San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (10) sets to pass against the Tennessee Titans in the second half at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on December 17, 2017. File photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI |
License Photo
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, leading the San Francisco 49ers to their fourth consecutive victory, a 44-33 win against the playoff-bound Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jaguars (10-5) clinched their first-ever AFC South crown with around six minutes left in the first quarter when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans 27-23. The Jaguars' division title is their first since 1999 when they won the AFC Central. They will host a playoff game for the first time since 2000, and they still have a chance of earning a first-round bye.
The 49ers set a season high for points scored and the Jaguars a season high for points allowed.
Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles completed 32 of 50 passes for 382 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions, including a 50-yard pick-six by 49ers cornerback Dontae Johnson.
Cornerbacks K'Waun Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon also had interceptions for the 49ers (5-10), who are 4-0 since Garoppolo became the starter.
Garoppolo completed 21 of 30 passes with touchdowns to wide receiver Trent Taylor and tight end George Kittle. He was picked off once.
Jacksonville, which trailed 16-0 early in the second quarter, took its first and only lead of the game at 19-16 on Josh Lambo's 45-yard field goal with 10:57 left in the third quarter.
The 49ers scored the next 21 consecutive points to take control.
The Jaguars' next drive ended when Williams made a leaping, one-handed interception of a Bortles pass and returned 27 yards to the Jacksonville 26.
Five plays later, Garoppolo hit Kittle over the middle with an 8-yard touchdown pass, giving the 49ers a 23-19 lead with 6:46 left in the third.
The 49ers extended their lead to 30-19 with 10:39 left to play on Garoppolo's 5-yard TD pass to Taylor.
Witherspoon set up San Francisco's next touchdown with an interception and 23-yard return to the Jacksonville 18. Three plays later, Carlos Hyde scored on a 6-yard run, making it 37-19 with 8:59 left.
Jacksonville cut the deficit to 37-27 on T.J. Yeldon's 1-yard touchdown run and Bortles' two-point pass to Ben Koyack with 2:17 left.
Jacksonville linebacker Lerentee McCray recovered an onside kick, and Bortles threw an 11-yard TD pass to James O'Shaughnessy with 1:50 left, but Lambo missed the PAT, leaving the 49ers' lead at 37-33.
Lambo's onside kick went out of bounds, and the 49ers took over at their 49 with 1:49 left. Running back Matt Breida scored on a 30-yard run for the 49ers with 1:24 left.
Jaguars wide receiver Keelan Cole caught six passes for 108 yards.
NOTES: Jaguars WRs Allen Hurns (ankle) and Marqise Lee (ankle) were inactive. ... Jacksonville LT Cam Robinson (abdomen strain) left the game early in the second quarter and did not return. ... Jaguars OLB Blair Brown sustained a concussion in the second quarter and did not return. ... San Francisco FB Kyle Juszczyk had five catches for 76 yards, leading the team in both categories. ... Niners RB Matt Breida carried 11 times for 74 yards and one touchdown.
