Another bad fourth quarter costs Titans as they fall to Jaguars, 19-13

After 55 minutes, it felt like the Titans had a great chance at their first divisional win in over a season. They held a 13-9 lead and possession of the ball after stopping the Jaguars twice in the fourth quarter, once on an interception by Zach Brown and the other on a third down sack by Avery Williamson. If they could move the chains a couple times, Jacksonville would be sunk or at least be placed under tremendous pressure. But it was not to be-Delanie Walker was stopped just short of the sticks, Brett Kern’s punt was returned to the Tennessee 5, Blake Bortles found the end zone, Phillip Supernaw fumbled the first play the next series, Jacksonville made the field goal to make it 19-13, and the languorous two minute drill that followed ended with Marcus Mariota sacked on the Hail Mary attempt.

For all 60 minutes, it was a contest marked by two sputtering offenses. Mariota chunked together a few plays to make it 3-0 on the opening possession, a drive-extending Jaguars penalty and a nice throw to Delanie Walker on a deep over route helped set up the field goal that made it 6-3 in the second, and Mariota’s first career touchdown run, a 23-yarder he finished with a drive into the pylon, made it 13-9 to cap off a drive that featured an Anthony Fasano stretch to convert third down and 48 yards in Jaguars penalties..

Jacksonville’s drives were similar-a big pass play helped set up both of their first two field goals to tie the game, and the possession at the start of the second half that made it 9-6 was similar to the Titans’ opening possession. Their first stretch of something like success came early in the fourth quarter, after Ryan Succop missed a 53-yard field goal to give them good field position.  But Bortles missed a pass and Zach Brown had an interception to set up Tennessee’s first fourth quarter stab at putting together a long, clock-consuming drive that end with a punt and the Jaguars with a decent look.

Blah game between two lousy teams, so I’ll get to the notes and miscellaneous observations without further delay:

• Taylor Lewan had a couple ugly whiffs on running plays to the left side where he seemed to fail to block his man at the point of attack.
• I’ll run full numbers for Antonio Andrews later, but he finished with 15 carries for 78 yards, including a 26-yarder that set up Succop’s miss.
• Dexter McCluster was ineffective before suffering a knee injury in the third quarter. Harry Douglas returned punts after that.
• Harry Douglas played every snap, including in one-receiver sets. New 53-man roster addition Tre McBride did not play on offense (he might have played on special teams).
• Delanie Walker led the team with 8 catches for 109 yards (5-87 in the first half). Douglas finished 2-16 but drew, I believe, 3 penalties.
• Ripping the line is like beating a dead horse at the moment, but since I mentioned Lewan, I should also mention left guard Joe Looney (gave up a sack on a line game), center Andy Gallik (ditto), right guard Chance Warmack (a couple plays on the final possession where he gave up pressure that flushed Mariota), and right tackle Byron Bell (whose man got the cleanup after the flush on the Hail Mary).
• Dorial Green-Beckham seemed to be the most prominent offender on a final drive that felt like it was moving in quicksand.
• David Cobb got a little bit of work and went nowhere. Four carries, -3 yards. Didn’t look like it was his fault, but…
• Brian Orakpo seemed to have a strong game overall. Credited with 3 tackles, including 1 sack and a forced fumble on a Blake Bortles rush.
• His shoulder injury really limited Derrick Morgan’s work, so David Bass has likely his most work of the season and finished with 3 tackles, a quarterback hit, and recovery of the fumble Orakpo forced.
• Justin Staples got some work at OLB, his first snaps on defense of the season.
• Coty Sensabaugh led the team with 6 tackles. Five came on successful Jaguars plays, and Cody Riggs was flagged for a face mask on the other.
• The pass rush sacked Bortles four times, Orakpo, Williamson, Wesley Woodyard, and Brian Orakpo.
• Da’Norris Searcy suffered a knee injury and did not finish the game.
• Two other possible injuries: Anthony Fasano missed the end of the game, which is why Supernaw was in late for the fumble, and Sammie Hill missed some time before returning. No announcement on either injury that I’ve seen.
• Succop’s 53-yard field goal that would have made it 16-9 came on fourth-and-2. I would have gone for it, but did not expect Mike Mularkey to do so. The punt with the long return came on fourth and about a foot from the Titans’ 24; I was fine with that punt given how well the defense had been playing. The worst strategic decision of the game was Gus Bradley kicking a field goal to go up 6 on fourth and maybe eight inches when a successful conversion would have let Jacksonville kneel out.
• The Titans are 2-8. Eventually Kendall Wright will return, which will boost the receiving corps noticeably, but the defense and special teams have to play almost perfectly for the Titans to win games right now and that’s difficult against virtually any opponent.

Snap report tomorrow.