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Tyjae Spears' first receiving TD puts Titans up early in must-win game for Jags

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  • Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff WriterJan 7, 2024, 01:41 PM ET

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      Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter at ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He previously covered the University of Florida for over a decade for ESPN.com and Florida Times-Union. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville University and is a multiple APSE award winner. You can follow DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After trying a couple of trick plays, the Tennessee Titans went to a boring, old quick screen to score a touchdown on their first possession against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, playing for injured rookie Will Levis, threw a quick pass to the right to rookie running back Tyjae Spears, who got to the corner around Jaguars nickelback Tre Herndon, split linebacker Travon Walker and cornerback Darious Williams on the sideline and outraced the rest of the coverage on the 28-yard score to give the Titans a 7-3 first-quarter lead.

Spears would later add a rushing touchdown late in the second quarter. He took the handoff and ran up the middle for the 3-yard score with 3:03 left in the half.

The first score was Spears’ first receiving touchdown of his career, and he now has three total touchdowns on the season.

The Jaguars can win the AFC South with a victory at Nissan Stadium, which would mark the first time they make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since they made four consecutive appearances from 1996 to 1999. It also would give the Jaguars back-to-back division titles for the first time since 1998 and 1999.

A loss would eliminate them from the playoff picture after an 8-3 start, where they would have lost five of their final six games, and the Houston Texans would take the division crown.

Earlier in the opening drive, the Titans used a flea-flicker for a 21-yard gain. On another play, receiver DeAndre Hopkins took the handoff and tried to hit Tannehill in the left flat for a play that could have gained good yardage had Hopkins been able to set his feet and complete the throw.


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