A much-needed win for the Jaguars, with the Texans hot on their tail. In the Jaguars vs. Titans matchup, the Jaguars found success in all facets of the game, from defense clamping down the Titans offense to the offense finally putting things together. For the first time all season, the entire Jaguars team has put it together at a much-needed time.
Unlike the slay or bomb article from week 10, the Jaguars will get back to having the majority of their players in the slay section. Offensive and defensive players showed up, and the Jaguars vs. Titans matchup set the stage for a plethora of players slaying in their week 11 performance.
Jaguars vs. Titans: Slay
Trevor Lawrence
Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (16) – Bob Self/Florida Times-Union
Lawrence finally had his game that proves he belongs among the elite quarterbacks. After a rough start to the season, including a disappointing offensive performance against the San Francisco 49ers, where he had the biggest bomb of the season. But, against a Titans pass defense that has struggled in 2023, Trevor Lawrence had his best overall day, including two rushing touchdowns.
In the Jaguars vs. Titans matchup Trevor Lawrence put together a fantastic day. He went 24 for 32, for 262 yards and two passing touchdowns. Lawrence also had five rushes for 17 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, on two impressive runs into the end-zone.
For a reeling Jaguars team coming off the beatdown they suffered from the 49ers, they desperately needed a win, especially with the Houston Texans close behind for the division. Lawrence answered the call of the Jaguars fans and orchestrated the best offensive output in their 2023 season.
Calvin Ridley
Jacksonville Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley (0) – James Gilbert/Jacksonville Jaguars
It finally happened: Calvin Ridley had his breakout game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. There’s been no denying it that things went south for Ridley during his first half-season with the Jaguars. But, between a great matchup and Zay Jones returning from injury, Calvin Ridley was set up to play great in the Jaguars vs. Titans matchup.
In his week 11 breakout performance, Calvin Ridley put together his best stat line of the season. Ridley had seven receptions on nine targets for 103 yards and two touchdowns. He also had one carry for 18 yards. His two touchdowns were 3 yards and 20 yards, the first coming in the first quarter and the latter coming in the third.
Zay Jones has played four games for the Jaguars in 2023 and missed the other six games for the Jaguars. In those four games, Calvin Ridley has 24 receptions for 358 yards and three touchdowns. In the games that Jones was inactive, Ridley has only 18 receptions for 216 yards and one touchdown.
A remarkable difference, so while Calvin Ridley is deserving of praise for how incredibly well he played, it’s something to monitor going forward as Zay Jones has been an upgrade to the overall offense, more so than many had thought before.
Ross Matiscik
Jacksonville Jaguars LS Ross Matiscik (46) – Bob Self/Florida Times-Union
Long snappers rarely get any recognition in the NFL, as they do one of the most thankless jobs in sports. But, this week Ross Matiscik deserves to be mentioned amongst the bombs in the Jaguars vs. Titans game. Ross Matiscik had one key play, that capped off an incredible day for the Jaguars.
In the fourth quarter, the Jaguars were stopped short and were forced to punt. On the punt, Ross Matiscik ran down the field for punt coverage, and after the returner maneuvered his way through a couple of Jaguars players, they ran into Ross Matiscik. He wrapped up the returner, stripping the ball loose, and then got off the tackle and fell on the ball to ice the game for the Jaguars. Ross Matiscik snapped the ball and then got it back on the same play by forcing and recovering a fumble.
Jaguars vs. Titans: Bomb
Tank Bigsby
Jacksonville Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby (4) – Bob Self/Florida Times-Union
It’s becoming uncanny at this point. Bigsby made another mental mistake in the Jaguars vs. Titans game, except this time it didn’t cost his team the game. On a punt attempt for the Titans, Bigsby was on the field for the return team. But, Bigsby lined up offsides, which gave the Titans a free first down.
He’s been a fine player, but the continual mental mistakes and errors on the field have stopped Bigsby from earning more usage. Fumbles dropped passes for interceptions, and now penalties on special teams. It’s been a tough rookie season for the Auburn running back. But, with a lot of the team playing great in the Jaguars vs. Titans, it’s hard to find someone worthy of being a bomb. But, Bigsby’s mistake compounded with his previous blunders makes his inclusion in the bomb section worthy.
Andre Cisco
Jacksonville Jaguars S Andre Cisco (5), and Tennessee Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins (10) – Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
In a similar vein to Tank Bigsby, Andre Cisco only had one noteworthy play that makes his inclusion on the bomb list reasonable. Near the end of the third quarter, the Titans ran a flea flicker, with Will Levis Throwing a deep ball to DeAndre Hopkins. It was a great throw from Levis, but there’s no denying that Andre Cisco was beaten over the top.
It’s one of the first times Andre Cisco has had a rough game all season, but it’s worth mentioning, especially with a dynamic passing offense coming up in the Houston Texans. With the Jaguars vs. Titans matchup resulting in a dominant win for the Jaguars, finding players that are worthy of a bomb can be tricky. Just like last week in the 49ers Slay or Bomb article, a player giving up a deep touchdown is worth mentioning amongst the players who bombed.
Jaguars vs. Titans Final Thoughts
Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (16) – James Gilbert/Jacksonville Jaguars
It was about the best outcome that the Jaguars could’ve hoped for. A dominant win, against a divisional rival, leading up to a massive matchup with playoff implications against the Houston Texans. Many positives can be taken from this game, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Zay Jones’s return has been huge for the offense, and Calvin Ridley is finally emerging as a great receiving threat. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but the offense finding its rhythm after starting the year off slow is great news for the Jaguars.
While the Jaguars vs. Titans matchup leaned heavily in the Jaguars’ favor, the Jaguars managed to figure out some things about themselves. Trevor Lawrence is finding his groove, and the defense is getting more pressure. As the Texans are heating up, the fight for the division is going to be a tough one, and the Jaguars will be put to the test in their week 12 matchup.
