Jaguars at Titans: Preview, prediction, odds and pick
By John Buhler
The Tennessee Titans will host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon in Week 17. Here is a game preview, the betting odds and a final score pick.
It’s rivalry weekend across the NFL. There are so many great games being played on Sunday. Few will be as big as the one between AFC South rivals in the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5) and the Tennessee Titans (8-7).
Kickoff from Nissan Stadium in Nashville will be at 4:25 p.m. ET on Dec. 31. CBS will have the late afternoon telecast with Greg Gumbel and Trent Green in the booth to call this rivalry game. The Titans were able to take their previous meeting over the Jaguars back in Week 2 down in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville has already clinched the AFC South division title. It is the Jaguars’ first AFC South title. The last time they won the division, that was back in 1999 as part of the old AFC Central. This is the first playoff berth for the Jaguars since the 2007 NFL campaign. Their defense is tremendous and they will have a say in who comes out of the AFC for Super Bowl LII in February.
Tennessee has to win this game to hopefully get in as a wild card team in the AFC. The Titans have faltered of late, as the offense has largely stagnated under third-year quarterback Marcus Mariota. By finishing 8-8, that could be all she wrote for the Mike Mularkey era in Titans football. Tennessee must win this rivalry game, period.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Tennessee -3.5
Moneylines: Tennessee -150, Jacksonville +145
Over/Under: 41.5
According to OddsShark, the Titans will be laying 3.5 points at home to the visiting Jaguars. The associated moneylines for this game are Tennessee -150 and Jacksonville +145. This game’s over/under comes in at a combined 41.5 points.
While we could expect a low-scoring affair in this one, let’s go with the slight over in case there is a defensive touchdown or something. Jacksonville could be resting starters, but the Jaguars won’t want to enter the playoffs for the first time in a decade coming off a two-game slide. Plus, they might want to avenge their Week 2 home loss to rival Tennessee.
Should the Titans win this game, these two teams will likely meet each other in the AFC wild card round as the No. 3 versus No. 6 game. Jacksonville still has nightmares about losing three times to the Titans back in 1999. Tom Coughlin certainly remembers, as he was then the coach of the Jaguars.
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After playing horrendously versus the San Francisco 49ers, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles will play one of his better games of the season. He will get the Jaguars offense into the end zone three times. Mariota will only be able to get the Titans offense in twice. Throw a couple of field goals in there and the Jaguars will beat the Titans in a slight road upset 24-20 to end Tennessee’s season.
Pick: Jaguars 24, Titans 20