Jaguars vs. Dolphins: Live blog Week 16

The Jaguars head south for the holidays, in a Christmas Eve Eve battle of attrition with their in-state partners in futility, the Miami Dolphins. Follow along with us throughout the day as we bring you the live in-game blog, and make sure to hang around for the post-game coverage if you can stomach it.

Live Blog:

3:48 PM: The Jags defense holds, and they are able to run out the clock to hold on for win #5 as #5 takes the knee. What a time. Merry Christmas!

3:30 PM: TOUCHDOWN! Telvin Smith picks off Tannehill and runs it into the end zone untouched for a 33 yard score. The Jaguars are probably going to win a game. 17-7 Jags, with 9 minutes left.

3:23 PM: So Bortles comes in and the Jaguars use his legs mostly to get into the red zone for the third time today, but cannot put the ball in the end zone as a throw intended for Westbrook sails wide out of the end zone. Forbath makes the field goal this time, from 26 yards out. Jags lead 10-7 with under 11 minutes left in the game.

3:08 PM: I didn’t know how a game could be uglier than last week, but here we are. The Dolphins offense is working about as well as the Jags. Another punt, and the Jags take over at their 40. And OMG THAT’S BLAKE BORTLES MUSIC AGAIN!

3:05 PM: Kessler is sacked again on the drive, and the Jaguars quickly do away with your hopes of seeing any offense the remainder of the game.

3:00 PM: The Jaguars defense holds tight again, getting a sack from Yannick Ngakoue on the drive. Westbrook is horse collared on the return deep inside Miami territory. What a bad game. Still, 7-7 late in the third quarter.

2:52 PM: I don’t know how to describe this sequence of plays without cussing. The Jags took over at the Miami 17 and went penalty, Forunette for an 8 yard loss, sack, sack, to end up at their own 48. Jags punt it away, and we’ve reached a new and exciting low this season.

2:48 PM: Call goes in Jags favor, they takes over at the Miami 17.

2:46 PM: Calais Campbell appears to have forced and recovered a fumble inside Miami territory, after blowing up a sweep with running back Brandon Bolen. The play is under review but the ball clearly appears to be out on replay.

2:39 PM: Offense makes it out to near midfield, before Kessler is sacked once again on third down. The right side of the Jags offensive line is now Chris Reed a guard and Patrick Omameh at right tackle, following Josh Wells leaving with a concussion. It’s an issue. Miami fields the punt at their own 12.

2:36 PM: The Jags start the second half with the ball and Kessler back under center.

2:20 PM: After holding the offense to a punt, Dede Westbrook nearly takes another punt before half time to the house, but is tripped up by the Miami punter at around their 40 yard line to set up a 57 yard field goal try...that Kai Forbath shanks like your young child trying to chip balls at Top Golf. At the half, it’s still a 7-7 tie in a game no one wants to win apparently.

2:06 PM: Cody Kessler has been injured with a right shoulder/arm injury. Just as God intended, Blake Bortles is now at quarterback. He completes a pass short to Westbrook, then is sacked on third down by Cameron Wake who is 73 years old. Dolphins take over at their 13. Still 7-7, somehow.

1:58 PM: The Dolphins are unable to convert off the turnover, as the Jags force an incomplete pass on 3rd down with the blitz getting home on Tannehill finally. Miami attempts a 47 yard field goal...that is hooked to the right. Still 7-7.

1:53 PM: Welp, the Jags had a nice little drive going, getting out to their 40 after starting inside their own 10, but Kessler makes a bad decision to pull back on a screen attempt and the ball ends up falling backwards out of his hands and is recovered by former Jag Andre Branch. Miami takes over and I’m still laughing at how that looked.

1:46 PM: A Dolphins offensive pass interference penalty helps the Jags curtain the Miami drive, as they are forced to punt it back to the Jags. A block in the back penalty on the Jags will pin them inside their 15 yard line to begin the next drive. The flags have been flying more than the football thus far.

1:39 PM: Despite a personal foul call on Miami that put the offense into plus territory, the Jaguars are unable to do anything with the ball as Kessler’s pass on 3rd down to Keelan Cole goes wide. Dolphins field the punt at their own 11 yard line.

1:34 PM: We have hit the end of the first quarter in a fast game thus far, thankfully. Jags will open the second quarter with 2nd &16 following a Kessler sack.

1:30 PM: The defense holds tight, forcing Tannehill’s first incomplete pass of the day on 3rd & 6 to force the first three and out of the day. Tannehill was 6/6 for 75 yards prior to that pass. Jags take over at their own 40 after the Dede Westbrook return.

1:23 PM: TOUCHDOWN! The Jaguars march right back down the field thanks in part to the legs of Leonard Fournette and actually decent passing from Cody Kessler, to allow Fournette to plow into the end zone from 2 yards out. The first time in 12 games the Jaguars have scored a touchdown on their opening possession. Happy birthday, Jesus! 7-7.

1:10 PM: Well that didn’t take long. The Dolphins goes 78 yards in 8 plays, culminating in a pitch from Tannehill to Bolden for a 3 yard touchdown. It was way too easy for the Dolphins offense on that opening drive as they did whatever they wanted in the air or ground. 7-0 Miami. The game is over.

1:02 PM: The Jaguars win the toss, and defer. We will see Ryan Tannehill and the Miami offense against the Jags defense first.

12:49 PM: We are nearing kick off, before we start here are today’s inactives. Most notably, running back TJ Yeldon is a healthy scratch, likely ending his tenure as a Jaguar.

11:30 AM: Good morning! First and foremost, from everyone at Big Cat Country to all of you, Merry Christmas! The Jaguars will look to try and look somewhat better than an AAF team this week, something they were unable to do against Washington last Sunday. Honestly, they’re better off losing, but of course we root for the home team here in the blog. If you missed the big news of the morning, the Jaguars will be retaining head coach Doug Marrone for 2019, according to Ian Rappaport. Ok.