AFC South is highly competitive. Both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans have yet to snatch the playoff qualifying division crown.
The fight will only be decided on the last game day when the two meet.
It doesn’t matter what happens in week 17.
That’s why Peter Schrager has already spoken on “Good Morning Football” about what nobody wants to hear: How will both teams behave in the next matchday if it means nothing to either?
The tiebreak will decide
After losing on Christmas Eve (2:19) to the Houston Texans, Tennessee currently sits 7-8 behind the second-place Jaguars in the division.
Jacksonville also went 7-8 with a 19-3 victory over the New York Jets and currently wins the tiebreaker with the Titans as the Jaguars won their first game of the season.
Even if either team leads with a win in week 17, the division winner will be determined in week 18. Either there will be only one team with nine victories under their belt, or there will be another tiebreaker between the two teams.
If both teams are 8-9 at the end of the regular season, there are two possibilities: the Titans won the matchup, tied the tiebreaker against the Jaguars, and have the best record in the division.
If the Jaguars have won, they have won the direct duel with the Titans twice and therefore stay ahead.
The momentum of the jaguars, the titans on the ground
Both teams will likely be looking at next week from different perspectives. Tennessee has lost five games in a row, Jacksonville has won three in a row and five of their last seven.
The momentum is in Jacksonville, which may want to keep the momentum going in Houston next Sunday.
The Titans will already play in Dallas on Thursday, could rest the staff and then prepare for ten days for the most important game of the season.
Coach Vrabel with vague statements
Rookie cornerback Roger McCreary expressed his disappointment after the loss to the Texans, but also indicated he wants to get out of the quagmire:
“I feel really bad right now. We all know we have what it takes. We just have to go to the next game and try to win.”
Coach Mike Vrabel was more cautious about the Dallas game: “We have some players who have played a lot for us but they are far from 100%. We will try to find out who is available to us and then make some decisions.”
Because for the Titans – as well as for the Jaguars – it’s still a game to be won. But that’s not the next.
