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NFL schedule Week 8: Who plays on Thursday night?

By John Buhler

Dec 6, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Tennessee won 42-39. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Tennessee won 42-39. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Week 8 of the 2016 NFL season begins on Thursday, October 27th. Which two rival teams are squaring off on Thursday Night Football this week?

It is already Week 8 of the 2016 NFL season. Thursday Night Football will be in the Music City of Nashville, as the Tennessee Titans will host their AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars. Kickoff from Nissan Stadium will be at 8:25 PM ET. The NFL Network will have the telecast.

Jacksonville comes in at 2-4 on the year. The Jaguars might have the most all-around talent of any of the four AFC South teams, but have the worst record through seven weeks. Jacksonville’s offense has been mostly miss with Blake Bortles at the helm.

The Jaguars’ defensive personnel is too good to be one of the worst five teams in the NFL. They need to win on Thursday to stay alive in the AFC South. Head coach Gus Bradley might be coaching for his job in this big rivalry game.

Tennessee stumbled in Week 7 to the rival Indianapolis Colts at home to fall to 3-4 on the season. The Titans are only a game back of the first-place Houston Texans, but don’t have the tiebreaker over them or the Colts.

Tennessee could win the AFC South at 9-7, 8-8, but need more dynamism from second-year signal caller Marcus Mariota. Yes, he doesn’t have the weapons outside to appropriately move the chains aerially, but he has one of the better offensive lines in the NFL to throw behind. Mariota can lean on the running game, but has to improve in the second half as a passer to have any shot at making the AFC Playoffs.

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OddsShark.com, has Tennessee laying 3.5 points at home to the Jaguars. Tennessee is the slightly better team, but this is a rivalry game. Expect a close game that will be decided by one score on Thursday night in Nashville.

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