Jaguars Vs Titans preview

The Jaguars will face off against the divisional rival Tennessee Titans in week 13. With so many important games coming up to determine the AFC playoff standings, taking care of business against a 1-10 team is of the utmost importance.

Key stats

Offensively, the Titans are awful, ranking 30th in passing yards, dead last in rushing yards, 28th in yards per attempt, and last in points per drive. The offensive line is the root of so many issues, allowing the most sacks in the NFL with 45.

Another problem with the Titans offense is 3rd downs and scoring in the red zone. They rank dead last in 3rd down percentage and are 25th in red zone percentage. A big reason for this is the lack of playmakers in the backfield or at receiver. Tony Pollard is the team's leading rusher at just 522 yards, and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo is the leading receiver with just 377 yards.

On defense, things aren't much better. The Titans allow the 19th most passing yards and 15th most touchdowns, while the run defense ranks 25th in yards, 27th in yards per attempt, and 31st in touchdowns. They don't force many turnovers, with just 10 on the year, which ranks 25th, and allow the 4th most points on a per-drive basis.

On third downs and red zone trips, they are only below average, ranking 19th in third down percentage and 18th in red zone percentage. Along the defensive line, they have an average pass rush, ranking 15th in sacks with 27.

In totality, this is an awful team that is 1-10 with an interim head coach for a reason. They don't do anything well, and many of their weaknesses play into the Jaguars biggest strengths.

On the Jaguars side of things, they have had an up-and-down season in every way imaginable. On offense, they have been an inconsistent team that is still trying to find its true identity. In the passing game, they rank 21st in yards, 25th in touchdowns, and 26th in interceptions. A mix of inconsistency from Trevor Lawrence as well as leading the league in drops has caused the offense to be completely unpredictable. They have struggled to pull away from teams largely due to Trevor Lawrence's play with the lead.

Their best attribute has been the run game, ranking 8th in yards, 5th in touchdowns, and 16th in yards per attempt. In games with at least 100 rushing yards, the Jaguars are 6-1, and just 1-3 when they have less. On third downs, the Jaguars rank 23rd in percentage. A big reason for this has been penalties that are consistently putting them behind the sticks. The Jaguars are tied for 5th in the NFL with 91 penalties on the season. In the red zone, they are mediocre, ranking 16th in touchdown percentage.

Similarly on defense, they have been up and down all season. They currently rank 5th in turnovers forced, 10th in points per drive allowed, and 13th in yards per drive allowed. The pass defense has been a major struggle, giving up the 8th most yards and 6th most touchdowns, but has the 2nd most interceptions. Tyson Campbell was traded early in the season, as well as Travis Hunter and Eric Murray being placed on injured reserve, and Jourdan Lewis missing the last two weeks has made an already thin secondary completely depleted. Luckily, the run defense has helped out, especially on early downs to force obvious passing situations. They are allowing the fewest rushing yards and the 5th fewest yards per attempt allowed.

Much like the offense, they struggle on third downs and in the red zone, ranking 23rd and 26th in these respective categories. In away games, the defense has struggled mightily on third downs, allowing a 48% conversion rate on the road, while allowing just 33% at home. A big reason why they cannot get off the field is the lack of pass rush. The Jaguars are tied for the 7th fewest sacks in the NFL with 21. Despite Travon Walker's low sack total, he has been the key difference maker in generating pressure.

Conclusion

This is a game the Jaguars should and have to win. With such a tight AFC South race as well as the AFC playoffs, this is as close to a layup game in the NFL as it gets. The key will be to run the ball early and often and have Trevor avoid the big mistakes, especially if he has the lead. With the Titans poor offensive line and lack of receiving talent, we may see Anthony Campanile blitzing rookie quarterback Cam Ward frequently.

With so much at stake in week 14 at home against the Colts, it is imperative that the Jaguars win and win cleanly. A win would put them right in the middle of the division race and AFC playoffs, but a loss would be a catastrophe. This is their best chance at getting ahead of the pack.

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