Jaguars: 4 keys for beating the Titans on Sunday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars are still mathematically in the playoff race. They will still be if they lose Sunday in Nashville. But the practical reality is that the Jaguars need to beat the Titans Sunday. Here are my four biggest keys to victory:

Run the ball

It’s a simple statement. But in this case, the solution is pretty simple, too. It’s not just about running the ball effectively (although that is important), it’s about the willingness to run the ball. The running game is about an attitude and stubbornness. You must keep running the ball, even if it isn’t working early on. Those one- and two-yard gains in the first quarter are like early round body blows in a prize fight. Stay with it. I expect to see more than 25 carries for Leonard Fournette on Sunday. He should be well-rested.

Stop the run

Simple statement, part two. The Jaguars have seen three teams run for over 200 yards against them this year. Each of the last two games, the Texans and Colts have topped the 200-yard mark. The Jaguars have been devastated by injuries at linebacker and Marcell Dareus’ season-ending injury hasn’t helped. Still, last week, the Jaguars needed to make Jacoby Brissett beat them. This week make Ryan Tannehill beat you. Don’t let Derrick Henry have another big game. If the tackling is as poor as it was last week, the Jaguars are in big trouble.

Penalties

Both teams are in the bottom quarter of the NFL in penalty yards per game. All indications point to this game being a close, low-scoring game. These are the kind of games where an inopportune penalty keeps a drive alive for a team or negates a big play that ultimately leads to a defeat. Rarely have Jaguars-Titans games been works of art. They are ugly. They are a grind. And they can be lost by a mistake as often as won by a big play.

Prove the locker room culture matters

From my observations this year, the Jaguars’ locker room does have a good culture. They like each other. They don’t point fingers. Ever since the trade of Jalen Ramsey, you don’t have a lot of “Me” guys in the locker room popping off. But will it matter? Having it the other way can certainly derail a season, but having the right culture can allow for a team to bounce back. This week, it seems unlikely that the Jaguars will rebound, but that’s why they play the games. We will see on Sunday.