The good, the bad and the ugly — that sums up Week 10 for Florida’s NFL teams.
The good came courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who defeated San Diego 34-24 for their third straight victory.
Tampa Bay has won four of five to move above .500 for the first time since a win in Week 1. The Bucs are just a half-game behind in the NFC wild-card race.
The bad occurred Thursday night, when Jacksonville suffered a sixth straight defeat by losing to Indianapolis 27-10.
The Jaguars (1-8) are off to the worst start in team history. They’ve been outscored 150-47 in five home games.
The ugly happened in Miami, where the Dolphins were trounced by Tennessee 37-3. It was Miami’s worst home loss since '68.
Rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw three interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
Here’s a more in-depth look at Week 10 for the Florida teams:
Colts 27, Jaguars 10: For the fourth time in five home games, the Jaguars were dominated in the first half. This time, the Colts led 17-3 at the break.
Jacksonville had 10 penalties for 115 yards — both season highs — and was flagged for six 15-yard penalties, including one on coach Mike Mularkey for throwing his headset and play-sheet.
Quarterback Blaine Gabbert left the game with 13:21 to go after landing on an already-sore left shoulder. He finished 18 of 31 for 209 yards and an interception, which was returned for a score by cornerback Darius Butler.
Falling behind early doesn’t help the ground game. The Jags have the league’s second-fewest rushing attempts per game (21.4) and are on pace for the lowest rushing total in team history.
Jacksonville’s few bright spots included receiver Laurent Robinson catching a career-high nine passes and Dawan Landry’s first interception of the season.
Titans 37, Dolphins 3: Oh, where to begin? Miami managed three points against a team that allowed 51 to Chicago the previous week.
Tennessee entered the game having allowed a league-worst 34.2 points per game and 415 yards. The Dolphins gained just 255 yards.
It was the Dolphins’ second-worst home loss ever behind a 45-point defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1968.
Miami committed four turnovers that led to 20 Titans points.
Tannehill finished 23 of 39 for 217 yards but with three interceptions, the final one ending Miami’s only trip to the red zone.
The Dolphins had seven penalties for 67 yards with several others declined. Special teams accounted for four penalties, including three illegal blocks in the back on kick and punt returns.
Tennessee’s Chris Johnson (126 yards, 1 touchdown) became the first 100-yard rusher vs. Miami in 22 games.
Running back Reggie Bush and guard Richie Incognito both were benched during the game. Bush was benched after a costly fumble that led to a Titans touchdown, Incognito after receiving a personal foul on a 14-yard gain by RB Daniel Thomas, a play in which Tennessee had been called for offsides.
Buccaneers 34, Chargers 24: The Bucs' offense didn’t have to carry the load as much as in recent wins because the team scored touchdowns after a blocked punt (Adam Hayward) and on an interception (Leonard Johnson).
Running back Doug Martin had 119 yards of total offense. He ran for 68 yards as Tampa Bay had a season-low 74 rushing yards. He also had three catches for 51 yards. It was the fifth consecutive game Martin had more than 100 total yards.
Quarterback Josh Freeman threw two scoring passes — 3 yards to tight end Dallas Clark and 15 yards to Tiquan Underwood — to become the first Bucs quarterback to throw two or more touchdown passes in five consecutive games.
Hayward's 29-yard return of Dekoda Watson's blocked punt with 8:55 left in the first half turned around the game, and Johnson's 83-yard interception return early in the fourth helped seal the deal.
San Diego had huge advantages in time of possession (36:41-23:19), first downs (23-12), total yards (426-279) and third-down efficiency (67 percent to 33 percent).
Bucs linebacker Quincy Black suffered no spinal damage and was released from the hospital after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit. He was placed on the injured reserve on Tuesday and will miss the rest of the season.
Tampa Bay’s Dekoda Watson.
Hayward scored the touchdown, but it was the former Florida State star who blocked the punt with the Chargers at their own 38, leading 14-10.
Watson came through unblocked for his first punt block as a pro. Hayward grabbed the ball at the Chargers 29 and ran it back for a go-ahead touchdown.
Miami’s Ryan Tannehill.
There was plenty of blame to go around for Miami’s loss, but Tannehill’s three picks were damaging.
The harshest was on third-and-1, when Titans’ Akeem Ayers deflected the ball to former University of Miami linebacker Colin McCarthy, who caught it and raced 49 yards for a touchdown.
Another Tannehill interception led to Rob Bironas 37-yard field goal.
Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey on his team’s six 15-yard penalties: “That’s not going to be who we are. There’s no way that’s who we’re going to be.”
Mularkey on his first penalty as a coach: “Really not very proud of it, to be honest with you. That’s not good for your football team, to show that kind of frustration to them, and it sends a sign that it’s OK, and it’s not OK.”
Buccaneers receiver Vincent Jackson on his team: “We have all the tools, so I'm very confident that if we go out there and play our game, which is to take care of the football, get turnovers and make plays in the kicking game, we can be a very tough team."
Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano on the victory: "Our guys played team football. It's like a pitcher. Maybe he doesn't have his fastball that day, but he works the whole game with different pitches and battles through it. That's what our team did, held each other up."
Tampa Bay’s Adam Hayward on scoring a touchdown off a blocked punt: "I give all the credit to my boy, Dekoda. He did what he does best. When I saw the ball live, I picked it up and all I was thinking about was don't get caught because the guys will make fun of me.''
Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry, a former Bucs assistant: "What's been most impressive is they've lost two Pro Bowl guards (Carl Nicks, Davin Joseph) and they haven't missed a beat. That's saying something. You have to call them legit because they've got firepower … legitimate firepower. And you want to know the scary thing? They're only going to get better.''
Miami coach Joe Philbin on his team’s performance: “I didn’t really see signs of this coming. We didn’t respond as well as I would have hoped.”
More Philbin: “That team I watched for [the first] 30 minutes was not the team I coached for eight games.”
Dolphins running back Reggie Bush on being benched after fumbling: “I didn’t deserve to be back in there. I fumbled the ball and I’ve had two fumbles lost this year. I have to do a better job of protecting the ball.”
Miami receiver Marlon Moore on the 37-3 loss: “The best way to describe this day is we got our butts whipped. It’s not a good feeling — at all.”
• Josh Scobee’s errant 44-yard attempt ended his streak of 20 consecutive field goals, dating back to a Nov. 27, 2011, against Houston. Jacksonville’s kicker had made all 14 tries this season and his last six of last year.
• The last time the Jags scored a touchdown on their first possession was last year’s game against Cincinnati in Week 5.
• Jacksonville has lost its last five Thursday night games. Its last win was vs. Pittsburgh in 1999, a 20-6 final score.
• The Jaguars were 1 of 10 on third down, running their total to 20 of 76 during their six-game losing streak.
• Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman extended his consecutive-game streak with at least one touchdown pass to 12. He also became the first Bucs player to post a passer rating of 100.0 or better in five consecutive games.
• Tampa Bay scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in the same game for the fifth time in team history.
• The Bucs had been 0-12 in the past two seasons when rushing for fewer than 100 yards.
• Tampa Bay, averaging 29 points, has scored in 22 of its last 25 quarters, dating to a Week 3 matchup at Dallas.
• Leonard Johnson's 83-yard interception return was the fourth-longest in Bucs history, behind linebacker Shelton Quarles (98 yards, 2001), linebacker Derrick Brooks (97, 2002) and safety Sabby Piscitelli (84, 2008).
• Dekoda Watson's blocked punt was Tampa Bay's first since Geno Hayes’ against Green Bay in November 2009, when Ronde Barber took the ball and ran for a touchdown.
• After committing 14 penalties the previous week at Oakland, the Bucs were flagged once Sunday: Ronde Barber’s 5-yard holding penalty in the first quarter.
• Ryan Tannehill’s first interception snapped a string of 107 passes and four games without a pick.
• Miami ran for 54 yards against Tennessee’s rush defense, which came in ranked 30th (141.6 yards per game).
• Miami’s loss was its worst overall since a 62-7 playoff loss at Jacksonville in January 2000, and its worst in the regular season since a 41-0 loss at Indianapolis in December 1997.
• The Dolphins converted just 2 of 13 third-down attempts.
Proud of my brothers and how we fought!!
— Da'Quan Bowers (@DaQuanBowers91) November 11,
Special prayers out to Quincy Black lets wish him a speedy healthy recovery
#bucnation
hoorah
2012
Miami at Buffalo, Thursday — 8:20 p.m. ET (Odds: even): The Dolphins get a chance to move on quickly from their embarrassing loss to Tennessee. Miami has lost two consecutive games.
However, games in which teams played Sunday and then played again on Thursday, the home team is 13-5 the past two years.
Buffalo (3-6) has struggled, losing three in a row. With running back Fred Jackson (concussion) expected to miss the game, C.J. Spiller should get the brunt of the work.
Will he become the second straight 100-yard rusher against Miami?
Tampa Bay at Carolina — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Odds: even): The Bucs are seeking their first four-game winning streak since 2008, Jon Gruden's last season as coach.
While it’s on the road, the game against the Panthers (2-7) is the type Tampa Bay must win to make a serious playoff run.
Tampa Bay’s remaining schedule includes two games against Atlanta, and trips to Denver and New Orleans.
Jacksonville at Houston — Sunday, 1 p.m ET (Texans favored by 16.5): If the line stays at 16 or higher, it would be the biggest number in the NFL this season. The Jags closed as 15.5-point underdogs at Green Bay in Week 8 and lost 24-15.
The Texans won the first meeting, 27-7 at Jacksonville in Week 2.
If there’s one thing in Jacksonville’s favor, it could be Houston is coming off an emotional Sunday night win at Chicago.
Mularkey said Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) will “probably miss” the game, but safety Dwight Lowery (ankle) cornerback Rashean Mathis (groin) were still possible.
