National Football League
Tennessee 42, Jacksonville 39
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 6, 2015
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Temperature: 56°
Head Official: Gene Steratore
Attendance: 57355

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Three years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars fired Mike Mularkey after he went 2-14 in his one season as coach.

The interim coach of the Titans got a little redemption Sunday as Tennessee snapped an 11-game home losing streak by scoring twice in 44 seconds late in the fourth quarter in a 42-39 win over Jacksonville at Nissan Stadium.

"I think (our players) thought that it was important for me to win because of my previous history with the other team," Mularkey said. "I told them last night no, I thought it was important to win for all of us in the room – the coaching staff and the players because of how hard we work. That's why I want to win."

Tennessee (3-9) was getting close to the NFL record of 14 straight home losses shared by Dallas (1988-89) and St. Louis (2008-10). The Titans' last home win was 16-14 over Jacksonville in October of 2014.

Tennessee trailed by four when quarterback Marcus Mariota was forced out of the pocket and showed off his speed, racing to the end zone on an 87-yard touchdown run to give the Titans a 35-32 lead with 8:30 left.

"Well, I got to the 50-yard line and I was like, I don't know if I'm going to make it," Mariota kidded. "I was kind of looking around and felt that there was a lot of space."

Downfield blocks by three wide receivers in the formation -- Kendall Wright, Dorial Green-Beckham and Harry Douglas -- helped spring Mariota.

A high snap sailed over Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles' head and linebacker Wesley Woodyard returned it three yards for a touchdown, giving the Titans a 42-32 lead with 7:46 left.

"I saw the ball going over Bortles' head and I saw (David) Bass taking off, so I was trying to race to get to the ball before he got there," Woodyard said. "It popped out of Bortles and I just saw it, and I jumped on it and dove in the end zone."

But Jacksonville (4-8) didn't back down. Wide receiver Allen Robinson caught his third TD pass from Bortles with a 7-yard strike, narrowing the deficit to 42-39 with 6:28 left.

Tennessee outscored Jacksonville 21-20 during a wild fourth quarter.

Mariota completed 20 of 29 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He rushed 112 yards and one TD on nine carries.

Bortles completed 24 of 36 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns. Robinson caught 10 passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns.

"(Allen) is by far the best (receiver) I've ever played with," Bortles said. "I think he's definitely special and I think we have some other guys around him that are unbelievable, too."

Jacksonville got the ball one last time at its own 11-yard line with 2:50 left, but couldn't get anything going.

"It is disheartening," Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. "When you look at the defense and we didn't play up to our capabilities. The missed tackles and the third downs and not getting pressure -- I think the rush and cover work together and this game it did not work together."

Tennessee took a 7-0 lead when Mariota rolled right and found tight end Craig Stevens in the front of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 4:15 left in the first quarter.

The Titans marched 80 yards in 12 plays.

Jacksonville answered on the ensuing drive, narrowing the deficit to 7-6 when Bortles fired a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rashad Greene on the first play of the second quarter. Jason Myers' extra-point kick sailed wide right.

The Titans answered on their next possession. Mariota hit tight end Delanie Walker with a 7-yard touchdown pass, increasing Tennessee's lead to 14-6 with 8:45 left in the first half. Tennessee went 90 yards in 10 plays.

Cornerback Davon House's interception at the Titans' 34-yard line after the ball bounced off Green-Beckham's hands set up the Jaguars' second touchdown.

Running back T.J. Yeldon barreled into the end zone on a 1-yard TD run, narrowing the gap to 14-12 with 1:52 left in the half as Jacksonville went 66 yards in eight plays. The two-point try failed.

Tennessee's two-minute offense worked smoothly as running back Antonio Andrews, the 2009 Kentucky Mr. Football at nearby Fort Campbell High School, scored on a 1-yard run with two seconds left in the half to cap a 75-yard, nine-play drive and increase the Titans' lead to 21-12.

Bortles and Robinson connected for a 1-yard TD pass on third and goal with 4:52 left in the third quarter to cap a 14-play, 64-yard drive and make it a 21-19 game.

Green-Beckham redeemed himself for the tipped interception when he caught a 47-yard TD pass from Mariota, increasing the Titans' lead to 28-19 on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Robinson caught his second TD pass from Bortles from 8 yards out, narrowing the deficit to 28-25 with 11:52 left as Jacksonville went 80 yards in six plays.

Myers missed his second extra point when it went wide left.

Linebacker Telvin Smith set up the go-ahead touchdown when he sacked Mariota and the Jaguars recovered his fumble at the Titans' 9-yard line.

On the next play Bortles threw a 9-yard TD pass to tight end Julius Thomas, giving Jacksonville a 32-28 lead with 10:09 left.

NOTES: Titans interim coach Mike Mularkey is 2-3 since Ken Whisenhunt was fired Nov. 3. … The Titans played the Jaguars for the second time in three weeks. Jacksonville beat Tennessee 19-13 on Nov. 19. … Jacksonville finishes its home schedule with games against Indianapolis and Atlanta during the next two weeks. Tennessee visits the Northeast during the next two weeks with games at the New York Jets and New England. … Tennessee outrushed Jacksonville 210-81.
Top Game Performances
Rushing
Jacksonville   Tennessee
T.J. Yeldon Player Marcus Mariota
15 Attempts 9
57 Yards 112
3.8 Avg Yards 12.4
1 Touchdowns 1
9 Long 87
Receiving
Jacksonville   Tennessee
Allen Robinson Player Dorial Green-Beckham
10 Receptions 5
153 Yards 119
15.3 Avg Yards 23.8
3 Touchdowns 1
44 Long 47
Team Stats Summary
 
  Yards Scoring Defense
Team Tot Rus Pas TD FG INT Sck FF
Jacksonville 383 81 302 6 0 1 4.0 1
Tennessee 467 210 257 6 0 0 2.0 0
Upcoming Games
  • Tennessee will play their next game on the road against N.Y. Jets. The Titans have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .222 after a loss.
  • Jacksonville will play their next game at home against Indianapolis. The Jaguars have a W/L % of .200 after a win and .429 after a loss.