The NFL officially announced its schedule for the 2025 NFL season. It's fair to say that the Jacksonville Jaguars got a tough slate when you take a look at how their opponents were distributed, especially early in the year. That said, they have a few relatively easy games. A couple of them will be against the rival Tennessee Titans.
Sure, divisional bouts are always difficult, but the Titans were the worst team in the NFL last year and shouldn't be much better even after they reinforced the roster in the offseason. Their one reason for optimism is quarterback Cam Ward, the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. On the other hand, the Jags surely cannot wait to face him, so they can give him his "welcome to the NFL" moment.
Ward was the highest-rated quarterback in this year's class, which is noteworthy when you take into account that the dropoff from him to the second-best prospect at the position was steep. Heck, the New York Giants might have only traded back into the first round to select Jaxson Dart because head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are entering the 2025 season on the hot seat.
Circling back to Ward, he could turn out to be the long-term answer behind center in Tennessee. Heck, franchise legend Warren Moon gave him the chance to wear his retired No. 1. If the Hall-of-Fame quarterback didn't think his rookie counterpart was up to the challenge, he wouldn't have granted him the opportunity.
Either way, the Jaguars will get to face Tennessee at Nissan Stadium in Week 13 and later in the finale at EverBank Stadium. Imagine how loud the Bank would get if Jacksonville beats Ward in Week 18 and brings the Titans' season to a sour end? That would be a great way to end the regular season, whether the Jags make the playoffs or not.
The Jaguars cannot take Cam Ward lightly but need to set the tone vs. the Titans
The Tennessee Titans had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last year. Yes, even worse than the Jags. That said, they brought in Dan Moore as the left tackle, and the duo of Peter Skoronski and JC Latham should keep improving. On top of that, they brought in Tyler Lockett to line up opposite Calvin Ridley. This is a long-winded way to say that the cupboard won't be bare when Cam Ward takes over. However, he won't have it easy either.
Aside from making the adjustment to the NFL, Ward will need to make up for the lack of talent around him. The Titans ranked 19th in rushing yards in 2024, and if they struggle to pound the football, they'll need to lean on their rookie quarterback more than they would want, which is often a recipe for disaster.
Then again, Ward went first overall for a reason, and if he gets acclimated to the pros quickly, he could give the Jags trouble. That's why they must set the tone when they face him and make him not want to play against them.