Ward throws 2 TDs as Titans snap four-game skid, beat Jaguars 20-15

Nashville, TN - The Tennessee Titans finally stopped their slide, building an advantage and protecting it in a 20-15 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10.

Cam Ward threw two touchdown passes, Carnell Tate produced the game’s only 100-yard receiving performance and Tennessee’s defense recorded six sacks. The result snapped a four-game losing streak for the Titans, who entered the matchup with the same 3-5 record as Jacksonville.

This was not a game in which either offense consistently created separation. Tennessee finished with 272 offensive yards, Jacksonville totaled 294, and both teams encountered long stretches in which first downs were difficult to string together. The Titans gradually established a modest advantage, and the Jaguars narrowed the margin without completely erasing it.

Tennessee’s offensive production was concentrated in the passing game. Ward completed 24 of 39 attempts for a game-high 225 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, finishing with an 83.8 passer rating. The Titans ran for only 47 yards, with Tony Pollard carrying a game-high 14 times for 44 yards.

"There are still throws and possessions we can clean up, but getting the result was the most important thing," Ward said. "Carnell kept giving us a dependable target, and we were able to spread some opportunities around him. After the way the last few weeks went, we needed to finish one."

Tate was the central figure in the Tennessee passing attack. He caught nine passes for a game-high 106 yards and one touchdown, with a long reception of 21 yards. Wan’Dale Robinson caught the other touchdown pass among his two receptions, while the Titans also got five catches for 52 yards from another part of their receiving group.

"I tried to be available and give Cam a good option whenever the ball came my way," Tate said. "Nine catches means I had a lot of chances to contribute. The part that feels best is walking out with a win after we had been stuck in that losing stretch."

The clearest team-level contrast appeared inside the 20. Tennessee made five red-zone trips and came away with two touchdowns and one field goal. Jacksonville reached the red zone once and did not record a touchdown or field goal on that trip. The Titans finished with 14 first downs and went 4-for-13 on third down, while Jacksonville recorded 12 first downs and converted 6 of 17 third downs.

Jacksonville’s offense found more balance between the run and pass. The Jaguars threw for 174 yards and rushed for 120, giving them 22 more offensive yards than Tennessee. Bhayshul Tuten led all players with 56 rushing yards on 13 carries, and Quinn Ewers added 28 yards on seven attempts.

Ewers had a more difficult afternoon throwing the ball. He completed 13 of 31 attempts for 174 yards with one interception and a 46.9 passer rating. His longest completion covered 30 yards, the longest by either quarterback in the game.

C.J. Williams supplied much of Jacksonville’s production through the air, catching five passes for a team-high 88 yards. His 30-yard reception was also the game’s longest. Even with Williams creating the Jaguars’ biggest receiving total, Jacksonville finished with 15 points and remained on the wrong side of the narrow margin.

"The opportunities were there, but we weren’t consistent enough with them," Ewers said. "When you finish 13-for-31, you know there were too many chances that got away. We moved the ball in different ways, but we have to turn more of that work into points."

The Titans’ defensive numbers provided another defining feature of the afternoon. Tennessee registered six sacks and one interception, compared with two sacks and one interception for Jacksonville. Dennis Gardeck finished with half a sack, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles during an active performance around the ball.

The five-point final margin reflected a game that stayed competitive without requiring a last-second winner. Tennessee created enough room earlier in the contest to play from ahead, then managed the pressure as Jacksonville reduced the gap. For the Titans, the larger significance was straightforward: after four consecutive losses, they left Week 10 with a victory.

Up Next

Tennessee will travel to face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11 looking to follow up its streak-ending win, while Jacksonville will remain on the road for a matchup with the New York Giants.