The Jacksonville Jaguars season is off to a rough and tumultuous start with some tough losses to a great Kansas City Chiefs team and an early rivalry battle against the Houston Texans. This week, the Jaguars are set to host another division rival in the Tennessee Titans at TIAA Bank Field in a matchup that has been a little one-sided in the win column.
The Titans have won the last four matchups against the Jaguars. Jacksonville’s last win came in 2016, where they defeated the Titans 38-17 and Tennessee leads the overall series 29-20.
With a lot of drama and uncertainty going on with the Jaguars’ staff and the constant questions of cornerback Jalen Ramsey’s future, many have wondered if the team is distracted any way.
With all that said, Thursday’s game could be either very uplifting if they win, or very ugly if they lose. Regardless of the outcome, here are three bold predictions we could see happening:
The Jaguars’ defense will have four sacks and two forced fumbles
If it’s one thing that the Jaguars know how to do, it’s getting pressure on the opposing quarterback. Jaguars defensive ends Yannick Ngakoue and Calais Campbell will be good to go Thursday after battling through some minor injuries to begin the season. Marcus Mariota is the league’s third most sacked quarterback which sets up the blueprint for the Jaguars to bring him down multiple times.
Gardner Minshew will throw for 300 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew has taken the football world by storm with not just his 80s inspired look, but his play on the field, which has been serviceable. Minshew has 488 passing yards on 58 attempts, which is good for a 111.8 passer rating. This is finally the game that he truly breaks out, as Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette hasn’t elevated the running game enough which could prompt Minshew to throw the ball a lot more. That falls in line with how he was utilized at Washington State University under Mike Leach, where he led the nation in pass attempts and completions. With his efficiency, throwing the ball more could translate into more touchdowns.
Jalen Ramsey will have eight tackles and a interception
If Jalen Ramsey is truly going out, he’s going to dominate on his way out.
According to reports, Ramsey has asked for a trade from the Jaguars and it could happen before the week is over. Normally when a player is in trade talks, they would be inactive for the game, however, Ramsey will actually play on Thursday which could be a risky proposition if they truly look forward to executing Ramsey’s trade request as an injury would completely nix his trade value.
Since Ramsey will be active to play barring any last minute changes, he will be extremely motivated and could end up having a strong eight-tackle, one-pick type of night to end his Jags career with a bang. Teams rarely try to throw to his side, but Ramsey will be looking to prove a point against the Titans and show that he is the best cornerback in the league.
What are your bold predictions for the Jaguars vs. Titans game? Let us know in the comments below! Also follow The Jaguars Wire on Twitter and Facebook for all Jaguars news and discussion topics.
