The Titans come out of their bye week trying to stop the slide, and Sunday’s meeting with Jacksonville gives them a chance to do it at home. Tennessee’s offense has at least shown some life lately, putting up 60 points over its last two games even while dropping both.
The Jaguars, though, bring a defense that has been stingy and opportunistic, allowing just 17 total points in its last two outings. Jacksonville has also taken the last four meetings between the teams.
For Tennessee, the path to an upset starts with Cam Ward. The second-year quarterback is coming off what might be the best game of his young career, a 304-yard, two-touchdown outing against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That kind of production is exactly what the Titans need again, but the Jaguars’ secondary will make it a real test. Jacksonville ranks third in the league with 11 interceptions, and the unit got even stronger after the addition of veteran safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons.
Ward will have to stay sharp with the ball while still taking shots downfield.
The Titans’ ground game has also become a major part of the conversation. Tony Pollard is staying put despite trade rumors, and the decision looks a lot easier after back-to-back 100-yard games and five rushing touchdowns over that stretch.
Still, Jacksonville’s run defense is a different animal. The Jaguars are in the top five against the run and are giving up fewer than 90 yards per game on the ground.
If Tennessee can get Pollard going early, it can help set the tone the same way it has in each of its last two games.
On the other side, Tennessee’s secondary has the toughest assignment of the day. Trevor Lawrence is fourth in the latest NFL.com MVP rankings, and the numbers back it up: 18 touchdown passes, only four interceptions, and a Jacksonville offense averaging 28.6 points per game, fourth-best in the NFL.
The Titans know the challenge all too well after their last outing, when Joe Burrow threw for 462 yards and five touchdowns against them. Tennessee did force three interceptions in that game, but the player who grabbed all of them, Amani Hooker, is now gone.
With Hooker and star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons traded away, the Titans’ defense is in a tougher spot, and they’ll need the remaining pieces in the secondary to create turnovers if they want to keep pace.
In Other News...
Mike Borgonzi Just Put The Titans On A Very Different Path
The Titans spent the trade deadline taking a far more aggressive route than most of their AFC South neighbors, and the front offices latest moves have made the direction of the rebuild impossible to miss. Under general manager Mike Borgonzi, Tennessee dealt away Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker, turning two established defensive pieces into a haul of draft capital that stretches across the next two years.
Around the division, the reaction was much more measured. The Jaguars and Colts chose different paths with their own trade decisions and returns, while the Texans were quieter overall, even parting with a second-round pick for Marvin Harrison Jr. Borgonzis approach leaves Tennessee with more flexibility and more long-term swing potential, but it also signals a roster reset that will be judged by what those picks eventually become. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Just Gave Titans Fans Another Reason To Feel Disrespected
Jacksonville is already treating this week like a transition period, and that matters for Tennessee because the Jaguars are making roster moves with the Titans right in the middle of the schedule. Coach Liam Coen said new defensive additions Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates will not play in the upcoming matchup, with the team citing player safety, time to learn the system and the timing of the trades as reasons for keeping them out.
Davon Godchaux, another recent acquisition, will be available, so the Jaguars are not sitting all of their fresh faces. Still, for Titans fans looking at a divisional opponent that can afford to ease in key pieces while preparing for Tennessee, it is another reminder of how much the AFC South race can hinge on timing, health and how quickly a team can absorb change. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Lost Two Key Pieces Before A Brutal Jaguars Test
The Titans are heading into a tough Week 10 matchup with Jacksonville short-handed in two important spots, after placing offensive guard Peter Skoronski and punter Tommy Townsend on injured reserve. Both moves will keep them out at least four games, and they come at a time when Tennessee can least afford more instability up front or on special teams.
Skoronskis absence takes another piece out of an offensive line that already has plenty to sort through, while Townsends loss forces the Titans to adjust the kicking game against a Jaguars team that has been a difficult test. For a roster trying to steady itself in a divisional stretch, losing two contributors at once only sharpens the challenge ahead. [Read more 🡒]