Rookie QB leads Jags over Titans
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Gardner Minshew threw two touchdown passes and should have had a third, Calais Campbell spearheaded another defensive gem and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans 20-7 in sloppy conditions Thursday night.
Jacksonville (1-2) ended a four-game losing streak in the AFC South series and avoided the franchiseás second 0-3 start in four years.
Minshew Mania, meanwhile, picked up momentum.
With all eyes on star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who may have played his final game for Jacksonville, Minshew and a second straight stellar defensive outing captured the spotlight.
A sixth-round draft pick starting his second consecutive game in place of injured Nick Foles (broken collarbone), Minshew completed 20 of 30 passes for 204 yards. He found James O’Shaughnessy wide open for a 7-yard score, which came one play after Adoree Jackson’s muffed punt.
Minshew was more precise with a 22-yard touchdown pass to DJ Chark, who was blanketed by Malcolm Butler.
Jacksonville sacked Marcus Mariota nine times, including three by Campbell.
One of his came on a highly questionable fourth-down attempt. Titans coach Mike Vrabel, with his team trailing 14-0 early in the third, passed on a short field goal and went for it on fourth-and-6 at the 11.