NFL’s Scheduling Punished the Jaguars and Rewarded the Titans — And It Shouldn’t Matter

The Jaguars came out on the short end of the stick due to how the NFL scheduled their Week 18 bout vs. the Titans, but it shouldn't be the difference in winning or losing the AFC South.

There are very few times in the history of the Jacksonville Jaguars that the NFL has felt itself beholden to their fortunes. This Saturday is no different. 

The Jaguars will play their most important game in five years, and really in franchise history, this weekend vs. the Tennessee Titans. But instead of getting a normal week's rest as the Titans benefit from an extended rest due to Thursday Night Football, the Jaguars will have to play on a short week, taking the field on Saturday evening as opposed to Sunday night. 

Despite the Jaguars doing right by the NFL and playing its starters for 2.5 quarters in a meaningless game in Week 17 while the Titans rested a plethora of players who could have otherwise played, it is the Titans getting a hand up from the NFL. The unideal situation could be described as unfair and a miscalculation by any rational thinker. 

But it shouldn't matter. 

If the Jaguars are the team they think they are, then there should be zero excuses come Saturday. 

If the Jaguars truly deserve the AFC South title and a spot in the playoffs, then one extra day of rest in preparation to face Josh Dobbs should not be the difference. 

“We’re ready to go. Guys are going to be focused. It kind of is what it is," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Monday after the schedule was released.

"I’ve always said that you want to be one of the teams that is in the conversation at the end of the season, and obviously us and Tennessee are in that conversation. Great opportunity for our organization to play Saturday night, primetime game, and showcase what we’ve got.”

Pederson said following the Jaguars' 31-3 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday that he would prefer to play on Sunday. Playing on Sunday made the most sense from the perspective of the NFL's playoff race, too, since the Jaguars/Titans clash impacts just the two teams and no other teams. 

But the Jaguars' request fell on deaf ears, adding another hurdle to Jacksonville's historic playoff push. 

"There’s always opportunities to reach out and kind of express your concern with that, especially with Tennessee playing a Thursday game, but at the end of the day, we’re just excited to be here, to be in this type of game," Pederson said. "I think it’s great for our players, great for our city to have it and to host it here in Jacksonville this Saturday night.”

“You just adjust. It’s no different than if you were to play on a Thursday. You just adjust your schedule and move things up. The biggest thing is to make sure the guys are rested and prepared.”

Is this a fair scenario for the Jaguars? No. Did the NFL make the right decision? It doesn't appear so. 

But it shouldn't matter. To win games in the NFL, teams have to overcome all different types of adversity. Teams win with backups at every position, ranging from quarterback to kicker to even head coach in some instances. 

The Titans are an example, even with the boost the NFL has given them this weekend. They have lost numerous key starters for the year, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill. 

Nobody has it easy. Nobody cares. In the NFL, you have to fight through it. When the playoffs roll around, more adverse situations than this one will arise. 

If the Jaguars truly think they are capable of something special, then an extra day's rest shouldn't matter. It might not be fair, but it doesn't have to be. It is the NFL.

"These games, you shouldn’t have to check the pulse of anybody. They should be fired up and ready to go," Pederson said. 

"Again, these are games you want to play in as a player, you want to coach in as a coach, and again, it’s part of the culture that we’re trying to establish, and again, as we move forward, whether it’s the remainder of this season, into ‘23, next year and beyond, you want to be here at the end with an opportunity to play in the post season.”