There may not be a better feel-good team in the NFL than the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After escaping from the hellish environment created by Urban Meyer a year ago, it’s great to see the Jaguars thriving in a way they haven’t since last making the playoffs in 2017. Especially Trevor Lawrence, who entered the league with insane expectations as a national champion and No. 1 overall pick.
After winning three of their last four games, the Jaguars are 6-8 and just a game out of first place in the AFC South. An injury reportedly likely to end the season of Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill leaves the Jags as betting favorites to come out on top.
However, before putting your money on the Jaguars to complete their pursuit of a division title and playoff berth, I want you to imagine Jacksonville’s chase of Tennessee as a safety taking an angle on a running back. Now, imagine that running back is Derrick Henry. That’s what Jacksonville is literally up against. They might get it done, but they also might catch the most vicious of stiff arms to the mug and end the season on the turf.
With Tannehill out for the season, the Titans will lean on Henry more than ever. That starts Saturday against the Houston Texans, who Henry regularly torments and who the Titans beat in Week 8 without Tannehill. That game was Henry’s fourth straight against Houston with at least 200 yards and two touchdowns. Tennessee won despite rookie Malik Willis attempting just 10 passes.
The following week, with Willis completing just five of 16 passes in his second start, Tennessee took Kansas City to overtime behind 115 yards and two touchdowns from Henry. It’s not an ideal way to win, but the Titans have shown they can do it. So even after four straight losses leading up to this week, going back to Willis isn’t a death sentence.
The Titans are favored by 3.5 points over Houston, and the chances of them winning puts even more emphasis on Jacksonville’s need to win Thursday against the Jets, who are favored by 2.5 points. A loss to New York would create a scenario where the Jaguars have to win out, the Titans have to lose out and tiebreakers come into play.
One way or another, if the Jaguars want to win the division, they’ll have to go through the man who has carried Tennessee to the title the last two years and has more rushing yards than all but one player this year. Because winning out also includes a Week 18 meeting with Henry and the Titans.
