Jaguars bounce back from embarrassing loss with 34-14 drubbing of AFC South rival Titans

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence insisted all week that he had no concerns about Jacksonville’s sluggish offense.

He promised it would get better. He vowed to do his part. He even expected a quick turnaround against Tennessee.

Few people could have imagined this, though.

Lawrence accounted for four touchdowns, including two perfectly thrown passes to Calvin Ridley, and the Jaguars followed their worst loss of the season with a 34-14 drubbing of the Titans on Sunday.

Ridley finished with seven catches for 103 yards, finding the end zone twice for the first time with the Jaguars (7-3) and doubling his TD total for the season. Lawrence also ran for two scores for the first time in three NFL seasons, becoming the first player in franchise history with two TD passes and two rushing scores in the same game.

Lawrence completed 24 of 32 passes for 262 yards, finishing with the fourth-best passer rating (119.5) of his career after the third-lowest outing against the 49ers.

“That’s one of the cleaner games offensively we’ve played,” Lawrence said. “Seemed like we stayed on schedule, seemed like we kept them on their heels. We did a great job of mixing up all the different shots, getting it out quick, running the ball movements, all that.”

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Ridley took it a step further, saying the team’s performance was weeks in the making and a potential sign of things to come.

“We know we’re an explosive offense,” he said. “It takes time. Sometimes it takes three, four years. It don’t just pop, pop, pop. I promise you we can pop. We can pop good. We can. We wanted it.”

Jacksonville scored on five consecutive possessions and finished with 389 yards. The game would have been more lopsided had Lawrence and Co. not had to settle for two red zone field goals.

It was a much-needed performance for a team that had lost three of four at home and was embarrassed by San Francisco a week earlier.

Tennessee (3-7) had been looking for a similar rebound. Instead, the Titans encountered more road woes in their return to the Sunshine State.

Coming off a 14-point loss at Tampa Bay, Tennessee fell to 0-6 away from home this season and has yet to top 16 points in any road game. Coach Mike Vrabel’s teams have now lost nine in a row outside Nashville.

“When you lose, nobody did enough,” Vrabel said. “We’re not going to have that mentality, ‘Well, this guy played good, but we lost.’ We’re trying to create a culture and an environment that when you lose everyone has to be better.”

Rookie Will Levis completed 13 of 17 passes for 158 yards, with two touchdowns and a fumble.

Both scores came with a little trickery and with the game out of reach. He connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 43-yard score in the third quarter and found two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons for a 2-yard score in the fourth.

Derrick Henry took a direct snap, handed to a receiver, who pitched to Levis, who then found Hopkins deep.

Simmons slipped out into the flat after lining up as a fullback, a play that worked earlier with him blocking for Henry.

Simmons celebrated his first career touchdown by doing the “Griddy” and then spiking the ball.

“For professionals, I think we all have a good mindset of just moving on and learn from mistakes,” Levis said.

VRABEL’S JOB SECURITY

Vrabel brushed off a question about his job security after the Titans lost for the 14th time in 17 games.

“I don’t try to concern myself with that,” he said. “I really am focused on these players. I hurt for them. I played 14 years, won some games, won some championships. I am frustrated for players. I am disappointed for players. I want them to have success.”

KEY INJURIES

Titans right tackle Chris Hubbard (elbow) was ruled out at halftime. Backup safeties K’Von Wallace (concussion protocol) and Terrell Edmunds (shoulder) left the game in the second half.

UP NEXT

Titans host Carolina next Sunday.

Jaguars play at Houston next Sunday.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl