Jacksonville Jaguars Aim to End Skid Against Tennessee Titans at Home

Both Teams Looking to Rebound in AFC South Clash

This Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars will head to Nashville to face off against the Tennessee Titans in a pivotal AFC South showdown. Both teams, long eliminated from playoff contention, are looking to end the season on a high note, with the Jaguars desperately trying to break a five-game losing streak and the Titans hoping to recover after a devastating road loss.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Struggling to Find Momentum

The Jacksonville Jaguars have found themselves in freefall, losing five straight games, including a narrow 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans last Sunday. With the defeat, the Jaguars now sit at 2-10, firmly in the basement of the AFC South, their playoff hopes dashed.

In their most recent game against Houston, the Jaguars never held a lead and struggled to find consistency on either side of the ball. While they outgained the Texans in total yardage (373 yards to Houston’s 326), Jacksonville was unable to sustain drives, committing the only turnover of the game. A critical 17-point unanswered run by Houston in the second half put Jacksonville in a hole they couldn’t climb out of, despite a valiant rally that brought them within three points late in the fourth quarter.

This season, Jacksonville has struggled across the board. Their offense ranks 25th in both passing (196.4 yards per game) and rushing (101.3 yards per game), while they also sit at 25th in scoring offense, averaging just 19.0 points per contest. Defensively, the Jaguars have been even worse, allowing an average of 28.3 points per game, which ranks them 29th in the NFL.

Trevor Lawrence, who has had an up-and-down season, has thrown for 2,045 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. However, with Lawrence placed on injured reserve due to a concussion sustained in the Texans game, the Jaguars will be forced to rely on backup quarterback Mac Jones. Jones has had limited success this season, with just 512 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in limited action.

The running game has been led by Travis Etienne Jr., who has rushed for 371 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tight end Evan Engram and wide receiver Christian Kirk have provided reliable targets for Lawrence (and now Jones), but overall, the Jaguars offense has been too inconsistent to be a serious threat.

In terms of injuries, Jacksonville will also be monitoring several key players, including cornerback Tyson Campbell (thigh) and linebacker Yasir Abdullah (hamstring), both of whom are crucial to the Jaguars’ defensive efforts.

Tennessee Titans: Hoping to Recover After Humbling Loss

The Tennessee Titans are in a similar position, sitting at 3-10 on the season after a brutal 42-19 loss to the Washington Commanders last week. That defeat all but eliminated them from playoff contention, and a loss here could seal their fate, as they would be mathematically out of the race.

Against Washington, the Titans were completely overwhelmed early, falling behind 28-0 in the first half. Despite a brief rally that brought them within 15 points, the Titans never threatened Washington, ultimately being outgained 463 yards to 245. Tennessee’s defense gave up 29 first downs and allowed Washington to dominate time of possession, holding the ball for over 40 minutes compared to just 19 minutes for the Titans.

Offensively, Tennessee has struggled mightily in 2024, ranking 30th in passing yards per game (185.9) and 28th in scoring offense (18.4 points per game). Despite this, Derrick Henry remains a constant threat on the ground, having rushed for 835 yards and 4 touchdowns. He will be the focal point of Tennessee’s offense against Jacksonville, who have shown vulnerabilities against the run. However, quarterback Will Levis’ struggles to find consistency in the passing game have put even more pressure on the run game to carry the load. Levis has passed for 1,659 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions, and his ability to generate big plays will be a key factor in the Titans’ success.

Wide receivers Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Calvin Ridley will look to step up in the passing game, but the Titans’ offense has been largely stagnant this season. The defense hasn’t been much better, ranking 27th in points allowed (27.7 per game), and Tennessee’s ability to limit Jacksonville’s scoring will be crucial if they want to avoid a second straight loss.

Tennessee’s injury report includes linebacker James Williams (knee), cornerback Roger McCreary (shoulder), and guard Peter Skoronski (foot), all of whom missed practice early in the week. These injuries could affect the Titans’ depth, especially on defense, where they’ll need all hands on deck to stop Jacksonville’s offense.

Conclusion

One of the most intriguing storylines of this matchup will be whether the Titans can capitalize on Jacksonville’s defense, which has been one of the worst in the league. Tennessee will likely focus on establishing Derrick Henry early and often, using the run game to control the clock and keep Jacksonville’s offense off the field. If Henry can find running lanes and get into a rhythm, it will allow Levis to operate more effectively through the air. The Titans’ offensive line will need to provide strong protection for Levis while opening up running lanes for Henry, especially given the Jaguars’ struggles with both pass rush and run defense.

On the flip side, Jacksonville’s best hope lies in Trevor Lawrence’s absence and the ability of their backup quarterbacks to step up. With Mac Jones now under center, the Jaguars will need to get creative offensively, relying on short, quick passes to keep the chains moving. Without a reliable running game, Jacksonville will need to exploit mismatches in the passing game, with Engram and Kirk providing the primary weapons in the aerial attack.

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