NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Urban Meyer paced the sideline, looking intense as his players lined up behind him Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Everything appeared to look normal.
However, after the Jaguars sputtered to a dismal 20-0 loss to the Tennessee Titans to drop to 2-11 with four games remaining in the season, the focal point Meyer needed to address was not the impact of the franchise experiencing its first shutout defeat since 2009.
It was the notion of tension hovering over the franchise between the Jaguars head coach, players and his staff that was revealed in a report posted Saturday by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Pelissero's report said wide receiver Marvin Jones became so angry with Meyer's public and private criticism of the receivers that he left the facility until other staff members convinced him to return. Jones had a heated argument with Meyer during practice, per the report. Also, Meyer proclaimed himself a winner and his assistants as losers during a staff meeting, according to the report.
''Yeah, calling someone a loser, that's inaccurate,'' Meyer said after Sunday's game. ''I have high expectations for our coaches. I'm very demanding of our coaches and expect guys to be held accountable for their positions, and the times when they're not, we address it. But I assure you there was not whatever report. That's nonsense.''
Meyer said he had a conversation with Jones after he said there was something in the media suggesting that people were blaming the receivers for all the issues on offenses.
''I think I said something like we have some injury issues and some lack of consistency,'' Meyer said. ''We talked about that, and he's great. We moved on. one thing about Marvin, and there's a lot of players, especially these professional veterans, there's a lot of pride. Some guys aren't used to this, and he's one of them. But he's fantastic and we have a fantastic relationship, and I started hearing that, and Marvin looked at me -- he walked by yesterday when I saw something on TV, like a heated argument, and he goes, I guess we're not allowed to talk anymore, are we, and started laughing about it. So there's nothing.''
Though Meyer denied there is tension issue between him and his players and staff, he still threatened any source within the organization who may be leaking information.
''If there is a source, that source is unemployed,'' Meyer said. ''I mean, within seconds, if there's some source that's doing that.''
There was nothing to leak about the Jaguars dismal performance Sunday. They were on full display, listless, unable to block effectively and successful to mount one successful drive. The Jaguars crossed midfield only three times.
Under pass-rush pressure throughout the game, quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw a career-high four interceptions. He passed for 216 yards on 24-of-40 completions for 221 yards.
Early in the fourth quarter, wide receiver Laviska Shenault ran an outside crossing route, and Laquon Treadwell came inside on a slant as they collided into each other. The play ended with an incompletion by Lawrence.
The Jaguars were limited to 8 yards rushing with running back James Robinson ending the game with more carries (six) than yards rushing (4), a career low.
Jacksonville's rushing total also was the fewest in a game in franchise history. The previous low was 12 against the Denver Broncos in 2005 during a 20-7 loss.
With the Titans successfully controlling the clock, Robinson was limited to three carries for five yards in the first half. Robinson was dropped for a 4-yard loss on his first carry of the game.
The Jaguars' offense did not show much firepower before the Titans went to a prevent defense on the final play of the first half, allowing the Jaguars to gain 31 of their 84 yards.
Other than Lawrence's 31 yards pass to Marvin Jones on the final play of the first half when the Titans were in a prevent defense, the Jaguars' longest play from scrimmage went 14 yards on a pass play to Shenault before halftime when they trailed 10-0.
It was the Jaguars' 15th consecutive road loss and ninth straight loss against an AFC South opponent. And for the eighth consecutive time, they lost in Nashville, a streak that dates back to the 2013 season.
''We got enough guys in that room to make it work and we're just not playing well,'' Lawrence said. ''I'm frustrated with the way I finished. The guys in this locker room have done a great job of staying focused and we all trying to we can to go and try and win some games.''
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