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Week 1 Game Recap: Jacksonville Jaguars 10, Tennessee Titans 17
What you need to know
| Jacksonville Jaguars |
The Jaguars were unable to get their running game going against a very stout and aggressive Titans defense. Compounding the challenge of facing a very good defense was that Jacksonville lost a couple of offensive linemen to injury and at one point had their last five remaining healthy linemen on the field. As a result, neither Fred Taylor nor Maurice Jones-Drew could amass many yards during the game. They totaled 31 yards rushing on 14 combined carries for a 2.21 yards per carry average.
Their inability to generate a running game forced the Jaguars into being a one-dimensional team. This enabled Tennessee to focus on David Garrard, and they pressured him throughout. Although he was sacked seven times and under duress on numerous occasions, Garrard remained tough and made some solid plays passing the ball. However, due to the constant pressure, he was unable to get into a consistent rhythm and several of Jacksonville's drives stalled, two of them due to interceptions. Garrard seemed most comfortable with Matt Jones and to a lesser extent, Marcedes Lewis. He targeted Jones the most and completed the majority of them, and got into a rhythm with Lewis in the second half. However, Garrard's miscues added up to hurt his team. In addition to the two interceptions, he lost a fumble while being sacked, on one of his team's few trips inside the red zone.
The Jaguars only ran eight plays in the red zone, and came away with a touchdown and field goal. They attempted two running attempts in goal to go situations, one each by Taylor and Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew was ruled down inches from the end zone and although Jacksonville challenged the call, the call was upheld. Of the six red zone passes, one resulted in a touchdown, to Greg Jones, while two others were unsuccessful passes to players who were open in the end zone -- Dennis Northcutt and Reggie Williams. Northcutt was not looking for the ball although he was open, and the pass to Williams was too high.
| Tennessee Titans |
The Titans won the game in large part to an aggressive effort on defense and some solid running, which overcame a mostly ineffective passing game. Rookie Chris Johnson ran well, not only displaying his speed when he ran outside, but also showing toughness between the tackles. Johnson took on defenders when they tried to tackle him, and did not shy away from contact. He was utilized effectively in the passing game, averaging 11.33 yards on his receptions, displaying good route running and an ability to make defenders miss and gain additional yards. Johnson was somewhat complemented by LenDale White, who was more effective in the second half. Johnson averaged 6.2 yards per carry and White 2.67. Both players scored touchdowns in goal-line situations.
Vince Young tried to make plays from the pocket, only attempting one rush, but was ineffective passing the ball. He was defended well by a strong Jaguars' pass rush, and though he was not sacked, was pressured into poor throws, including two interceptions. Young targeted Justin Gage the most in the first half, and Bo Scaife the most in the second half, with modest results. Scaife ended with good numbers, as he managed to turn several short passes into significant yards. Young left the game in the fourth quarter after being hit while attempting a pass, and was replaced by backup quarterback Kerry Collins. Collins was the beneficiary of some good running after the catch, as Gage took a short pass to the two yard line, which led to a touchdown by White on the next play to give Tennessee a 17-7 lead in the fourth quarter. Later in the quarter, Scaife turned another short Collins' pass into a 44 yard gain on a third and 15 play that helped keep a drive alive and eat up more time on the clock, to help seal the victory.
The Titans only ran three red zone plays, all in goal to go situations. White scored on his lone rushing attempt, with the other rushing attempt going to Johnson. After Johnson's run was stopped for a loss, he displayed good hands and balance on the next play, turning an errant pass into a score.
What you ought to know
| QB David Garrard, Pass: 23 - 35 - 215 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 3 - 2 - 0 |
Garrard never got into a consistent rhythm during the game. He showed flashes of big play ability, but was unable to sustain drives despite having fairly good field position. He did show a strong arm, attempting a couple of very deep passes that were disrupted by very good defense, with one of them being intercepted. When he was able to set his feet, Garrard stood in the face of the pass rush pressure and completed some tough throws, showing good touch in addition to the arm strength. Because he was forced to try to direct a one-dimensional offense as a result of his team being unable to run successfully, he faced an aggressive Titans' pass defense that sacked him seven times, intercepted him twice and forced him to lose a fumble.
| RB Fred Taylor, Rush: 9 - 18 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) |
Taylor did not have any holes to run through on his rushing attempts, and was not a factor in this game. He did have an opportunity in the red zone, but the pass was thrown behind him at the six yard line.
| RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 5 - 13 - 0, Rec: 4 - 37 - 0 (4 targets) |
Jones-Drew only had five rushing attempts, and did not have many opportunities to gain significant yards on the ground, although he was ruled inches short of the end zone on one play. He caught all of his targets and managed to show his explosiveness and shiftiness on a couple receptions to gain yards after securing the pass.
| RB Greg Jones, Rec: 3 - 13 - 1 (3 targets) |
Jones caught all three of the short passes thrown to him, and turned one of them into a touchdown. He was on the field mostly as a blocker.
| WR Matt Jones, Rec: 6 - 80 - 0 (10 targets) |
Jones was the most targeted player, and did a good job of running after the catch. Seven of the passes thrown to him were in the intermediate range, and he displayed good hands and use of his height to catch the ball, then gain yards afterwards. While he did not show explosiveness, he ran his routes well and managed to get open the majority of the time.
| WR Troy Williamson, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (5 targets) |
Williamson caught the two short passes thrown to him, but was unable to catch the deep passes thrown to him. He was double-covered on one of them, another one was uncatchable, and the third deep pass was intercepted thanks to a great play by the Titans' cornerback covering him.
