With six games left on the schedule the NFL season is quickly coming to a close. The Titans will need to make these last six count as they are a game out of first place in the division.
The good news for the Titans is that four of the final six games are against AFC South opponents. There is plenty of opportunity to get ahead in the division to make a run at the playoffs.
This is Not the Same Jags Team From Week 3
More importantly, it’s not the same Titans team. The Jags got the Titans in the first matchup in Jacksonville. The Titans seemed to play better on the stat sheet as they ran and passed for more yards, held the ball longer, and had nearly twice as many first downs.
The problem was, they just could not score. The offense was stifled any time it got a drive going, a trend that haunted the Titans at the beginning of the season. Under Ryan Tannehill the offense should have far more success this time around.
The Jags are also on a cold streak while the Titans are hot. The Titans have won three of their last four while the Jags are on a two game skid. The Jaguars have dropped the last two games to divisional opponents Houston and Indianapolis. Tennessee is hoping to make the clean sweep.
Jags Weapons Will Be Through the Air
The Jags got Nick Foles back after he was out for the first nine games of the season after an injury against Kansas City in week one. He had a respectable game against the Colts with 296 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
His lead guy and the Jaguars’s lead guy all season is DJ Chark Jr. The second year man out of LSU has torn up the stat sheet for the Jags. He leads the team in receptions, yards, touchdowns and first downs. The Titan secondary will need to find a way to slow him down on Sunday.
The good news for the Titans is that the running game has been bad in the last three weeks. Leonard Fournette has been slowed way down after a ridiculous day against Denver that amassed 225 yards.
He hasn’t ran for more than 66 yards since then. An already strong rush defense from the Titans are more than ready for the challenge Sunday of stopping Fournette for a fourth straight week. If the Titans can manage that, they stand a good chance of a win even if Chark does manage a good day.
Must Win Games if Titans Want Playoffs
There is zero room for error on Sunday. If the Titans are serious about contending for a playoff spot they have to win this game.
The rest of the schedule is grueling. They’ll have divisional opponents Houston and Indianapolis in three games, both of whom are 6-4. They’ll have a 6-4 Oakland team on the road. And they’ll get the 8-2 Saints in Nashville in week 16.
These four divisional games will be the most important but stealing a win from Oakland or New Orleans would be huge in the hunt for the playoffs. But it all won’t matter if the Titans can’t manage a win against the Jaguars. The Titans will need a strong showing this week.
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