In a battle of lowly teams simply playing out the string, the toothless Titans succumbed to the embattled Jaguars in a stunning 10-6 upset loss. The Jaguars put up a stellar fight on defense to stymy a nascent Will Levis while holding serve on offense. Unfortunately for Brian Callahan’s charges, the undisciplined play by the special teams contributed to the effort. Special teams coach Colt Anderson argued with a player over a returned kick.
Toothless Titans Succumb to Embattled Jaguars in Week 14
A common theme reared its ugly head again for these Titans on Sunday afternoon. The defense put up a determined fight until it wilted due to the offense’s incompetence. The coaching staff could point to no horrific officiating blunders in this loss. It was a see-saw affair that rivaled the storied Titans vs. Jaguars Thursday night clashes of yesteryear in the first half. The weather was the only more miserable thing than the draconian football that viewers were subjugated to.
Who is Will Levis?
The Titans consistently drove down the field on the hapless Jaguars, but they could muster only six points on the day due to missed reads like the one below and coaching malpractice.
Will Levis missed a wide open Chig Okonkwo in the flat on this 4th and goal. Bonus Jeffery Simmons lining up at fullback. pic.twitter.com/uC3SRCLAvC
— Streameast News Network (@StreameastNews) December 8, 2024
Levis injured his shoulder right before halftime after Jaguars EDGE rusher Josh Hines-Allen lowered the boom on a half-ending sack.
Trevor Lawrence and Will Levis have both experienced AC sprains this season.
Trevor Lawrence experienced a Grade 2 AC sprain in Week 9 against the Eagles. Between then & Week 13, it worsened to a Grade 3. He opted for surgery in a lost season this past week.
Will Levis… pic.twitter.com/O8u1peQDFi
— Tommy R. Callahan III (@yalltitanup) December 8, 2024
He returned to play after the halftime break, showing no ill effects from the potential injury. However, once the adrenaline wears off, the pain might return from a previous injury, so his season and Titans career could end sourly. If this is the end, it was a brief glimpse of what he could be as the young passer showed signs of positive flashes. The practice reports from this coming week are going to be crucial.
What Happened Next?
Despite all their attempts to secure a loss, the Titans were given repeated chances to snatch a victory from the hapless Jaguars. In particular, the penultimate drive saw Tennessee drive down to the Jaguars’ 11-yard line and stall out due to hijinks by the receivers.
Titans needed a first down and Ridley runs out of bounds pic.twitter.com/SjPITbBEzb
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) December 8, 2024
The fourth-down attempt was dropped on an errant but catchable pass by the usually reliable Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Jacksonville gave the ball back with less than a minute left, but Tennessee ended any hope with four consecutive incompletions.
They Said What Now?
Brian Callahan opens with “a lot of positive things.” pic.twitter.com/gXyma1oiY9
— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) December 8, 2024
This is a new low for a team scraping the bottom of the barrel when the coach says they had positive things. Although true, it’s a sign that he’s lost all sanity and is grasping for anything.
Callahan on the play that injured Levis
Brian Callahan explained why he took a shot at the end of the first half instead of taking a knee. Callahan has in the past spoke about the risk vs reward of going for it in hail mary situations: pic.twitter.com/PuE12X9xMl
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) December 8, 2024
Jeffery Simmons politely unleashes on suspect OL
“I’m tired of saying the same thing. This sucks… I’m tired of seeing our quarterback on the ground. I’m tired of seeing him squirreling on the d*** ground actually.”#Titans DT Jeffery Simmons shows his frustration after losing to Jacksonville. pic.twitter.com/MYPlL31iZy
— 104-5 The Zone 📻 (@1045TheZone) December 8, 2024
A further sign that Callahan has lost control of the locker room is when players backbite each other and subtly call each other out in the media. Yes, the offensive line is an abomination, particularly right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, but unity is rapidly dissolving.
What’s Next?
The eliminated Titans host the Bengals in a reunion for Brian Callahan and Tyler Boyd. Next week, they will be hard-pressed to win against a Cincinnati team playing for their playoff lives. Principal owner Amy Adams-Strunk may contemplate changes before then as she witnessed the horrendous display on Sunday.
With their loss today, the #Titans have been eliminated from playoff contention pic.twitter.com/CATdrziBye
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 8, 2024
Jacksonville will also host the similarly victory-destitute Jets in a battle for draft position on Sunday.
Main Photo: Denny Simmons / The Tennessean-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
