Jacksonville Jaguars clinch AFC South title and playoff spot with late 20-16 win over Tennessee Titans

The final NFL Sunday of the regular season sees the Patriots travel to the Bills, needing a win to book a playoff spot; the Eagles can clinch the NFC No 1 seed with a home win over the Giants and the Packers host the Lions as part of a ‘wild card’ battle – live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm

Josh Allen returned a fumble for a touchdown with just under three minutes remaining to give the Jacksonville Jaguars the go-ahead score that took them to a 20-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans and a first playoff berth since 2017.

Story of the Game

The victory on Saturday night clinched the AFC South division title for the Jaguars (9-8) over the Titans (7-10), who suffered a seventh-straight loss. Jacksonville, meanwhile, have now won five in a row and will host either the Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) or the Baltimore Ravens (10-6) on Super Wild Card Weekend next week.

Rayshawn Jenkins delivered the key strip-sack of Titans quarterback Josh Dobbs with two minutes and 51 seconds left of the game, with Allen scooping the ball up and taking it 37 yards to the house for the decisive TD.

It was Jacksonville’s first lead of the game, with Tennessee controlling the ball for over 36 minutes and outgaining the Jaguars 312 yards to 222 on offense, with 109 of those coming from star running back Derrick Henry (off 30 carries). He had 71 rushing yards in the first half alone to build the Titans a 13-7 lead at the break.

Randy Bullock opened the scoring with a 51-yard field goal in the first quarter, before a Jacksonville turnover set up a Titans touchdown in the second.

The Jaguars attempted a trick play but Trevor Lawrence’s pitch to Jamal Agnew on the reverse was high and Tennessee’s Rashad Weaver recovered the loose football. Seven plays later, Dobbs tossed a 21-yard scoring pass to Chigoziem Okonkwo to make it 10-0.

Agnew returned the ensuing kick-off 54 yards to ignite Jacksonville, and Lawrence reduced the deficit with a 25-yard scoring strike to Christian Kirk, before a further kick from the boot of Bullock put Tennessee up by six as time expired on the first half.

Trevor Lawrence completed 20 of 32 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown for Jacksonville. Kirk had six receptions for 99 yards and that one score.

Dobbs was 20-of-29 passing for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his second career start.

Tyson Campbell claimed the Dobbs pick late in the third quarter and returned it 29 yards to the Tennessee 25-yard line. The Jaguars failed to take advantage of the stellar field position and were forced to settle for a Riley Patterson field goal that reduced the deficit to 16-13 early in the fourth quarter.

Jacksonville’s defense stepped up again when it mattered most, Allen firstly with the scoop and score to see them ahead, before they then stopped Tennessee on downs on the ensuing possession, leaving the offense run off the remaining 90 seconds on the clock for the win.

Lawrence now leads the Jaguars into the postseason in only his second season in the NFL, capping a remarkable turnaround for a team which was a combined 4-29 over the past two seasons.

Stats leaders

Titans

• Passing: Joshua Dobbs, 20/29, 179 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Rushing: Derrick Henry, 30 carries, 109 yards
• Receiving: Chigoziem Okonkwo, three catches, 42 yards, 1 TD

Jaguars

• Passing: Trevor Lawrence, 20/32, 212 yards, 1 TD
• Rushing: Travis Etienne Jr., seven carries, 17 yards
• Receiving: Christian Kirk, six catches, 99 yards, 1 TD

What’s next?

The New England Patriots (8-8) need to win to ensure a playoff place in the AFC as they travel to the Buffalo Bills (12-3) on the final NFL Sunday of the 2022 regular season – live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm.

The game will be the Bills’ first following the cardiac arrest suffered by Damar Hamlin on the field during their game against the Bengals on Monday night. Hamlin tweeted on Saturday for the first time since, saying he was “thankful for everyone who has reached out and prayed”.

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Neil Reynolds, Jason Bell, Phoebe Schecter and Jeff Reinebold reflect on an emotional week following the cardiac arrest suffered by Damar Hamlin on the field in the Bills’ game against the Bengals on Monday night.

Following the action in Buffalo, we head to Philadelphia for the Eagles‘ (13-3) season-ender against the New York Giants (9-6-1) – kick-off, 9.25pm. The home side need to win to wrap up the No 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-advantage through the playoffs. The Giants, meanwhile, are already assured of the No 6 seed in the NFC.

Rounding off the Sunday evening triple-header, we join our friends at NBC for Football Night in America and a massive game at Lambeau Field as the Green Bay Packers (8-8) host the Detroit Lions (8-8) – kick-off, 1.20am, Monday. The Packers clinch a playoff spot with a win, while a Lions victory would see them claim the last remaining wild card place in the NFC, provided the Seattle Seahawks lose their earlier game to the Los Angeles Rams.

As well as the live action over on Sky Sports NFL and Main Event, you can keep up-to-date with the events in all of the other games via NFL RedZone on Sky Sports Mix (from 6pm) as playoff places are won and lost on the final day of the regular season.

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