The Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars will meet for the second and final time in Week 18 in what is the most important game of the year for both teams, as it will determine who wins the division and goes to the playoffs.
The Titans started the season 7-3 and once had a comfortable lead in the AFC South, but a six-game losing streak has drastically changed things and now Tennessee is trying to stave-off an epic collapse.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL, winning five of their last six to take sole possession of first place and put themselves in a position to win their first AFC South crown since 2017.
With the game just days away, let’s take a look at seven things to know about the all-important Week 18 battle between the Titans and Jaguars that will determine who goes on and who goes home.
Jaguars are favored
According to Tipico Sportsbook, the Titans are 6.5-point underdogs to the Jags, with the over/under set at 40. The spread has stayed steady but the over/under has gone up by 1.5 points since the beginning of the week.
The Titans are 8-7-1 against the spread and have hit the over in five of 11 games. Jacksonville is 8-8 against the spread and at hitting the over.
Head-to-head history
The Titans own a 34-22 all-time record over the Jaguars and have won nine of their last 11 against the division rival, including each of the last two in Jacksonville.
However, the Jaguars turned the table on the Titans in Week 14, winning in convincing fashion, 36-22.
The story of this rivalry has been Derrick Henry’s dominance. The Titans back is averaging 105.3 yards per game over 12 career contests against the Jaguars, including a 121-yard, one touchdown performance in Week 14.
For all the marbles
You can’t talk about this game without talking about the ramifications, which is the winner will take the division and make the playoffs, while the loser will be sent packing one week early.
The Titans have won the AFC South each of the last two years, and a third straight division title would tie the franchise record for the most consecutive in franchise history, matching the 1960-62 Houston Oilers. Not to mention, Tennessee would stave-off an epic collapse.
The Jaguars haven’t won the division since 2017, the year they went to the AFC Championship Game. In fact, they’ve made the playoffs just that one time since 2008.
Opposite ends of the injury spectrum
The Titans and Jaguars couldn’t be more polar opposites when it comes to injuries.
The Titans currently have 23 players on injured reserve, tied for the most in the NFL, and the 34 players they have put on the list is tops in the league. Half of Tennessee’s salary cap is on injured reserve.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have just six on the list, tied for the second-fewest in the NFL, and have placed just seven on the list all season long, the lowest mark in the league.
The good news for the the Titans is they might get back some key starters who have missed multiple games in a row in cornerback Kristian Fulton, safety Amani Hooker and linebacker David Long.
Also, Henry, Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry are all expected to play after sitting out last week’s game.
Josh Dobbs gets the start
Earlier this week, the Titans did exactly what we expected them to and named Joshua Dobbs the starter over Malik Willis for an injured Ryan Tannehill.
Dobbs got the nod in Week 17 and was a clear upgrade over Willis. Granted, he certainly wasn’t perfect, but it was clear he gives the Titans the best chance to win, something head coach Mike Vrabel admitted.
“I thought he was decisive, and he did a nice job of progressing through when we gave him time,” Vrabel said of Dobbs. “I thought he tried to take the opportunity and run with it and lead. I just think he gives us the best chance right now.”
This leaves Willis’ future a little murky at the moment, but all that matters right now is what happens on Saturday night.
Trevor Lawrence, Jags taking that next step
The Jags have no doubt saved their best for last after notching a four-game winning streak, and five wins in their last six games, one of which came in Week 14 against the Titans.
In that span, the Jaguars have seen second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence take an enormous leap, which has greatly elevated Jacksonville’s offense to one of the more dangerous units in the NFL.
The Titans found that out firsthand in Week 14. Now, their defense has to step up and play its best ball in order to avoid another loss.
Titans struggling with everything
As good as the Jaguars have been, the Titans have been quite the opposite, as Tennessee has dropped six-straight games, tied for the second-longest losing streak of the Titans era. If Tennessee loses, the skid will stand alone as the second-longest since 1999.
And this isn’t some tough-luck skid, either.
The Titans are legitimately playing poorly, especially on offense, and have made things worse with self-inflicted wounds (penalties, turnovers) that Tennessee simply doesn’t have enough talent to overcome.
Going into Week 18, the Titans are fifth in the NFL in penalties and second in penalty yardage surrendered, per The Football Database. Also, Tennessee’s 10 turnovers since Week 14 are the second-most in the league.
The Jaguars are the better team right now and should win this game, but, any given Sunday (or in this case, Saturday), right?
