Titans lose Locker as Jaguars get win

Tennessee Titans quar

NASHVILLE terback Jake Locker injured his right foot in Sunday’s 29- 27 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and might miss the rest of the season, people familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

The Titans think Locker suffered a Lisfranc injury ( damage to a ligament that stabilizes the midfoot) and surgery is a possibility.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the injury.

Locker was hurt on an 8- yard run in the second quarter when Jaguars linebacker Russell Allen hit him. After fumbling on the next play, Locker limped to the sideline and was examined by doctors before going to the locker room for X- rays.

“I don’t know exactly how it happened,” Locker said, “but when I got up from that run I could feel it.”

Locker missed two games after suffering hip and knee injuries Sept. 29 against the New York Jets.

“A lot of times your character is tested through adversity,” he said. “You try to deal with it as positively as you can.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced Locker and led a touchdown drive on his first series. But Fitzpatrick had the ball stripped from his grasp in the fourth quarter by the Jaguars’ Will Blackmon, who returned it for what proved to be the winning score.

Blackmon’s play was one of four turnovers the Jaguars forced in winning their first game of the season.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan gave first- year coach Gus Bradley a game ball, and the coach made sure his boss and general manager David Caldwell each got one, too. All of the Jaguars will be receiving a game ball to remember the victory.

“What I’m excited about is that we improved in many areas,” Bradley said. “On my call sheet I was writing down things that were really good that were happening during the game. They just kept piling up. I thought, ‘ This is how it feels.’ ”

Maurice Jones- Drew and Jordan Todman each ran for a touchdown as the Jaguars ( 1- 8) left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only winless team this season. The Buccaneers ( 0- 8) host the Miami Dolphins today.

Lions stand alone:

Detroit Lions star Calvin Johnson caught a 14yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford with 2: 22 to go, helping the Lions edge Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears 21- 19 on Sunday to take sole possession of first place in the NFC North.

Johnson also had a tiebreaking touchdown reception in the third quarter and Reggie Bush ran for 105 yards as Detroit ( 6- 3) swept the season series against Chicago ( 5- 4) for the first time since the 2007 season.

After the Green Bay Packers lost 27- 13 to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Lions were alone in first in the division for the first time since Week 5 of the 2005 season. “We came out with a victory on the road against a really tough team,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. “It was a hard- fought win. Proud of the players, but that’s the only thing that means ( anything) today. I mean, first place — you don’t get any prizes for first place there, nine games into the season.”

Johnson’s ninth touchdown grab of the season was the 63rd of his career, breaking a tie with Herman Moore for the team record.

“To be a part of history for the Lions, that’s a big deal,” Johnson said.

Cutler threw for 250 yards and a TD in his first action since he injured his groin last month. He hurt his left ankle in the second quarter and looked progressively worse as the game went on.

In the fourth quarter, coach Marc Trestman put in Josh McCown, who led the Bears to a TD with 40 seconds left. But a two- point conversion attempt to tie the score failed.

“I didn’t want to take him out unless he felt he couldn’t do the job,” Trestman said of Cutler.