The Jaguars looked like a sure division champion when they were 8-3, but they will be watching on TV when the playoffs start next week.
Jacksonville got the ball back down 28-20 just before the two-minute warning against the Titans on Sunday, but their comeback hopes would be snuffed out quickly. Trevor Lawrence just missed wide receiver Calvin Ridley on a deep shot on second down before throwing two more incompletions that gave the ball back to Tennessee to run out the clock.
The loss had massive ramifications on the AFC playoff picture. The Texans are the AFC South champions after beating the Colts on Saturday night and the Steelers and Bills have both clinched playoff berths. The Bills can still be the AFC East champs if they beat the Dolphins on Sunday night.
Lawrence threw a couple of touchdowns, but the misses at the end will join two interceptions and a failed attempt to leap over the line from the 1-yard-line earlier in the fourth quarter as the most memorable moments of this game. Lawrence was playing with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder and he dealt with other injuries late in the year, but the five losses in his final five starts make this season a big step backward after last year’s playoff win.
The Titans may be saying farewell to Derrick Henry after the season and he made a few more memories if this was his final game. He ran for a touchdown in the first half and set up another with a 69-yard scamper down the field. Henry finished with 19 carries for 153 yards and possible heir Tyjae Spears scored two touchdowns as well.
Ryan Tannehill is also headed for free agency and he went 17-of-26 for 168 yards and touchdowns to Spears and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Those farewell performances and playing spoiler to a divisional rival made for some smiles at the end of a tough season in Tennessee.
