You are using an older browser version. Please use a supported version for the best MSN experience.

Three takeaways from the Titans' dominant win over the Jaguars

Sporting News 12/7/2018 Alexis Mansanarez

Replay Video

UP NEXT

Would Zion win the NBA dunk contest?

Zion Williamson is the most powerful dunker in college basketball. Duke's freshman stud is making a habit out of high-flying and rim-wrecking jams. But would Zion Williamson win the NBA Dunk Contest? What do you think?

ACC Digital Network
Rapoport : 4 players likely to receive franchise tag

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reveals four players who are likely to receive their team's franchise tag Tuesday.

NFL
Big-game hype no longer fazing No. 1 Tennessee

Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes speaks with reporters on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, saying that big-game hype no longer fazes the top-ranked Vols, who play at fifth-ranked Kentucky on Saturday, Feb. 16.

CBS Sports

Cancel

Highlights: Jaguars vs. Titans

NFL

See more videos

What to watch next

UP NEXT

Video by NFL

After the Jaguars beat the Colts 6-0 on Sunday behind new starter Cody Kessler, Jacksonville looked as if it would carry that momentum into Tennessee when it opened Week 14 against the Titans.

While Kessler wasn't impressive in his debut, the inconsistency of Tennessee on both sides of the ball and the return of running back Leonard Fournette gave the once third-string quarterback a chance to give his team the late surge it needed. But, that just wasn't the case as the Titans cruised to a 30-9 win.

One rusher did impress, but it wasn't Fournette. Titans tailback Derrick Henry had a career game highlighted by this record-tying touchdown run. He's now the second player in NFL history to run for 99 yards and a score, matching Tony Dorsett's long rush from 1982.

DERRICK HENRY WENT BEASTMODE!!!
99 YARDS. #TitanUp
: @nflnetwork + @NFLonFOX
+ : https://t.co/DJUityQHC9 pic.twitter.com/wOe7cktiyE
— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2018

Henry's night didn't stop there.

Here are three takeaways from the Titans' win over the Jaguars.

Henry led Tennessee's offense

Marcus Mariota hasn't been the most consistent quarterback. But with an even more inconsistent rushing attack, the Titans have had to rely mostly on the fourth-year play caller when he's healthy.

However, against the Jaguars, Henry helped power Tennessee to its seventh win.

The Titans had only two other games where they registered more rushing than passing yards — a Week 3 meeting with the Jaguars without Mariota and a Week 6 contest against the Ravens. In this game, Henry carried the load and ran for 238 of the team's 264 yards on the ground.

His impressive Marshawn Lynch-esque run wasn't the only record the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner set.

In Henry's efforts, he:

Now has three 70-plus yard rushing scores since 2017. It's the most in the NFL, as he moved in front of Fournette (2) who is the only other player with more than one in that time span.
Tied Lorenzo White and Hall of Famer Earl Campbell for the most running touchdowns (4) in a single game in Titans/Oilers franchise history.
Is the first player with four scores in a game since Patriots running back Jonas Gray in Week 11 of the 2014 season.
Became the first player in the Super Bowl era that has rushed for 200-plus yards and four or more touchdowns on 20 or fewer carries. Henry did that on just 13 carries.
Set a franchise record for the most rushing yards in a single game, beating Chris Johnson's previous mark (228) set in 2009, which was also against the Jaguars.

Now, that's impressive.

The Jaguars didn't find the answer in Cody Kessler

Maybe it was a fluke, but it seemed like the Jaguars might have found an answer to their offensive troubles when they benched Blake Bortles in favor of Kessler, who led Jacksonville to it's first win in almost two months.

It didn't.

Kessler, who spent two season with the Browns before getting traded to the Jaguars for a conditional 2019 seventh-round draft pick, had another low-output game. The down side to this week's performance was that he couldn't turn it into a win. In Indianapolis, Kessler was an efficient 18-of-24 passing for 150 yards. Again on the road at Nissan Stadium, he improved slightly but fell prey to a top-five pass rush in Tennessee.

Kessler finished the loss completing 25 of his 43 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown, but he was sacked four times and only managed to convert two of the team's 12 third-down tries.

Jacksonville moves to 4-9 with the loss and will have to put up better performances to get through the rest of its season. The Jaguars will face the Redskins and Dolphins in the coming weeks before closing out with the AFC South leading Texans.

The Titans have a tough road ahead

Tennessee moved above .500 (7-6) with this overwhelming victory, but entered the week as one of a number of teams that held 6-6 records.

The win certainly helps the Titans remain in the hunt for the final conference playoff spot, but three other teams — the Dolphins, Broncos, and Colts — are also close behind the Ravens (7-5), who currently have control of that final spot. Tennessee will need to keep winning to earn that berth, but it won't be easy because out of those four teams in the mix, the Titans have the toughest remaining schedule.

Next, they will catch a break against the struggling 4-8 Giants. But, they'll have to turn around and play the Redskins before closing out the regular-season against the Colts.

So while the Titans will say they are focused on one game at a time, each game holds major playoff implications that have to linger in the back of their minds.

Related slideshow: 2018-19 NFL season (Provided by USA TODAY Sports)