Titans’ Mariota out for season with broken right leg

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. >> If the Tennessee Titans make the playoffs, they won’t have quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Mariota broke his right leg in a 38-17 loss at Jacksonville on Saturday, a crushing setback for a team that had so many things go right while winning three in a row and seven of 10 previously.

“That breaks my heart, man,” Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan said. “Love him. That guy’s an awesome dude. For that to happen to him, it’s unfair.”

With the Titans (8-7) trailing 25-10 late in the third quarter, Mariota was carted off the field with an air cast on his fractured fibula. Rookie Sheldon Day sacked Mariota as he scrambled on first down and grabbed him around the lower legs. Mariota signaled to the sideline as he pounded the ground. Trainers rushed to his side, put on the air cast and lifted Mariota onto a cart. Teammates and even some Jaguars patted Mariota on the shoulders before he excited.

“We didn’t protect him — offensive line, running backs — we didn’t protect him all day,” Titans running DeMarco Murray said.

Mariota was hurried early and often, leading to errant throws all over the field. He completed 8 of 20 passes for 99 yards. back

Bowles returns from hospital stay

FOXBOROUGH, MASS. >> Jets coach Todd Bowles arrived in New England a day later than planned, saying gallstones and kidney stones kept him from taking the team flight.

When he got there, he didn’t like what he saw.

The Patriots took advantage of four New York turnovers to stomp the Jets 41-3 on Saturday and send them to their sixth loss in seven games. Bowles was on the sideline, having flown up the morning of the game after spending time in the hospital.

“There was a sense of relief seeing him in the locker room before the game, just making sure he was OK,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a scary thing.”

Bowles, 53, said- the problem was “kidney stones, gallstones, gallbladder” and that he wasn’t certain he’d be able to make the game at all.