The Jacksonville Jaguars have been wildly inconsistent this season. After a 2-1 start, they rode a five-game losing streak before they beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. They then went on to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs and upset the Baltimore Ravens before collapsing to the Detroit Lions.
All things considered, the Jags have shown they can keep up with some of the best teams. But they’ve also proven that they’ve still got a long way to go before they fully turn the corner. Next on their schedule is a Tennessee Titans team that is coming off a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and it will be interesting to see why the version of the Jaguars will show up.
Will it be the team that managed to pull off a comeback against the Ravens? Or will it be the one that was embarrassed by the Detroit Lions? With that in mind, here are three keys to victory in Week 14.
3. The Jaguars must get RB Travis Etienne involved vs. the Titans
Running back Travis Etienne went on a hot streak from Weeks 5 to 9, toting the rock 86 times for 536 yards with four touchdowns and an average of 6.23 per carry. However, he hasn’t been nearly as productive in the last three games, tallying just 26 rushes for 102 yards with a 3.92-yard average per carry.
Sure, Etienne suffered a foot injury against the Ravens and missed most of the contest but the coaching staff hasn’t been able to establish the run in recent weeks, arguably the team’s biggest strength on offense, leading to extra pressure on Lawrence to perform.
Against the Lions, the Jaguars fell behind early, which made it difficult to get the running game going, and managed to get just 14 first downs. Etienne seems to be healthy, so the Jags should have no trouble getting him involved against Tennessee.
The Titans won’t make it easy though. Their defense ranks third in the league in rushing yards allow and is the best when it comes to giving up a touchdown on the ground with just five for the year. But even if running the ball doesn’t pay off for the Jaguars early, they can’t afford to abandon it.
2. The Jaguars defense needs to slow Derrick Henry down in Week 14
One of the things that stood out the most in the Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the Tennessee Titans was that they were able to take away their biggest strength, running back Derrick Henry. Although the player known as the King hasn’t been nearly as productive as he was the previous two seasons, he still ranks third in rushing yards in the league.
Against Philly, Henry only mustered a paltry 30 yards on 11 carries but he’s gone off against other teams. For example, he racked up 219 yards on 32 carries against the Houston Texans and tallied 17 carries for 115 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs the following week.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have struggled to defend the run. They gave up 100 rushing yards to the Lions and have allowed an average of 137 yards per game over the last six weeks. Head coach Doug Pederson met with the local media Monday and talked about the challenge slowing Henry down is going to present in Week 14:
“You’ve got to get him on the ground”, Pederson said. “He’s a big strong, powerful guy and it’s one of those games where you gotta bring your big boy pads as they say. It’s always a physical game against Tennessee and this will be no different.”
“Go to watch a lot of tape on him, see his style of runs and see how guys are tackling him and making sure we prepare ourselves that week to do that”.
So why should containing Henry be at the top of the Jaguars’ list of priorities in Week 14? If they manage to pull off the feat, they will force Tennessee to become one-dimensional, which will in turn present additional pass rush opportunities to the Jacksonville defense.
1. The Jaguars O-Line must protect whoever plays QB vs. the Titans
The offensive line has been a bright spot for the Jaguars this season. The unit has allowed a reasonable 23 sacks and has generally given Trevor Lawrence enough time to throw the ball but it has been without its faults.
Just last week, left tackle Cam Robinson blew a block that led to Lawrence’s foot injury and the group as a whole has had a few off performances. Against the Titans, they will need to bring their A-game or else run running the risk of getting dominated at the line of scrimmage.
Even without outside linebacker Harold Landry, who is out for the year, Tennessee’s defensive front has been able to consistently apply pressure up front this season. Led by Denico Autry, the Titans have registered 33 sacks in 2022. Both players can get after the quarterback and are equally adept at stopping the run, so even if Tennessee is short-handed in Week 14, they could still give the Jaguars’ offensive line fits.
Autry, who leads the team with seven sacks, didn’t suit up against Philadelphia due to a knee injury but even if he doesn’t play in Week 14, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and Rashad Weaver can pick up the slack.
Lawrence’s status for the game is still up in the air. Doug Pederson told the media Wednesday that the quarterback is day-to-day, so the Jaguars might need to summon backup C.J. Beathard off the bench. But regardless of who ends up lining up behind center, the offensive line must provide optimal protection.