The weekend is getting closer and closer, which means it is time for some Tennessee Titans Week 14 bold predictions. They will be back home at Nissan Stadium to host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
The Titans are currently 7-5 and at the top of the AFC South. However, they are coming off back-to-back losses versus the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles, both Super Bowl contenders. Even with the positive record, many things are happening behind the scenes. Tennessee fired general manager Jon Robinson on Tuesday, just days after former Titan A.J. Brown, who was traded away in the offseason, scored two touchdowns against them.
On the other side, Jacksonville is having a rough year. After a promising 2-1 start, the Jaguars endured a five-game losing streak. Now, they are 4-8 and third in the AFC South, coming off a beatdown by the Lions.
Even though this could sound a lot like a one-sided contest, a division clash can always be an entertaining matchup. With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Titans as they prepare to face the Jaguars in Week 14.
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3. Titans hold Jaguars to less than 100 rushing yards
Perhaps one of the reasons why the Titans are so close to clinching the division is their defense. The Titans held opponents to 20 or fewer points in eight of their 12 games this season. Of those 12 games, Tennessee won six.
The strong defensive showing becomes even more evident on the ground. The Titans have only allowed 997 rushing yards this season, the third-best mark in the NFL, just 90 yards more than the No. 1 San Francisco 49ers. Notably, the Titans have held offenses to fewer than 100 rushing yards in nine of their 12 games this year.
However, they should have a strong challenge on Sunday. Jacksonville has the No. 11 rushing offense with 1,529 yards. Additionally, the Jaguars have 11 touchdowns on the ground, tied with the Titans on the season.
Tennessee will certainly have to contain second-year RB Travis Etienne Jr. The young running back has 782 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season. That includes three performances in a row where he surpassed 100 yards as he's truly discovering his form late in the season.
Despite Etienne's recent success, the Titans should manage to stifle the Jags' rushing attack and leave them under 100 yards on the night.
2. Derrick Henry rushes for 100+ yards, at least one touchdown
While the Titans do have a solid rushing defense, the same can be said about their offense on the ground. They have accumulated 1,439 yards throughout the year, good enough to place them in the top half of the league. But it is difficult to imagine where they would be if it was not for Derrick Henry.
In 12 games, the two-time Pro Bowler has registered a total of 1,078 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Both marks place him in the top three of the league for those categories. One of his highlights this year was a five-game streak where he rushed for more than 100 yards in all of them, including a season-high 219 yards vs. the Houston Texans.
The problem is that, after his great five-game sequence, Henry has failed to surpass 100 yards in the next four games and scored just once on the ground. His cold streak has seen him record just 208 yards in the past four games, with just one touchdown.
Since the Jaguars' defense has allowed opponents to run for more than 100 yards seven times, including 200-plus twice, this should be a good chance for Henry to have another great offensive day. The bold prediction is that the running back will finally rush for more than 100 yards by himself as well as score at least one touchdown.
1. Titans win but Jaguars cover the spread
According to FanDuel, Tennessee is the favorite to win the contest. Currently, the spread is -3.5. While Tennessee has the best overall record and is playing the best football, Jacksonville has given some trouble to powerhouses this season.
In six of their losses, the Jaguars finished the game trailing by just one score. That includes games against the then-undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. Also, they lost by only 10 points to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only that, but Jacksonville even had an upset 28-27 win against the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago.
Tennessee is also having its fair share of close games. In nine opportunities, the result was decided by one possession. Five out of the Titans' seven wins came by a touchdown at most, meaning that even if they lead their division, things could be very different by now.
All things considered, the bold prediction is that Tennessee will still win, but it should be a thrilling game. It will potentially come down to the final possessions, whether it will be a game-winning drive by Ryan Tannehill or a big stop by the Titans' defensive unit. In the end, the Titans should win, but it should be a game decided by three or fewer points.
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