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Titans take down Jaguars

Dec 24, 2011 - 10:16 PM Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Matt Hasselbeck overcame a pair of interceptions to throw for 350 yards and a touchdown, as the Tennessee Titans kept their playoff hopes alive with a 23-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at LP Field.

Hasselbeck completed 24-of-40 passes for Tennessee (8-7), which rebounded from last week's loss to the previously winless Indianapolis Colts.

"We're still alive in the playoffs and we still have an opportunity. That's all we can ask for," said Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy.

The Titans remain one game behind Cincinnati for the AFC's final wild card berth.

Maurice Jones-Drew gained 103 yards on 24 carries with one touchdown for the Jaguars (4-11). Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert finished with 198 passing yards and one interception in defeat.

The Jaguars took over on the Tennessee 18-yard line after Morgan Trent intercepted Hasselbeck in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville, though, came away with no points as Gabbert's pass on 4th-and-1 was tipped and intercepted by Michael Griffin in the end zone.

Jamie Harper fumbled the ball away on the ensuing Tennessee drive and this time the visitors capitalized on the turnover as Gabbert's 21-yard pass to Jarett Dillard on 4th-and-10 from the Titans 24 set up a one-yard touchdown run by Greg Jones.

The score trimmed Jacksonville's deficit 23-17 with 3:41 remaining, but Tennessee was able to run out the clock.

"This loss is very disappointing. The effort was there, but in the end we didn't execute," said Jaguars interim head coach Mel Tucker.

Tennessee built a 10-0 lead on a 51-yard Rob Bironas field goal and a 55-yard TD catch by Jared Cook before Jones-Drew's 10-yard TD run put Jacksonville on the board with 19 seconds to play in the first quarter.

The Titans responded on the ensuing drive as Hasselbeck's 26-yard pass to Nate Washington set up a one-yard plunge by Harper on the next play.

Late in the second quarter, defensive end Jeremy Mincey dropped back into coverage and picked off a Hasselbeck pass. The turnover led to Josh Scobee drilling a 39-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining.

Following the break, Bironas was good from 51 yards -- again -- and 35 yards away, extending Tennessee's lead to 23-10.

Game Notes

Jones-Drew tied the franchise-record with 62 career rushing touchdowns and established a single-season career-high with 1,437 rushing yards...Cook led all receivers with 169 yards on eight catches...Hasselbeck surpassed 3,000 passing yards for the eighth time in his career...Tennessee's Chris Johnson was limited to 56 yards on 15 carries...Gabbert completed 21-of-42 passes.