Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 games that will decide the AFC South

The Jacksonville Jaguars came away with a huge 19-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans on national television in Week 11, opening the door for the division crown.

If Marcus Mariota and the Titans had gotten a touchdown on that last possession (instead of being sacked by Andre Branch on the last play of the game), it would be incredibly tough for the Jaguars to win the division and sneak into the playoffs.

Instead, Branch and the rest of the Jags defense stepped up and the Jacksonville Jaguars are now 4-6 and still in the running to take the division crown. The playoffs are still a very real possibility, but the Jags need to keep winning and things need to go right for this franchise over the next few games.

It will all come down to a few contests and the Jaguars will have to prove they can rise to the occasion under head coach Gus Bradley. With some serious resiliency on display Thursday night, it all seems possible right now.

Here are five games that will decide the AFC South.

Nov 19, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws a pass against the Tennessee Titans during an NFL football game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

1) Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans, Week 13

A rematch of the game played in Week 11, the Jacksonville Jaguars will travel up to Nashville to take on the Titans for the second time in the season.

With division games being all-important in weak AFC South, a victory over the Titans will be crucial to securing a postseason opportunity.

Currently at 1-2 in the division, the Jaguars could rise to .500 both in the AFC South and – if they get a win in Week 12 against the San Diego Chargers – overall on the season. That would leave the Jaguars sitting at 6-6 with possible control over their destiny.

But winning this game will be critical. Whether the Jags finish Week 13 with a win or a loss will determine whether they can compete with the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans for the crown. Theoretically, they could both lose their Weeks 11 and 12 matchups against the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints for the Texans and against the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers  for Indy. The Jags shouldn’t rely on that to get them through, though.

…and if the Titans win? Well they may just find themselves back in the running as well.

This is a must-win for the Jacksonville Jaguars. They’ll need to secure their second road win of the season.

Next: Can the Jags get revenge on the Colts?