they ended up in an even deeper hole.
A 34-14 loss to the Jaguars extended the team’s losing streak to three games on a day when not much went right.
The Titans have now lost five of their last six games, and they’re now 3-7 on the season.
“We just didn’t do enough to win, starting with me, the coaching staff and the players,” Coach Mike Vrabel said. “It’s frustrating. … We have to find a way to keep improving, and not let that derail what we have to do each week, as frustrating as that is. Come in, be ready to work, and find the answers.”
Quarterback Will Levis was sacked twice in the contest, and he completed 13 of 17 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown, with most of those yards coming late.
Running back Derrick Henry managed just 38 yards on 10 carries.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for two more scores.
Vrabel said the Titans need to improve as a team, across the board.
“When you lose, nobody did enough,” Vrabel said. “We’re trying to create a culture, and an environment, that when you lose, everyone has to be better. There’s an accountability. … I am frustrated for the players, and I am disappointed for the players – I want them to have success. I know how hard they work, and what they put into it.”
The Titans trailed 7-0 after the first quarter, 13-0 at the half, and it was 27-0 before the Titans finally scored.
“It is frustrating,” defensive back Elijah Molden said. “It was one of those games where it was like nothing went right, in all three phases. In this situation, nothing was kind of going our way.”
Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said the whole team is frustrated.
“Damn right it’s frustrating,” Simmons said. “Losing is frustrating. … We have to figure it out. We didn’t do enough. When are we going to do enough to win?”
The Titans got off to another bad start, and things didn’t get better.
An early drive ended with a mishandled high snap to Levis, which resulted in a lost fumble.
The Jaguars cashed that in for a three-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence to receiver Calvin Ridley, which made it 7-0 at the 2:58 mark of the first quarter.
The Jaguars stretched their lead to 10-0 on a 30-yard field goal by kicker Brandon McManus with 2:43 left in the second quarter. Another McManus field goal, this one from 25 yards, made it 13-0 with 14 seconds left in the half, and that was the score at the half.
The Titans struggled offensively in the first half, as Levis was sacked twice, including once on a third-and-7 from the Jacksonville 33-yard line, which moved the team out of field goal range. It was the team’s best scoring chance of the first half.
The Titans managed just five first downs and 82 yards of offense in the first half, as Levis was 6-of-10 for 38 yards.
A nine-yard touchdown run by Lawrence capped off Jacksonville’s first drive of the second half, and it was 20-0 Jaguars.
Another Lawrence-to-Ridley touchdown toss made it 27-0 with 3:22 left in the third quarter.
The Titans scored on the final play of the third quarter on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Levis to DeAndre Hopkins at the conclusion of a trick play that began with a direct snap to Henry, and a handoff to running back Tyjae Spears.
But after a Titans turnover – a fumble by returner Eric Garror – Lawrence scored again on a five-yard run to make it 34-7 with 7:28 left.
The highlight of the day was a two-yard touchdown pass from Levis to defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, who logged a few plays on offense on Sunday, which made it 34-14.
But overall, another Sunday produced more frustration for the Titans, who return to action next Sunday against the Carolina Panthers at Nissan Stadium.
“It’s not good enough,” Henry said. “We’re not playing good enough as a team, not good enough on offense. It’s not good enough to win. And when you play like that, that is the result you are going to get. All I can say is we just have to try and improve; I know I am going to try and do that. I am going to keep working, do whatever I can to help us win in any possible way.”
Source: TennesseeTitans.com
More Sports News
Subscribe to our Newsletter!