Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. scores again as Jaguars beat Titans 20-13 for rare series sweep

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Whoever ends up coaching the Jacksonville Jaguars next season, receiver Brian Thomas Jr. will be the team's most dynamic rebuilding piece.

Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes, including his fifth in as many games to Thomas, and the Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans 20-13 in the rain Sunday to sweep the season series for just the fourth time in 30 years.

Jones completed 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards, with most of those going to Thomas. The first-round draft pick from LSU finished with seven receptions for 91 yards. His 11-yard TD catch with 7:05 remaining gave him his eighth game with at least 60 yards and a score, tying him with Hall of Famer Randy Moss for the most by a rookie in NFL history.

“Brian just keeps impressing each week,” said Jaguars coach Doug Pederson, whose future with the team remains cloudy. “You can't say enough good things about Brian.”

Thomas also became the fifth player in Jaguars history with double-digit TD receptions in a single season, joining Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Marcedes Lewis and Reggie Williams.

“It's definitely a great feeling to be able to do some of the things I did," Thomas said. “I don't even know all of them. But some of them I heard, just a great accomplishment.”

The Titans (3-13) improved their position for the 2025 NFL draft — a potential chance to land a franchise quarterback — and secured last place in the AFC South. The Jaguars (4-12) guaranteed themselves third in the division.

There was little else at stake in this Week 17 matchup.

Jacksonville looked as if it might make it a blowout, but Pederson’s squad settled for field goals while building a 13-0 lead early. The Titans got back in it with an 85-yard drive to start the second half, which ended with Mason Rudolph’s 8-yard TD pass to a wide-open Nick Vannett.

Tennessee kicked a field goal late to make it a seven-point game and got the ball back with 1:29 remaining. Rudolph drove the Titans to the Jacksonville 26, but safety Antonio Johnson knocked down his fourth down pass at the goal line to end it.

“He was staring down the receiver the whole time," said Johnson, who was benched earlier this season. “Once I saw him pull the pin, I just broke on it and just got the ball on the ground. ... To seal the game felt good.”

Rudolph completed 19 of 31 passes for 193 yards, with the touchdown and an interception in his second consecutive start in place of Will Levis. The Titans have lost five in a row and seven of eight.

“I hope they’re not numb to it," coach Brian Callahan said. "I sure am not. ... It’s terrible. There’s no joy in this process. There’s no fun in this. It’s terrible. I feel it every day I walk into work. I feel it every day I stand up here in front of you guys.

"Nothing is enjoyable about this, so I don’t get numb to any of it, and I hope nobody gets numb to it. And our job is to try to fix it. We’ll do whatever we can do to fix whatever problems we got to fix, to add whatever players we have to add, to make sure that we have a better football team moving forward.”

Jacksonville’s Josh Hines-Allen moved a step closer to the franchise sack record. Hines-Allen sacked Rudolph in the third quarter, giving him 53 for his career and leaving him two shy of tying Tony Brackens’ team mark.

Boris Cheek became the NFL’s all-time leader in games officiated when he took the field for the Titans-Jaguars game. Cheek officiated his 461st game over 29 seasons, passing Walt Coleman for the top spot. Coleman officiated 460 games over 30 seasons until his retirement in 2018.

Titans running back Tyjae Spears was evaluated for a concussion late in the third quarter. Spears, who wears a protective “guardian cap” over his helmet to help prevent head injuries, ran 20 times for 95 yards. Tennessee had to turn to third-string right tackle John Ojukwu after backup Jaelyn Duncan left in the first half with a shoulder injury. Duncan started in place of Nicholas Petit-Frere, who was benched last week and inactive against Jacksonville.

Jaguars right guard Brandon Scherff (shoulder) left in the second quarter but returned on the next series.

The Titans finish the season next Sunday against division champion Houston.

The Jaguars play at Indianapolis next Sunday to close out another year with double-digit losses.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, left, talks to quarterback Mac Jones (10) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Parker Washington (11) and offensive lineman Blake Hance (73) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (30) after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11) dives for extra yards past Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead (91) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11) looks throw a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) runs the ball past Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Myles Cole, center, and safety Andre Cisco (5) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown after catch during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (2) runs the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco (5) and linebacker Devin Lloyd (33) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) looks to throw a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Tennessee Titans linebacker Jerome Baker, right, breaks up a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (4) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., left, and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones, right, celebrate a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 2, 2025--

Cirium, the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, today announced the winners of its 2024 On-Time Performance Review, celebrating airlines and airports that excelled in on-time and operational performance.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250101214982/en/

Cirium’s Annual report is the gold standard for global airline and airport performance analytics. An on-time flight is defined as a flight that arrives within 14:59 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival time. Airports measure punctuality as departing flights within 14:59 minutes of their scheduled departure time.

