NASHVILLE--The following are notes from the Jaguars' 27-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans:
Titans running back Eddie George rushed for 165 yards, which marks the third consecutive 100-yard game for George this season and the 26th of his career. "That's a great running back," Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin said of George.
Fred Taylor rushed for 112 yards, his first 100-yard game this season and the 10th of his career. Taylor's 71-yard run in the first quarter is the second-longest regular-season run in his three-year career. His longest is 77 yards vs. Miami in 1998.
Kicker Mike Hollis returned to action following back surgery on Sept. 18. Hollis booted field goals of 23 and 45 yards in his only two tries of the game.
Wide receiver Jimmy Smith suffered a sprained right knee and left the game in the second quarter. He had one catch for nine yards.
Defensive end Renaldo Wynn limped off the field late in the game with a knee sprain.
Strong safety Donovin Darius led the Jaguars with seven solo tackles. Darius was often deployed at the line of scrimmage as an extra linebacker.
"The first thing is that the outcome of our hard work has to be a victory," Darius said of what the Jaguars must do to recover from their 2-5 start. "We're working as hard as last year. The difference this year is the outcome is different. "You have self-assessment. Have I done anything to help the team? Have I done anything to hurt the team?" Darius added.
Guard Brenden Stai believes the Jaguars matched the Titans physically. "Every time we ran the ball we got surge. We've just got to get over the hump.
"I know for a fact that's what our goal was," Stai said of being physical. "I feel like I out-physicaled my man all night. You can go ask him and he'll probably tell you the same thing."
Have Jaguars players become divided in their attitudes? That question was posed to wide receiver Keenan McCardell, who said: "I don't know where they're getting their information. Our locker is together. There's no division in this locker room."
The Jaguars have lost four consecutive games for the first time since their inaugural season, 1995.
Mark Brunell was sacked five times, pushing his season's sacks total to 32. That's three more than in all of 1999, four more than in '98, one fewer than in '97, and seven fewer than in '95. In '96, when Brunell took every snap from center, he was sacked 50 times. Brunell is on pace to set an all-time NFL record for most times sacked in a season.
The Titans' reputation for a strong running game clearly made it easier for quarterback Steve McNair to have success in the passing game. McNair threw for 234 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, though he threw only 21 passes. Jaguars defensive backs were guilty of "biting" on McNair's play-action fakes. McNair was not sacked.
Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse remains in a sacks slump. He was credited for half-a-sack Monday night and now has just two sacks this season. His only other contribution in the game was an assisted tackle. He mysteriously left the field for the locker room in the third quarter. No announcement was made regarding his disappearance.
