Punt unit again proves critical for Jaguars in win over Titans
For the third straight week, the Jacksonville's Jaguars saw Thursday night's 19-13 win over the Tennessee Titans decided in part by a big play involving the punting game.
Rookie wide receiver Rashad Greene's 63-yard punt return against the Titans helped set up quarterback Blake Bortles' game-winning touchdown to tight end Julius Thomas.
Greene, Jacksonville's fifth-round pick out of Florida State, was able to take a Brett Kern punt all the way to the Tennessee five-yard line before being brought down. The Jaguars scored on the next play.
"He gave it to me where I wanted it. It was definitely a kick I felt I could return," Greene said, per Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union. "I just had to jump on it quick. I saw it leave his foot and knew I had to take a step forward to receive the ball and read the blocks. The gunners did a great job of holding those guys on the edge, and everybody else was working their tail off to create a crease.’’
Greene's big play was the latest in a series of punts that have impacted the Jaguars in recent weeks.
Two games earlier, against the New York Jets, rookie cornerback Nick Marshall muffed a fourth-quarter punt that led to a New York touchdown. The Jets went on to win 28-23.
Last week against the Baltimore Ravens, Marshall redeemed himself, recovering a Baltimore muffed point that led to a Bortles' touchdown pass to wide receiver Allen Robinson. That score proved crucial, as it kept the Jaguars close enough for Jason Myers to kick the game-winning field goal with no time left after a facemask call on Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil.
The Jaguars will see if the punt game once again plays a factor Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.
