The Tennessee Titans (3-6) and Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3) are both looking to get back on the winning track when they meet at EverBank Stadium in Week 11.
The Titans are coming off yet another disappointing loss after an ugly Week 10 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which was Tennessee’s second straight loss and fourth in their last five games.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars got their doors blown off by the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, losing by a lopsided score of 34-3.
Jacksonville enters this game in first place in the AFC South, but they have the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts breathing down their neck. The Titans currently sit in the cellar of the division and not even a win will get them out of it.
Here’s a look at six things to know ahead of this divisional matchup, which will be the first of two meetings between these two teams.
Jaguars are favored
According to BetMGM, the Jaguars are a sizeable 6.5-point favorite over the Titans for Week 11, with the over/under set at 40. The Titans are 4-5 against the spread and have hit the over just twice, per Team Rankings, while the Jaguars are 6-3 against the spread and have hit the over four times.
Head-to-head history
The Titans have traditionally dominated the Jaguars and lead the all-time series between these two teams, 34-23 (including playoffs).
However, Tennessee has dropped each of its last two games against the Jags, including a Week 18 loss last season that ended the Titans’ campaign and put the Jags in the playoffs.
Titans' road woes
The Titans sport an 0-5 record on the road this season, and they’re 0-6 away from Nissan Stadium when you include their loss in London to the Baltimore Ravens, where Tennessee was considered the home team.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Titans haven’t won a road game in a full calendar year, with the last one coming against the Green Bay Packers in Week 11 of last season (Nov. 17, 2022).
Since then, Tennessee sports a 3-13 record overall.
The Jaguars sport a 2-3 home record, but one of those wins came in London. In games specifically at EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville is 1-3.
Derrick Henry's past success vs. Jags
It’s pretty much automatic that Derrick Henry is going to have a good game whenever he faces the Jaguars. He even broke the century mark in both losses to Jacksonville last season.
In 13 career games versus the Jags, Henry is averaging 105.6 rushing yards per game and has scored 16 total touchdowns. The Titans are 9-4 in those contests.
Throwback Thursday for the Jag fans. #Titans pic.twitter.com/HKoJm1WjDI
— Jake Robertson (@GloryDaySports) November 16, 2023
But yards might be tougher to come by this time around, as the Jags sport the No. 5 run defense and the Titans’ offensive line has been dreadful at run-blocking this season.
Red zone struggles
This game between the Titans and Jaguars will feature two of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to red zone success.
The Titans have found pay dirt on just 32.14 percent of their trips to the red area, good for second-worst success rate in the NFL, per Team Rankings. The Jaguars have scored six on 43.48 percent of theirs, the fourth-worst mark.
Arden Key revenge game
For the first time since signing with the Titans in free agency during this past offseason, Arden Key will be returning to where he played during the 2022 campaign.
This one will mean a little bit more for Key, especially when you consider he previously said he felt disrespected by the Jags after not being re-signed.
“With Jacksonville, it was a shock to me,” Key admitted, per Paul Kuharsky. “After the year, I thought I was going to be a Jacksonville Jaguar. But I felt disrespected because I came over there, built up the culture, brought a whole lot of energy, changed the city, changed the town, and I felt like — in my rightful mind — I was going to be a Jacksonville Jaguar.
“That didn’t happen, but I still love the players, love the teammates, love the city, love the fans, but, yeah, we’ve got to see them twice.”
Key has tallied 2.5 sacks in nine games, and while he’s shown flashes of brilliance throughout, he’s been inconsistent overall, as has been the case with Tennessee’s entire pass-rush.
Hopefully a game against his old mates will get him going.
