The AFC South is highly competitive. Both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans have yet to snag the playoff-qualifying division crown.
The fight will only be decided on the last day of the game when the two meet.
No matter what happens in week 17.
That’s why Peter Schrager already spoke in “Good Morning Football” regarding what nobody wants to hear: How will both teams perform on the coming matchday if it has no meaning for either?
Tiebreaker will decide
After losing on Christmas Eve (2:19) to the Houston Texans, Tennessee currently sits 7-8 behind the Jaguars in second place in the division.
Jacksonville was also 7-8 with a 19-3 win over the New York Jets and currently wins the Tiebreaker with the Titans because the Jaguars won the first duel of the season.
Even if either team leads with a win in week 17, the division winner will be determined in week 18. Either there will only be one team with nine wins under their belt, or there will be another tiebreaker between the two teams.
If both teams are 8-9 at the end of the regular season, there are two possibilities: The Titans won the matchup, equalized the tie-breaker once morest the Jaguars, and have the better record in the division.
If the Jaguars have won, they have twice won the direct duel with the Titans and thus stay ahead.
Jaguars momentum, Titans down
Both teams will probably look at the coming week from different perspectives. Tennessee has lost five games in a row, Jacksonville has won three in a row and five of the past seven.
The momentum is in Jacksonville, which may want to maintain the same in Houston next Sunday.
The Titans are already playing Dallas on Thursday, might rest staff and then prepare for the all-important game of the season for ten days.
Head coach Vrabel with vague statements
Rookie cornerback Roger McCreary expressed his disappointment following the loss to the Texans, but also indicated that he wanted to get out of the quagmire:
“I’m feeling really bad at the moment. We all know we’ve got what it takes. We just have to go to the next game and try to get a win.”
Head coach Mike Vrabel was more cautious regarding the Dallas game: “We have a few players who have played a lot for us but are far from 100 percent. We will try to find out who is available to us and then make some decisions.”
Because for the Titans – as well as for the Jaguars – it is still a game to win. But that’s not next.
