Jacksonville Jaguars

Gus Bradley: Jags' defensive effort against Titans 'disheartening'

Published Dec. 7, 2015 1:09 a.m. ET

foxsports

Despite five touchdown passes from Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles in Sunday's 42-39 loss against Tennessee, it wasn't enough, as the Jaguars defense proved unable to slow down the Titans's offense.

In addition to surrendering five touchdowns, the Jacksonville defense gave up 467 yards, including 210 on the ground, including 112 to Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota.

"It is disheartening,” Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said, per the team's official website. “We didn’t play up to our capabilities – the missed tackles, the third downs, the not getting pressure … I don’t want to make a snap judgment right now, but we have to find a way (defensively). We’re better than what took place.”

Among the other lowlights for the Jacksonville defense including allowing a Tennessee offense that was converting on 31.8 percent of third downs entering the game to nearly double their success rate to 61.5 percent.

Bradley said the Jaguars tried a number of different strategies in an effort to contain Mariota and the Titans from rushing seven to dropping more players back in coverage. Nothing seemed to work.

“To be honest, we tried everything,” Bradley said, per the Florida Times-Union.

The Jacksonville defense will try to regroup next week at home against the Indianapolis Colts.