The Titans lost an important football game here on Sunday.
In the process, they also lost quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Mariota suffered a right ankle injury after being sacked in the third quarter of Sunday’s game here at Everbank Field. Mariota’s lower right leg was put in an air cast, and he was carted off the field.
It was part of a miserable day for the Titans, who trailed from the beginning and lost 38-17.
Mariota completed 8-of-20 passes for 99 yards in the game before being injured. He was replaced by back-up Matt Cassel, who finished the game, but was unable to lead a comeback on a day when the Titans fell behind, and could never catch up.
The Titans got off to another slow start in this one, and things got worse throughout the day.
The Titans dropped to 8-7. They’ll wrap up the season next Sunday against the Texans at Nissan Stadium. The Titans need to Texans to lose to the Bengals on Sunday night in order for the game to be for the AFC South title.
The Jaguars got the ball first, and scored on a 21-yard pass from quarterback Blake Bortles to receiver Allen Robinson to make it 7-0. The Jaguars made it 10-0 when Jason Myers kicked a 29-yard field goal with 4:03 left in the first quarter.
The Titans, meanwhile, sputtered on offense on their first two possessions before scoring when Mariota completed a three-yard touchdown pass to receiver Rishard Matthews on third-and-goal. It was the eighth touchdown catch of the season for Matthews.
But the Titans couldn’t sustain the brief momentum.
The Jaguars drove the field on their next possession and scored on a one-yard touchdown run by running back Chris Ivory to make it 16-7. The Jaguars tacked on three more points on a 48-yard field goal by Jason Myers to make it 19-7 at the half.
The Titans got on the scoreboard early in the third quarter after linebacker Brian Orakpo forced a fumble and safety Da’Norris Searcy recovered it at the Jacksonville 26-yard line. Moments later, kicker Ryan Succop booted a 42-yard field goal to cut the lead to 19-10.
But the Jaguars answered back, as Myers drilled a 56-yard field goal to make it 22-10 with 8:13 left in the third quarter. Myers added another field goal from 50 yards to make it 25-10 late in the third quarter.
Cassel completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Delanie Walker to make it 25-17 with 8:42 remaining, but things got ugly late.
Jaguars receiver Marqise Lee completed a 20-yard touchdown to Bortles on a trick play to make it 31-17. Then, Jaguars rookie cornerback Jalen Ramsey intercepted Cassel and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to make it 38-17.
Cassel finished the game 13-of-24 for 124 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Titans.
