Jaguars vs. Titans: Key Matchups to Watch in Nashville

Jacksonville seems to be getting healthy at the right time, as both tight end Brenton Strange and Pro Bowl wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. are returning to the lineup in subsequent weeks.

Will we see the same Thomas, who was ultra-productive as a rookie last season? That remains to be seen, but look for him to still receive a fair share of targets despite the emergence of Strange, Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers, with Dyami Brown and Tim Patrick regulated to being depth pieces out wide.

The Titans have the fifth-worst EPA per pass allowed and the sixth-most yards per pass. A quality and productive day from the Jaguars skill players on the perimeter and at tight ened could open the door for a quality passing day from the team's quarterback.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence vs. Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward

Trevor Lawrence needs to find more consistency, fast. The patience should be wearing thin from this regime, but they seem committed and confident of Lawrence's ability to find that consistency soon. No one has voiced more confidence and trust in his quarterback than head coach Liam Coen since before Week 11.

Lawrence will need to outplay rookie Cam Ward, which doesn't seem like an impossible task, as the first-year play-caller is in a similar situation to his counterpart almost five years ago. This feels like an eventual outduel by the former 2021 No. 1 overall selection as he looks to have steady play in the final weeks of the regular season.

Jacksonville Jaguars run defense vs. Tennessee Titans run game

To the surprise of many, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been billed as the No. 1 run defense in the NFL. They have allowed just 83.8 yards per game and the fifth-fewest yards after contact per attempt this season, thanks to the terrific play of Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd on the second level, and the stout performances in the trenches from Josh Hines-Allen, Arik Armstead, DaVon Hamilton, and a mixture for edge talent.

The Titans have the worst rushing offense in the NFL, with a bottom-ranked 77.5 yards per game and a bottom-five rushing success rate. However, Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears have shown to be productive backs from time to time despite an underwhelming display in the run game by their offensive line. The Jaguars must be careful against these tailbacks.

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