Gostkowski kicks 49-yarder as Titans beat Jaguars 33-30
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 49-yard field goal with 1:36 left, and the Tennessee Titans remain undefeated after holding off the Jacksonville Jaguars 33-30 Sunday.
Gostkowski, who hit the left upright on an extra point, also made a 51-yarder at the end of the first half after an ugly performance in the opener. Jeffery Simmons batted a pass by Gardner Minshew, and Harold Landry III grabbed the ball out of the air with 47 seconds left to seal the victory.
This is the Titans’ first 2-0 start since 2008, the most recent season this franchise won the AFC South. They also won their seventh straight against divisional rival Jacksonville in Nashville after nearly blowing a 24-10 halftime lead.
Ryan Tannehill threw for 239 yards and four touchdowns. The Titans sacked Minshew twice and picked him off twice.
Minshew finished throwing for 339 yards and three TDs, his final two coming in the fourth quarter as he tried to rally the Jaguars (1-1). His final TD pass, a 14-yarder to Chris Thompson, tied it up at 30 with 7:25 left as the Jaguars (1-1) tried to snap their Music City skid.
The Jaguars outgained Tennessee 480-354, but they wouldn’t score again.
Jadeveon Clowney, the Titans’ big free agent signee at the end of the preseason, also pressured Minshew into throwing incomplete on third down, forcing a punt with 3:29 left. Then the Titans’ defense came up with the final turnover.
Undrafted rookie James Robinson also ran for a TD and 102 yards.
The Jaguars revamped their defense determined to defend Derrick Henry better after the 2019 NFL rushing leader had run for 498 yards against them since the start of the 2018 season, most the Titans running back has had against any AFC South team. They held him to 84 yards on 24 carries.
So the Titans turned to Tannehill, the quarterback who led the NFL in 2019 with a 117.5 passer rating.
Tannehill opened the game finding a wide-open Jonnu Smith for 63 yards before hitting Smith for a 13-yard TD two plays later. Tannehill added a 9-yard TD pass to Corey Davis on the next drive and threw a 4-yarder to Smith late in the first half. He also tossed an 18-yard TD to Adam Humphries in the third.
TANNEHILL’S DAY
The Titans quarterback set a franchise record with two TD passes within the first 10 minutes. It was his 10th straight game with at least two TDs, breaking the mark he had held with Marcus Mariota who first set the record in 2016.
Tannehill also leads the NFL since Week 7 of last season with 10 straight games with at least two TDs and no interceptions. Reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson of Baltimore and Drew Brees of New Orleans went into Week 2 with six such games.
INJURIES
Jaguars center Brandon Linder went down on the opening drive of the third quarter with a knee injury and limped to the sideline where he needed help to the bench. He did not return and was replaced by Tyler Shatley.
Titans cornerback Johnathan Joseph hurt a leg in the second half and did not return. Center Ben Jones limped to the sideline early in the fourth quarter but returned.
UP NEXT
Jaguars: Host Miami.
Titans: Visit Minnesota.
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Follow Teresa M. Walker at https://twitter.com/TeresaMWalker
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