Jaguars Prepare For Clash With AFC Rival Titans
By David Levin
Coming off a big, emotional victory on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars now set their sights on their AFC South rival, the Tennessee Titans.
The Jacksonville Jaguars know what’s at stake this weekend. Doug Marrone spoke with the media on Wednesday morning, prior to practice, and laid out how this is a game the team will be ready for. After coming off such an emotional victory last Sunday, facing the Tennessee Titans is a divisional matchup that comes early on the schedule and gives the home team another chance to earn a victory.
It’s a big deal if you read what Jaguars.com senior writer John Oehser wrote. Even this soon in the season, positioning is everything. The NFL is only 17 weeks long, which means everything counts and losses are magnified even more.
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"“If the Jaguars win Sunday and Indianapolis loses at defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia, the Jaguars would hold a two-game lead on the rest of the division,” Oehser explained. “If the Titans win, Tennessee would lead the South because of a head-to-head tiebreaker against the Jaguars and a better record in the division.”"
The Titans were a thorn in Jacksonville’s side last season, taking both games and proving they could hang with the AFC South division winners. Marrone and the players hope to change that this Sunday at TIAA Bank Field.
"“I think our goal and what we always talk about is winning the AFC South. This is obviously the first opportunity to start that – by beating Tennessee,” quarterback Blake Bortles said when he met with the media after practice.“We have our work cut out for us. It’s a good defense. Offensively, we are going to have be on point and have a good plan and execute it. We have a couple more days left of getting good preparation and getting ready to go on Sunday.”"
Jacksonville showed they can open up the passing game on Sunday, throwing the ball for 377 yards and four touchdowns. Not having Leonard Fournette in the lineup may have changed the offensive gameplan a bit. But Bortles said he liked what he saw out of his running back this morning.
"“He looked good. Just watching him, it looked like he was Leonard. He was flying around, making some good plays. He got some touches and looked good,” Bortles said."
Next. Jaguars Fournette Returns to Practice Wednesday. dark
Jacksonville will practice and prepare as if either Marcus Mariota or Blaine Gabbert will start at quarterback for the Titans. Mariota was active last week but did not see the field. Gabbert is familiar to Jacksonville, and was the team’s first-round pick in 2011 and spent four seasons in North Florida.