The Tennessee Titans are coming off one of their worst performances of 2024 in their 42-19 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 13
This week, the 3-9 Titans will play the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC South matchup. The Jaguars have been struggling and come to Tennessee without their starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, who was placed on injured reserve on Monday.
The Titans need to bounce back this week and here are three reasons to be optimistic they can pull this one out.
Mac Jones isn’t Trevor Lawrence
The Jaguars come in with quarterback Mack Jones at the helm after losing Trevor Lawrence to a concussion. While Jones is not bad, he lacks the athleticism that Lawrence can deliver in the RPO game. More of a traditional passer, he does have some good pocket awareness and mobility, but he is less of a threat in the run game. Tennessee has struggled to stop athletic quarterbacks all season and will get a pass on that front this week. This may be a small thing, but it could definitely work to the Titans’ advantage.
Improved passing game with Will Levis
Will Levis has been good since his return from injury and could take the next step in his development this week. The Jaguars have struggled on defense all season, especially against the pass on critical downs. Levis has proven in the past four weeks that he can make plays when given the chance. This week, he is going against the 32nd-ranked defense and could shine.
Tennessee is a better team
The Titans and Jaguars are both disappointing teams; their records indicate that. The Titans are better than their record may indicate and have the talent to be competitive on a weekly basis. The Jaguars are in need of a complete overhaul and are likely headed for a full rebuild at the end of the season. The Titans do have some issues with coaching decisions and overall depth, but they are in a much better place than the Jaguars heading into the home stretch. This should work to their advantage on Sunday.