The Jacksonville Jaguars will be taking a prime-time stage this week on Thursday night for another game with their biggest rivals, the Tennessee Titans. It seemingly will be a must-see because star cornerback Jalen Ramsey could be playing in his last game as a Jaguar. If it is indeed, it would be great to see him go out with a bang against one of the teams he’s said he wants to play for.
We reached out to Titans Wire managing editor Crissy Froyd to get a little intel on the enemy for Thursday’s showdown. Here are five burning questions she was kind enough to answer:
Jaguars Wire: The Titans obviously started hot Week 1 by shutting down a Cleveland Browns team that had a lot of hype surrounding them. What happened Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts that resulted in a loss for Tennessee?
Crissy Froyd: Overall it was not a good showing by the team, but there are a few major areas for concern. The offensive line continued to struggle and has allowed eight sacks on Marcus Mariota in just two games. Some of those are to blame on the quarterback himself, who missed wide-open throws and didn’t look like the quarterback of the future on Sunday. Play calling also could have been better. On top of poor execution and them not taking advantage of opportunities, the Titans were playing not to lose.
JW: Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota is one of the signal-callers in the league who is seemingly under a lot of pressure this year, and 2019 will be huge for him. What are your thoughts on him so far this regular season and what do you think of his future?
CF: As previously touched on, he’s lacking consistency. There’s also skepticism surrounding his ability to stay healthy, and rightfully so. He’s yet to play a full season since being drafted in 2015. We’re going to need to see some major improvement from him as a passer moving forward if he’s to remain the starter next season.
JW: It seems as if the Titans have as good of a chance as anyone to win the AFC South in 2019. That said, what are the fans’ expectations this season after finishing third in the division during Mike Vrabel’s first year?
CF: The AFC South is a topsy-turvy division, and has been for a while now. The Titans seem to only need better quarterback play and a bit better performance from their offensive line to achieve greatness. This team could easily be one of the best in the league and be a threat in the postseason, but it’s going to take consistent play — something the Titans have yet to develop.
Who is an under-the-radar player to watch from the Titans roster?
CF: Defensive tackle Isaiah Mack had a good camp and preseason. He’s shown flashes so far this regular season as well. Outside linebacker Harold Landry continues to step into a larger role and has made good progress, too.
What are your predictions for the game?
CF: This game is a good one to show just where the Titans and the division stands. The divisional games are almost always tough for the Titans, but I’ll take Tennessee in this one. Titans 14, Jaguars 10
