TNF Week 3 Notes: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans

By Louis Addeo-Weiss

With the NFL season an eighth of the way through, week three’s kickoff comes via the way of an early rivalry game, as two AFC South teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, met tonight at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, and when all was said and done, Jacksonville, who had started the season 0-2, picked up their first win of the season in a 20-7 victory, extending the growing legend that is Gardner Minshew II another week.

Tennessee quarterback, former Heisman Winner, and now fifth-year statesman Marcus Mariota, while posting a season-high 304 passing yards, was also sacked a season-high 9 times, with 3 coming courtesy of Jaguars’ defensive end Calais Campbell.

Through three games, Mariota has now been sacked 17 times, with the next closest quarterback, Houston Texans’ DeShaun Watson, having been brought down 10 times through his first two games.

While Mariota has continued the narrative of not living up to the almost Bryce Harper-like expectations ascribed on him after being taken second overall out of Oregon in 2015, season-opening backup turned starter Gardner Minshew has thrived in the wake of recently-signed Nick Foles, who joined the team on a four year/$88M deal in March. Foles suffered a broken left clavicle in his week one matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, ushering in Minshew.

A sixth round pick out of Washington State, Minshew, a storyline similar to Tom Brady, Minshew is the second quarterback to throw touchdown passes in each of his first three career games.

It may be early, but this week three matchup poses some intriguing storylines moving forward.

What happens when Foles is eligible to come off of the IR?

When will Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel opt to sit Mariota in favor of recently acquired Ryan Tannehill?

Could this have been Pro Bowl corner Jalen Ramsey’s last game in Jacksonville amid rumors of him wanting out?