Brian Thomas Jr. and other winners in encouraging Week 17 win vs. Titans

Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been a bright spot for the Jacksonville Jaguars in what's otherwise been a disappointing season. And against the Tennessee Titans, he achieved a feat only one rookie had achieved in team history prior to the game.

Before Week 17, Randy Moss was the only first-year receiver who had tallied eight games with 60 yards or more and at least one receiving touchdown. Thomas became the second one when he reeled in an 11-yard pass from Mac Jones in the third quarter to make it 20-10.

The Louisiana native finished the game with seven receptions for 91 yards and one scored. He now has over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns for the season. Earlier this year, he broke the franchise record for receiving touchdowns, catches, and receiving yards by a rookie.

The Offensive Rookie of the Year award is probably out of reach for Thomas due to the encouraging play of quarterbacks Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels, but he strengthened his case for a Pro Bowl designation with his strong outing against Tennessee.

Having said that, Thomas wasn't the only player who showed out for Jacksonville in the 20-13 win. Here are other standouts in the divisional bout.

Mac Jones, quarterback

Mac Jones has low-key played better the past two games. Granted, Jacksonville faced a couple of dreadful teams in the Las Vegas Raiders and the Tennessee Titans, but the Alabama product did what he was asked to do: Get the ball to the playmakers, limit mistakes, and take it one play at a time. He did precisely that in Week 17, going 15-of-17 for 174 yards with two touchdowns.

That statline won't pop off the stat sheet, but it's worth noting that it was raining throughout the game. That didn't stop him from getting the ball to Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington. Add the fact that he used his legs to move the chains three times, and this was arguably his best performance in Jaguars uniform.

Jordan Jefferson, defensive tackle

Rookie Jordan Jefferson has been a healthy scratch several games this season, but he played against the Titans and made the most out of his chance.

Early in the game, linebacker Devin Lloyd picked off a pass. He most definitely deserves to be commended for registering his first interception of the season, and also his first since his rookie season. However, he just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

One look at the play shows that Jefferson deserves the credit for defending the pass, which would then fall into Lloyd's hands.

Parker Washington, wide receiver

Like other young players on the roster, Parker Washington entered the game with a chance to show that he could be part of the team's plans beyond 2024. He delivered and then some.

The former Penn State Nittany Lion hauled in three receptions for 31 yards with a touchdown. Those aren't eye-popping numbers, but he showed lots of controls of control when reeling in the pass and maintaining control of the football while trying not to step outside of the end zone.

Simply put, Washington is proving he can be counted on.

Maason Smith, defensive tackle

Like fellow big Jordan Jefferson, Maason Smith has been inactive a handful of times this season, which is puzzling when you take into account that he registered his third sack of the season and second one in back-to-back games.

This makes you wonder why he wasn't getting more playing time earlier. Perhaps the coaching staff thought he needed more time to hit his stride, but based on how he's played lately, the former LSU Tiger must keep getting defensive snaps moving forward.

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