NFL Game Summary - Jacksonville at Tennessee
(Saturday, December 24th)
Final Score: Tennessee 23, Jacksonville 17
Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Matt Hasselbeck overcame a pair of
interceptions to throw for 350 yards and a touchdown, as the Tennessee Titans
kept their playoff hopes alive with a 23-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars
at LP Field.
Hasselbeck completed 24-of-40 passes for Tennessee (8-7), which rebounded from
last week's loss to the previously winless Indianapolis Colts.
"We're still alive in the playoffs and we still have an opportunity. That's
all we can ask for," said Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy.
The Titans remain one game behind Cincinnati for the AFC's final wild card
berth.
Maurice Jones-Drew gained 103 yards on 24 carries with one touchdown for the
Jaguars (4-11). Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert finished with 198 passing
yards and one interception in defeat.
The Jaguars took over on the Tennessee 18-yard line after Morgan Trent
intercepted Hasselbeck in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville, though, came away
with no points as Gabbert's pass on 4th-and-1 was tipped and intercepted by
Michael Griffin in the end zone.
Jamie Harper fumbled the ball away on the ensuing Tennessee drive and this
time the visitors capitalized on the turnover as Gabbert's 21-yard pass to
Jarett Dillard on 4th-and-10 from the Titans 24 set up a one-yard touchdown
run by Greg Jones.
The score trimmed Jacksonville's deficit 23-17 with 3:41 remaining, but
Tennessee was able to run out the clock.
"This loss is very disappointing. The effort was there, but in the end we
didn't execute," said Jaguars interim head coach Mel Tucker.
Tennessee built a 10-0 lead on a 51-yard Rob Bironas field goal and a 55-yard
TD catch by Jared Cook before Jones-Drew's 10-yard TD run put Jacksonville on
the board with 19 seconds to play in the first quarter.
The Titans responded on the ensuing drive as Hasselbeck's 26-yard pass to Nate
Washington set up a one-yard plunge by Harper on the next play.
Late in the second quarter, defensive end Jeremy Mincey dropped back into
coverage and picked off a Hasselbeck pass. The turnover led to Josh Scobee
drilling a 39-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining.
Following the break, Bironas was good from 51 yards -- again -- and 35 yards
away, extending Tennessee's lead to 23-10.
Game Notes
Jones-Drew tied the franchise-record with 62 career rushing touchdowns and
established a single-season career-high with 1,437 rushing yards...Cook led
all receivers with 169 yards on eight catches...Hasselbeck surpassed 3,000
passing yards for the eighth time in his career...Tennessee's Chris Johnson
was limited to 56 yards on 15 carries...Gabbert completed 21-of-42 passes.
12/24 17:15:14 ET

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