Jaguars (2-10) at Titans (8-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee TV: CBS
Tipico sortsbook line: Titans by 8 ⁄2
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Jaguars’ keys to victory: With the Titans sporting a top-10 run defense, Jacksonville is best served attacking through the air. However, having QB Trevor Lawrence operate strictly from the pocket might be a bad idea against the Titans’ pass rush. Instead, the Jags should be designing plays that use Lawrence’s mobility. The Titans’ secondary has had issues covering receivers when quarterbacks escape the pocket. On defense, the Jags need to stop the Titans’ ground game and eliminate WR Julio Jones to force a mistakeprone QB Ryan Tannehill to win this game with his arm and an unheralded group of wideouts.
Titans’ keys to victory: The Titans need to get Tannehill going. One way to do that is to establish the run with RBs D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard, setting up play-action, where Tannehill excels. The Titans also need a big game out of Jones, as Tannehill has struggled with a shaky receiving group. Tannehill has to clean up his turnover issue, not only to avoid giving the Jags’ offense help, but to stop putting the Titans’ defense in tough spots. Lawrence will make a mistake or two, and Tennessee has to take advantage.
Matchup to watch: Jaguars cornerbacks vs. Titans’ Jones. Tannehill has struggled without his two best receivers (Jones and A.J. Brown). Not only do the Titans need Jones to return, they need him to play like a No. 1 wideout. Jacksonville must force Tannehill to look elsewhere for targets and yards.
Who wins? A healthier defense puts the clamps on Lawrence.
Titans, 20-17