After a big day in the AFC South, the Jaguars are the division leaders.
The Jaguars went to Tennessee and beat the Titans 25-3 today, and combining that with the Texans win over the Colts, Jacksonville is in first place. The Jaguars and Colts are both 8-4, but the Jaguars have the tiebreaker based on their record against common opponents.
The Jaguars play the Colts next week, and then play them again in Week 17, so the AFC South race remains wide open.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 16 of 27 passes for 229 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran the ball three times for 25 yards, and scored a two-point conversion on another run.
“It feels good,” Lawrence said on CBS after the game. “To be in this position, to be able to control your own destiny and be able to play these big, meaningful games in November, December, January.”
The Jaguars will definitely be playing big games down the stretch, and they have an opportunity to turn this into a very big season.
An otherwise dull Jaguars-Titans game turned feisty in the fourth quarter today.
Titans safety Mike Brown was ejected for his role in a fight after a punt, and three other players were flagged for personal fouls.
Brown went after Jaguars long snapper Ross Matiscik after Matiscik took a shot at Tennessee’s Julius Chestnut. Brown got ejected; Matiscik got a personal foul for unnecessary roughness but was not ejected.
Also flagged for unnecessary roughness personal fouls were Jaguars punter Logan Cooke and Titans cornerback Kair Elamn.
The Titans haven’t had much fight other than that incident, as they’re losing 25-3 in the fourth quarter.
Jacksonville is making it look easy today in Tennessee.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has two touchdown passes in the early going, and Lawrence ran for a two-point conversion after the second TD pass, as the Jaguars took a 15-3 lead over the Titans.
Through three offensive drives, Lawrence is 6-for-7 for 122 yards, with two touchdowns. The Titans jumped offside on the Jaguars’ second extra point attempt, and after the ball was moved half the distance to the goal line, the Jaguars sent their offense on the field and Lawrence ran it in for the two-point conversion.
Titans defensive lineman Jeffrey Simmons committed a personal foul on the conversion attempt, and the Jaguars again took advantage, purposely kicking off out of bounds from the 50-yard line, which gave the Titans the ball at their own 25-yard line to start the next possession.
It’s been a mistake-filled game for the Titans, and the Jaguars are threatening to turn it into a blowout.
The Jaguars will be missing a key piece on their defensive line in Tennessee on Sunday.
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead will not play against the Titans. Armstead was listed as questionable because of a hand injury. Armstead has 23 tackles, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble this season.
The Jaguars are 7-4 heading into Sunday’s game. A win and a Colts loss would draw them even in the AFC South ahead of a Week 14 matchup between the teams.
Jaguars at Titans
Jaguars: DT Arik Armstead, WR Dyami Brown, DE Travon Walker, G Patrick Mekari, OL Chuma Edoga, RB Cody Schrader, TE Hunter Long, LB Yasir Abdullah
Titans: WR Mason Kinsey, CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, S Jerrick Reed, S Kendell Brooks, G Drew Moss, C Lloyd Cushenberry, DT Shy Tuttle
49ers at Browns
49ers: RB Jordan James, WR Jordan Watkins, OL Connor Colby, DE Sam Okuayinonu, DL Kevin Givens, LB Tatum Bethune, K Eddy Pineiro
Browns: G Zak Zinter, OT Cornelius Lucas, WR Jamari Thrash, TE Brenden Bates, DE Alex Wright, DT Adin Huntington
Texans at Colts
Texans: WR Braxton Berrios, QB Graham Mertz, LB Jamal Hill, OT Jarrett Kingston, G Laken Tomlinson
Colts: CB Jonathan Edwards, TE Tyler Mallory, RB DJ Giddens, DT Eric Johnson, S Reuben Lowery, OT Luke Tenuta
Saints at Dolphins
Saints: RB Alvin Kamara, OT Barry Wesley, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT John Ridgeway, DT Khristian Boyd, S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright
Dolphins: QB Quinn Ewers, CB AJ Green, LB Andre Carter, WR Tahj Washington, DT Matthew Butler
Falcons at Jets
Falcons: WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR Drake London, LB Josh Woods, OL Michael Jerrell, WR Casey Washington, DL Elijah Garcia.
Jets: CB Jarvis Brownlee, RB Khalil Herbert, EDGE Braiden McGregor, DL Mazi Smith, WR Arian Smith, TE Jalani Woods, DL Tyler Baron
Rams at Panthers
Rams: QB Stetson Bennett, RB Jarquez Hunter, CB Derion Kendrick, OL Beaux Limmer, DE Desjuan Johnson
Panthers: CB Jaycee Horn, WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Claudin Cherelus, LB Christian Rozeboom, C Cade Mays, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, DT Cam Jackson
Cardinals at Buccaneers
Cardinals: OL Hayden Conner, RB Emari Demercado, CB Elijah Jones, CB Max Melton, DL Walter Nolen, S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, CB Benjamin Morrison, S Kaevon Merriweather, G Luke Haggard, G Elijah Klein, DL Elijah Simmons
The Jaguars have become a viable playoff contender, with a 7-4 record. Those wins have come despite more than a few mistakes from quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence leads the league with 14 turnovers. Last week against the Cardinals, Lawrence had four. The Jaguars nevertheless pulled out an overtime win, 27-24.
Jacksonville, which is now one game behind the 8-3 Colts for the AFC South lead, faces the Titans on Sunday. The Jaguars then host the Colts and Jets before traveling to Denver and Indy. The Jaguars end the season with a home game against the Titans.
With 14 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, Lawrence has a passer rating of 79.4. He’s second to last among all qualifying quarterbacks, ahead of only Titans rookie Cam Ward.
Regardless, the Jags are winning. They’re in a three-way tie for the three wild-card spots in the AFC, with the Bills and Chargers. If the Jags keep winning, Lawrence could get to the postseason for the second time in his five-year career.
