Titans secure worst record since move to Tennessee

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a season filled with lows, the Titans hit rock bottom here Thursday night.

In losing their ninth game in a row, the 2014 Titans are assured of owning the worst single-season record since the franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997.

The lowly Jaguars made it reality with a 21-13 win at EverBank Field.

The Titans (2-13) lost for the 13th time in 14 games. They'll wrap up a miserable season on Dec. 28 against the Colts at LP Field, knowing they can do no better than the 2005 Titans, who went 4-12.

"This whole season has been frustrating," linebacker Derrick Morgan said. "For us to have a nine-game losing streak. ... I would have bet a game check we wouldn't be 2-13 at this point. But that's where we are. It's disappointing."

The good news? The Titans remain in the mix for the first overall pick of the NFL Draft. The Buccaneers and Raiders also have just two wins, but with two games to play. The Jaguars are now 3-12.

Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, who got the start with Jake Locker and Zach Mettenberger both injured, finished with a career-high 287 passing yards, going 24-of-35 with a touchdown and posting a 102.9 passer rating.

But it wasn't enough as the Jaguars scored 21 straight points to turn the game around after the Titans led 10-0.

After receiving the opening kickoff, the Titans drove 84 yards in 12 plays for Whitehurst's eight-yard touchdown pass to Leon Washington. Whitehurst was 6-of-6 for 71 yards on the drive.

In the second quarter, the Titans stretched the lead to 10-0 on Ryan Succop's 50-yard field goal to end an eight-play, 38-yard drive.

Early on, the defense played well, forcing the Jaguars into three-and-outs on their first four possessions. At one point the Titans had 179 yards to 16 for the Jaguars.

And it looked like the Titans might pull out their first win since beating the Jaguars 16-14 at LP Field way back on Oct. 12.

But then they crumbled.

"We have to find a way to finish," Washington said. "We didn't execute at the end. We played hard, but the good teams find a way to get it done down the stretch and we didn't do that. It's tough."

The game turned as the Jaguars roared to life just before the end of the first half.

Some missed tackles helped pave the way for a long drive that ended with rookie quarterback Blake Bortles throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marcedes Lewis with just 31 seconds left in the quarter, making it 10-7.

The Jaguars opened the second half with a 72-yard drive that ended with Toby Gerhart's one-yard touchdown to make it 14-10.

They busted the game open with Jordan Todman's 62-yard touchdown run, which made it 21-10 with 9:13 remaining.

The Titans came back with Succop's 23-yard field goal to make it 21-13 with 6:06 left, but they could get no closer.

A last-chance drive ended with Jaguars defensive lineman Sen'Derrick Marks, a former Titan, sacking Whitehurst as the clock ran out.

Many Titans fans can hardly wait for the season to end, particularly with the No. 1 pick in the draft still a distinct possibility.

Following yet another loss, however, the players vowed to fight until the end.

"Absolutely not, absolutely not," linebacker Wesley Woodyard replied when asked if he's ready for the season to be over. "It's an honor and a blessing and a privilege to be able to play this game.

"We are still searching for another win. It would be great to go out on a positive note to build toward next year, but we are not worried about next year until next year gets here. We have one more game to play and we want to win it."

Reach Jim Wyatt at 615-259-8015 and on Twitter @jwyattsports.