Jaguars Can Talk All They Want After Beating Titans

Fernando Bryant figured a groundbreaking win deserved a high-flying celebration. He named it the Jaguar Jump.

The Jacksonville Jaguars ended a five-game stretch of futility against the Tennessee Titans when Mike Hollis made a 38-yard field goal with no time left Sunday for a 16-13 victory.

Bryant’s postgame antics were as memorable as Hollis’ kick, or the 28-yard attempt Titan kicker Al Del Greco missed one drive earlier.

Bryant needed help getting over the high wall on the north side of Alltel Stadium. The fans gave him a lift, and the second-year cornerback danced in the stands, as the Jaguars (5-7) finally celebrated a big win in a season of disappointments.

Titan Coach Jeff Fisher’s comments at last season’s Super Bowl did not sit well with the Jaguars and their fans.

Fisher likened Alltel to Tennessee’s home away from home, and for good reason. The Titans (9-3) brought a three-game Alltel winning streak to town, including a 33-14 thumping in last season’s AFC title game.

“Nothing will ever make up for that,” said Jaguar running back Fred Taylor, who ran for 104 yards. “But we’re playing for pride. We’re playing so they don’t get home-field advantage. I’m not going to talk too much trash, but it feels good.”

The Titans fell one game behind the Raiders in the race for the AFC’s best record and saw their AFC Central lead over Baltimore cut to one-half game.

Once again, Del Greco must shoulder the blame.

He missed a 28-yard field goal with 3:08 remaining, eight plays after Derrick Mason’s 35-yard punt return put the Titans in position to win. That error goes with a missed extra point and field goal that cost Tennessee a game two weeks ago in Baltimore.

“I don’t know what to say,” Del Greco said. “Twenty-eight yards. Inexcusable. Is that a good word? It wasn’t a good kick and I folded.”

The missed kick will surely be the highlight of the Jaguars’ year.

“You saw the reaction,” quarterback Mark Brunell said. “We were pretty thrilled. Del Greco doesn’t miss many of those. It’s nice to get a break. We haven’t gotten many this year.”

The Titans had outscored Jacksonville 101-41 in their last three victories, and didn’t expect to be in a close game.

“We didn’t go into this one thinking it was going to come down to the end,” Fisher said. “We were expecting to score points and move the ball and try to dominate in the same fashion we had the last couple matchups. We just couldn’t.”