The Jacksonville Jaguars are AFC South champions. The Jaguars defeated the Tennessee Titans by a final score of 20-16, winning the split and earning a playoff berth.
The Jaguars end the 2022 regular season with a 9-8 record and will host a playoff game in the Wild Card Round next weekend. The Titans end the season at 7-10. This is Jacksonville’s Premier League title since the 2017 season, and it’s only the second time in franchise history that the Jaguars have won the AFC South.
The match started slowly in terms of scoring. The teams traded punts on the first two possessions of the game.
The Titans found the scoreboard late in the first quarter, however. A 17-play, 51-yard drive was capped off by a 51-yard field goal from kicker Randy Bullock, which gave Tennessee a 3-0 lead.
The Jaguars showed promise in the team’s next practice, rushing for 41 yards in 11 plays and driving deep into Tennessee territory, but eventually turning the ball over.
Jacksonville was at the Tennessee 22-yard line when quarterback Trevor Lawrence attempted to throw the ball to wide receiver Jamal Agnew on a backhand, but the pitch was too high and bounced off Agnew’s hands and then the pitch. The Titans recover the ball and take possession.
The turnover would lead to a touchdown for the Titans. A seven-play, 69-yard drive was capped off with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Joshua Dobbs to tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo.
The score put Tennessee up 10-0 with 5:32 left in the first half, but the Jaguars would respond quickly.
At the kickoff after Tennessee’s touchdown, Agnew set up Jacksonville well, returning the ball 54 yards to the 50-yard line.
Six plays later, the Jaguars would find the end zone for the first time on Saturday night. Lawrence hit receiver Christian Kirk for a 25-yard touchdown. The Jaguars cut Tennessee’s lead to just three points at 10-7 with 2:36 remaining before halftime.
The Titans responded, however, going for 50 yards in 11 plays before the break. Tennessee added a 39-yard field goal from Bullock to take a 13-7 halftime lead.
The Jaguars received the ball to start the second half and would be on the scoreboard again. The Jaguars ran for 64 yards in 12 games but eventually settled for a 26-yard field goal from kicker Riley Patterson after Lawrence missed wide-open receiver Zay Jones in the end zone. The score was 13-10 in favor of the Titans at that time.
The Titans responded with another field goal, this time a 41-yarder from Bullock, to extend their lead to six points. Tennessee led 16-10 with 6:02 remaining in the third quarter.
The Jaguars went just five games before kicking off the team’s next practice, but Jacksonville’s defense went from strength to strength. On a play of third-and-17, Dobbs threw an interception to Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell, who returned it 29 yards and put Jacksonville deep in Tennessee territory.
Jacksonville took over at the Tennessee 25-yard line, but could only muster seven yards in three plays. Patterson had a 36-yard field goal to make it 16-13 with 14:49 left in the fourth quarter.
The next four possessions of the game – two for the Jaguars and two for the Titans – resulted in four punts. Later in the final quarter, the Titans regained the ball with 8:06 left and the lead. Nine plays later, disaster struck for Tennessee.
Jacksonville safety Rayshawn Jenkins fired Dobbs, and the ball was picked up by outside linebacker Josh Allen and returned for a touchdown. The play was reviewed to see if Dobbs’ arm moved forward before the ball went out, but the call was upheld.
Improbably, the Jaguars took a 20-16 lead with 2:51 remaining on the clock.
Dobbs and the Titans couldn’t score, eventually turning the ball over on the downs. Lawrence and the Jaguars took a knee and claimed the AFC South Division crown.
Jacksonville will host either the Baltimore Ravens or Los Angeles Chargers – two teams the Jaguars have already defeated once this season – at TIAA Bank Field in the Wild Card round next weekend. Jacksonville’s playoff opponent, game date and broadcaster will be determined after the results of Sunday’s games are final.
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