01-17-2020, 12:43 AM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Jalen Hurd Super Bowl Jersey . - For the first time in weeks, maybe even months, the Tennessee Titans looked like the team coach Mike Munchak envisioned. The Titans had a power running game, some play-action success and even a defensive stop down the stretch. Nate Washington scored on a 30-yard reception in the fourth quarter and Tennessee stuffed Maurice Jones-Drew on a key fourth down late — both equally huge in helping the Titans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-16 and end a three-game losing streak Sunday. It also may have bolstered Munchaks shaky job security. "The second half was finally how we wanted to play," said Munchak, whose team had lost eight of 10 games since September. The Titans (6-9) overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half and held Jacksonville (4-11) to 85 yards after the break. The best work came on the ground, where Shonn Greene and Chris Johnson combined for 181 yards. The key plays, though, came from Washington and the defence. Washington slipped behind Alan Ball and caught Ryan Fitzpatricks pass early in the fourth period for the go-ahead score. He finished with six catches for 117 yards. The Jaguars were in position to take the lead after that, but Ropati Pitoitua stymied Jones-Drew on a fourth-and-1 play at the Tennessee 20 with 5:21 remaining. "We were down 10, playing on the road again, not playing as good in the first half as we had hoped, and all of a sudden this thing could have gone the other way," Munchak said. "It didnt. Were not happy with this season. The best we could do is to finish out the season by beating two division teams. We got one today, finally, and well be doing our best to get one at home next week." Tennessee closes the season against lowly Houston, and winning out could help Munchaks case. "There were a lot of reasons it was an important game for us," Fitzpatrick said. "Just the locker room after, to get that winning feeling back, to be able to get in victory formation at the end of the game and take a knee, thats the kind of stuff you want. "We havent been able to feel that for a long time." The game was one of three on this weekends NFL schedule with no playoff implications. But it proved to be entertaining — thanks mostly to retiring Jacksonville centre Brad Meester. The Jaguars honoured Meester with a reception — the pass-catching kind. Offensive co-ordinator Jedd Fisch called a screen play for the 14-year veteran who announced Wednesday that Sundays game would be his home finale. Meester reported as an eligible receiver, moved from centre to tight end and then caught the screen pass. He had fellow offensive linemen Uche Nwaneri and Austin Pasztor out front and plenty of open space. "The thing that ran through my head was Dont drop the ball," Meester said. "I knew I would catch a lot of flak if I got open one time in my life and I dropped the ball. That was the one thing I was focusing on is catching it. I caught it, got a few yards, would have loved to have scored. Thats something I will always remember." Thing got a little ugly after the catch, maybe expected for someone making his first career reception. Meester ran right into Nwaneris backside. "I couldnt figure out what to do," Meester said. "Am I going outside? Am I going inside? Is he moving? I stuck there for a while and finally went inside and there were a couple of guys waiting for me. I was excited to know I got the first down." The play gained 9 yards and set up Chad Hennes 4-yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis. It was Lewis fourth consecutive game with a TD reception. The Jaguars were up 13-6 after Henne hooked up with Mike Brown late in the first half, but Josh Scobees extra point was blocked. That proved big, especially when Jacksonville was in field-goal range late but had to go on fourth down. "I dont think our guys flinched one bit," Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. "Sometimes, I told them, you cant climb a smooth mountain. Theres going to be roughness on the journey, and we need those spots to learn from." NOTES: Johnson needs 50 yards rushing to become the sixth player in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons. ... Jones-Drew finished with 45 yards on the ground, becoming the 46th player in NFL history to top 8,000 yards rushing. ... Lewis fourth straight game with a TD catch tied the franchise record held by Reggie Williams (2007) and Cecil Shorts III (2012). Kentavius Street Super Bowl Jersey .com) - The New York Jets have named Mike Maccagnan their new general manager. DeForest Buckner Super Bowl Jersey . -- Adrian Peterson remained in a walking boot to treat a high ankle sprain on his left leg on Wednesday, and coach Leslie Frazier said he will not play on Sunday against Atlanta if he cant hit the practice field in the next two days. https://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-M...on-Jersey/ .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to complete a sweep of the Washington Capitals when the clubs cap a quick home-and-home series Tuesday night in the Steel City.Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyrie Irving started ice cold, missing his first seven shots. Hours later, his coach was asked to describe a performance he said was unlike anything hed ever seen. We just ran some stuff for our hot player, said David Blatt, and he delivered. Irving piled up a career-high 55 points with an injured LeBron James cheering from the sideline and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 99-94 on Wednesday night for their eighth consecutive win. Irving electrified Quicken Loans Arena by making a team-record 11 3-pointers, the last of them coming with 6.4 seconds left to give the Cavaliers the lead for good. His 55 points were the most ever scored by a Cavaliers player at home and one shy of James franchise-record 56 in a game in Toronto on March 20, 2005. The fourth-year point guard almost single-handedly extended Clevelands winning streak. Timofey Mozgov added 12 points, including two key free throws late in the game, but Kevin Love went scoreless after getting 10 in the first quarter and J.R. Smith was the only other Cavs player in double digits with 11. All of it came with James on the sideline because of a sprained right wrist he suffered Tuesday against Detroit, which could keep him sidelined for at least one more game. The Cavs improved to 2-8 this season without the four-time NBA MVP in the lineup. Irving went 17-of-29 after missing his first seven shots over the opening 10 1/2 minutes of the game. He scored 28 points in the first half and had 16 in the fourth quarter to keep the Cavs from giving away a game they led by 14. Ive seen a lot of great performances, but something quite like that? No, Blatt said. Ive never seen that. And Ive been coaching a long time. LaMarcus Aldridge had 38 points to lead Portland, including two free throws that tied the score with 27.6 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Irving buried his final shot over 6-fooot-8 Nicolas Batum to give Cleveland the lead and break C. Mitch Wishnowsky Super Bowl Jersey. .J. Miles franchise record for 3s in a game. I tried to contest it, but he made a big shot, said Batum. He had a big night and that was a big shot. Irving then grabbed the rebound after Damian Lillard was short on a 3 from the right corner at the other end and made two foul shots for the last of his 55 points. His previous career high was 44 points in an overtime loss to Charlotte on April 5 last year. Miles Cavaliers record lasted barely a year. He made 10 against Philadelphia on Jan. 7, 2014. I feel like the pace that Im playing with right now is getting me a lot of open looks, especially in transition and pulling up for the 3-point shot, said Irving. Cleveland has won eight in a row for the first time since an eight-game streak March 8-24, 2010, which was James last season with Cleveland before he left to play for Miami. Portland had an extra day off after Mondays scheduled game in Brooklyn was postponed Monday night because of a snow storm. The Blazers hadnt played since a 103-96 win over Washington on Saturday night, when Aldridge scored 26 points after deciding to put off having surgery on a torn ligament in his left thumb, an injury that was expected to sideline the star big man between six and eight weeks. Batum returned after missing a game with a wrist injury and scored seven points. Lillard had 14, Wesley Matthews scored 11 and Chris Kaman had a game- high 13 rebounds for Portland. Game Notes The Cavs recalled guard Joe Harris from Canton of the NBA Development League but he didnt play ... Love was 3-for-15 but pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds ... The Cavs lost in Portland on Nov. 4. Wednesdays win was just their second in the last nine meetings ... The Blazers face Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta on Friday ... The Cavs host Sacramento on Friday. ' ' '