Mexico’s Flag Carrier Tops Global Rankings

Aeromexico claimed the prestigious title of the most On-Time “Global Airline” in 2024, achieving an impressive On-Time performance rate of 86.70%. Saudia followed closely as the runner-up with 86.35%, while Delta Air Lines secured third place with 83.46%, continuing to showcase its operational reliability on the world stage.

Cirium’s Annual Review also acknowledges the operational excellence of airlines across the world, with five regional awards. Iberia Express, member of the International Airlines Group, had success as both the most On-Time airline in Europe, and the most On-Time Low-Cost airline globally. Japan Airlines ranked first within Asia-Pacific, just slightly ahead of All Nippon Airways.

Delta Air Lines continued its dominance in North America, while Copa Airlines achieved a landmark 10th win in Latin America. Safair’s also won most On-Time airline in the Middle East and Africa. The full tables of results by region and category are presented below.

Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport Takes Top Honors in the Global Airport Category

In the Airport categories, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, the gateway to Saudi Arabia’s capital, claimed this year’s prestigious title of the most On-Time “Global Airport” with an impressive 86.65% of flights departing on time. The Middle Eastern hub further distinguished itself by securing victory in the ‘Large Airport’ category, outperforming top contenders from around the world.

The title of most On-Time ‘Medium Airport’ was awarded to Panama’s Tocumen International Airport - the home base for Latin American winner Copa Airlines, while the ‘Small Airport’ winner was Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador.

Special Recognition of Operational Excellence: The Cirium Platinum Awards

Delta Air Lines topped the table for a fourth consecutive year, landing Cirium’s Platinum Award for global operational excellence. This prestigious accolade comes as the Atlanta-based airline continues to be praised for its unwavering commitment to operational performance.

The Platinum award considers the complexity of the carrier’s network, volume of flights, and the ability to limit the impact of flight disruptions on passengers over the entire year. The airline was recognized for its on-time performance over the course of 2024 at 83.46%, on more than 1,712,529 total flights in 2024.

This year, Cirium also presented its first annual Platinum Award to a global airport, with El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia receiving this prestigious award. The Airport Platinum Award considers a broader range of factors including the impact of delays on passengers, the duration of disruptions, operational complexity, and the airport’s appeal, with a particular focus on growth. This holistic approach highlights excellence across multiple dimensions, setting a new benchmark in airport performance evaluation.

Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO, said: “In an industry defined by operational complexity, we are extremely proud to be celebrating the airlines and airports who have provided customers the most on-time flights and best performance in 2024, acknowledging their operational excellence.”

“2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns. Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on-time.”

“We extend our congratulations to all the winners of this year’s On-Time Performance Review, each of whom has set new standards in operational excellence. A special recognition goes to Delta Air Lines for continuing their outstanding winning streak with Cirium’s Platinum Award for airlines, Copa Airlines for achieving its 10th title as Latin America’s most On-Time airline, Iberia Express for its consistent performance as Europe’s most On-Time airline, and Bogotá El Dorado Airport for securing Cirium’s first-ever Platinum Award for an airport.”

Now in its 16th year, the Cirium On-Time Performance Review remains the definitive benchmark for monitoring global airline operational performance. Powered by Cirium’s vast and impartial data—sourced from over 600 real-time feeds, including airlines, airports, global distribution systems, and civil aviation authorities—it offers a thorough and objective view of the industry. The program is further strengthened by the guidance of an independent advisory board composed of seasoned industry experts with decades of experience.

Cirium’s full 2024 On-Time Performance Review is available to view and download at www.cirium.com/on-time-performance.

Notes to editors:

The results for 2024 for the top ten performers in all categories include the following:

Global Airline leaders were:

In Europe the leading airlines were:

In North America the leading airlines were:

In Asia Pacific the leading airlines were:

In Latin America the leading airlines were:

In the Middle East and Africa the leading airlines were:

The leading low-cost carriers were:

Global Airport leaders were:

Large Airports leaders were:

Medium Airports leaders were:

Small Airports leaders were:

About Cirium

Cirium® is the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics. The company delivers powerful data and cutting-edge analytics to empower a wide spectrum of industry players. Equipping airlines, airports, travel enterprises, aircraft manufacturers, and financial entities with the clarity and intelligence they need to optimize their operations, make informed decisions, and accelerate revenue growth.

Cirium® is part of LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, a RELX business, which provides information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.

For further information please follow Cirium® on LinkedIn or visit cirium.com.

Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2024 (Photo: Business Wire)