3 keys to a Jaguars victory over the Titans in Week 14
![Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, October 10, 2021. The Jaguars trailed at the half 24 to 13. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]Jki 101021 Jaguarsvstitans 21](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fblackandteal-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F17181779-850x560-bd2628fda2e6b94a0da7530176643a04a187e0abab5290ca14ef884d7ecfd9f3.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, October 10, 2021. The Jaguars trailed at the half 24 to 13. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]Jki 101021 Jaguarsvstitans 21")
2. For the Nth time, the Jaguars must avoid a slow start in Week 14.
One of the reasons the Jaguars have lost five of their last six games is their slow starts. Often, they go three-and-out or turn the ball over early in the game, which allows teams to pull away early in the game. Both the offense and the defense share responsibility for this issue, which they must fix if they want to keep up with the Titans.
The offense must move the chains at a higher rate on third downs. For the season, they have a 35.1 percent conversion rate, good for 27th in the league. The fact that they frequently find themselves in down-and-distance situations has played a role in their inability to get things going.
On defense, the Jaguars haven’t done a good job of stopping the run but they haven’t been much better against the pass. In Week 14, they couldn’t stop Matthew Stafford who had been struggling in previous weeks. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill could do the same and bounce back after having a rough stretch. Also, wide receiver Julio Jones is expected to play, according to NFL Media. The Jaguars can’t have him have a good performance in his first taste of action since Week 9.
Early in the season, the Jaguars’ defense carried the team but that’s no longer the case. The unit along with the offense needs to keep mistakes at a minimum.