| WR Reggie Williams, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (4 targets) |
Williams was targeted exclusively on short passes, and was open for one of them in the end zone. However, the ball was thrown too high for him to get his hands on it.
| WR Dennis Northcutt, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (3 targets) |
Northcutt was not involved much, and his best play was turning a short pass into a 13 yard gain by making a defender miss him after he caught the ball.
| TE Marcedes Lewis, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (4 targets) |
Lewis was the only tight end targeted in the game. He caught all four of his targets, but one of them was ruled incomplete as the officials said he trapped the ball on the field. On that play as well as his other receptions, he showed a good ability to get open by running good routes and using his length to go after the passes.
| PK Josh Scobee 1 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points |
Scobee made his only point after attempt, and one of his two field goal attempts. His made field goal was from 27 yards, and he missed a 37 yard attempt, which went directly over the goal post instead of through it.
| JAX Rush Defense |
Jacksonville's defense had a hard time stopping Chris Johnson before he gained yards past the line of scrimmage. Although they prevented him from breaking off very long running plays, he was able to get past the first line of defenders most of the time. The Jaguars had more success stopping the more power-oriented LenDale White, but still allowed him to score easily from two yards out. Jacksonville's defenders did not have many stops at or behind the line of scrimmage.
| JAX Pass Defense |
Jacksonville's pass rush was aggressive but did not record any sacks on Tennessee's quarterbacks, but managed to record two interceptions against Young. However, they blitzed frequently in an attempt to generate more pressure, and as a result gave up some short completions that were converted into long gains, including some crucial ones late in the fourth quarter that led to the Titans first increasing their lead and then taking additional time off the clock to help preserve the win.
| QB Vince Young, Pass: 12 - 22 - 110 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0 |
Young did not get into much of a rhythm during the game. He attempted four deep passes, but missed his intended receiver on three of them. He was better on his shorter passes, mostly to Chris Johnson and Bo Scaife, but was mostly off the mark. His touchdown pass was more the result of a good catch of a slightly errant throw and excellent running after the catch. He was hit in the fourth quarter while making a pass, and left the game as a result of an injury to his left knee. Young remained seated on the sideline for most of the remainder of the game, leaving on a cart with 59 seconds remaining in the game.
| QB Kerry Collins, Pass: 2 - 2 - 65 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 |
Collins entered the game in the fourth quarter due to an injury to Young, and completed both of his pass attempts to help Tennessee to the win. He made two short, but accurate throws in traffic that his receivers turned into significant yardage. One of his passes was taken to the two yard line, with the Titans scoring a touchdown on the ensuing play, while the other one came on a third and 15 play later that was turned into a 44 yard gain.
| RB Chris Johnson, Rush: 15 - 93 - 0, Rec: 3 - 34 - 1 (4 targets) |
Johnson was very productive in his regular season debut. He ran with power between the tackles, and took on would-be tacklers head on. He also displayed excellent acceleration through the holes and elusiveness once in the open field, as well as good route running. Johnson was asked to run a variety of routes, and the only target he did not catch was thrown too high. Johnson showed excellent hands on his touchdown catch, catching a pass that was off target, regaining his balance after securing the ball, and accelerating quickly enough into the end zone before the defense could get to him.
| RB LenDale White, Rush: 15 - 40 - 1 (1 targets) |
White was ineffective early, but managed to fight through some tackles in the second half and gain some yards after contact. While he did not have any explosive runs, White was effective in short yardage situations, and converted one such opportunity into a touchdown.
| RB Ahmard Hall, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) |
Hall was utilized mostly as a blocker, and caught the one short pass thrown to him.
| WR Justin Gage, Rec: 2 - 25 - 0 (6 targets) |
Gage received five of his targets in the first half. He was utilized mostly on short and intermediate routes, and had some chances near the end zone. He was overthrown at the three yard line, and was forced out at the two yard line on another play after turning a short pass into good yardage. He did, however drop a catchable pass and another pass intended for him was intercepted. Gage ran good routes, and managed to get open deep once in part to his route running but was overthrown.
| WR Brandon Jones, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) |
Jones was not involved much, only targeted once on a short pass play.
| WR Justin McCareins (5 targets) |
McCareins was targeted deep twice and on intermediate routes three times, but was unable to secure any catches. He managed to get a penalty called on his defender on one play, was called for a penalty on another one, dropped one pass and was overthrown on the other two.
| TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 6 - 105 - 0 (6 targets) |
Scaife displayed excellent running after the catch skills, turning several short passes into significant gains. Five of his targets came in the second half, and he turned two of them into crucial first downs in the fourth quarter, including a 44 yard run where he made several Jaguars' defenders miss.
| TE Alge Crumpler, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) |
Crumpler's first target came early in the fourth quarter, and he was not much of a factor.
| PK Rob Bironas 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points |
Bironas made both of his point after attempts, and his lone field goal attempt, which was from 47 yards.
| TEN Rush Defense |
Tennessee's rush defense was outstanding. They did not allow many rushing lanes, and held both of Jacksonville's running backs to a combined 2.21 yards per carry average. They also corralled David Garrard and prevented him from using his running ability. Thanks to the dominance of the Titans' rush defense, they forced the Jaguars to become a one-dimensional offensive team, which played into the hands of their pass defense.
| TEN Pass Defense |
Tennessee's pass defense was also outstanding. They applied constant pressure to Garrard, sacking the mobile quarterback seven times, intercepting him twice, and forcing hurried throws several other times. Their tacking was outstanding, and they did not allow Jacksonville's receivers to get behind them. The Titans' front seven spent a large part of the game in the Jaguars' backfield, and managed to disrupt a lot of Jacksonville's offensive plays.
