In a rainy Week 17 showdown, the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Tennessee Titans 20-13 to sweep their season series for only the fourth time in three decades. Quarterback Mac Jones delivered a solid performance, completing 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-sealing 11-yard strike to standout rookie receiver Thomas.
Thomas, Jacksonville’s first-round draft pick from LSU, continued his historic rookie campaign with seven receptions for 91 yards and his 10th touchdown of the season. His fourth-quarter score tied Hall of Famer Randy Moss’ record for most games with at least 60 receiving yards and a touchdown by a rookie (8). Additionally, Thomas became just the fifth Jaguar to notch double-digit touchdown receptions in a single season, joining franchise greats Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Marcedes Lewis, and Reggie Williams.
“It’s an honor to be mentioned with those names,” Thomas said. “But I’m focused on helping this team win, and today was a big step for us.”
Jacksonville (4-12) looked poised to run away with the game early, jumping out to a 13-0 lead behind two field goals and Jones’ first touchdown pass of the day. However, head coach Doug Pederson’s squad failed to capitalize on key opportunities in the red zone, settling for field goals instead of touchdowns.
Tennessee (3-13) clawed its way back into the game with an 85-yard scoring drive to start the second half, capped by Mason Rudolph’s 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nick Vannett. The Titans added a late field goal to cut the deficit to seven and got the ball back with 1:29 remaining. Rudolph drove the offense deep into Jaguars territory, but his fourth-down pass at the goal line was swatted down by Jacksonville safety Antonio Johnson, securing the win for the Jaguars.
Rudolph, making his second consecutive start in place of injured rookie Will Levis, completed 19 of 31 passes for 193 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Josh Hines-Allen continued his march toward Jacksonville history with a third-quarter sack of Rudolph, giving him 53 for his career. The standout pass rusher now sits just two sacks shy of Tony Brackens’ franchise record of 55.
“It’s all about helping the team win,” Hines-Allen said. “But yeah, that record’s definitely on my mind.”
The game also featured a historic moment in NFL officiating, as Boris Cheek became the league’s all-time leader in games officiated. Cheek worked his 461st game, surpassing Walt Coleman’s previous record of 460 games.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” said Cheek, who has officiated for 29 seasons.
Both teams will close out disappointing seasons next Sunday. The Titans, who have dropped five straight games, will host division champion Houston. Meanwhile, the Jaguars will travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts as they aim to build momentum for the future despite another double-digit loss season.
For Jacksonville, Sunday’s victory offered a glimmer of hope in a rebuilding year, with Thomas’ stellar rookie season and Jones’ efficient performance providing building blocks for 2025. For Tennessee, the loss improved their position in the 2025 NFL Draft and their hopes of finding a franchise quarterback to lead them into a new era.
