3 Matchups That Will Define Jaguars-Titans

Which matchups between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans will decide Sunday's game?

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) reacts after Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) intercepted a pass intended for him late in the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NFL is all about matchups.

Each week, games are decided by which teams have an advantage on each side of the ball. Who has the better pass-rush? Whose receivers can win one-on-one?

As a result, we will take a look each week at which matchups are the most important for the Jacksonville Jaguars to win. This week, we start it off with the three key matchups between the Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans.

Calvin Ridley vs. Ronald Darby

It remains to be seen if the Jaguars will have starting cornerback Tyson Campbell on hand this weekend, which means it could be largely up to veteran cornerback Ronald Darby to slow down ex-Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Ridley is a legit deep threat who can get behind any defense, so Darby will have to be on his A-game to keep Ridley from breaking the game wide open.

"Speed. Elite speed. Take the top off defense. Huge deep ball threat," Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said about Ridley on Thursday.

"Like, we have to protect the deep ball against him. Make his catches—he's going to get his catches. The guy's a really good football player. He's going to get his catches. We're going to try to eliminate as much as we can. But we can't give up the explosives over the top.”

Josh Hines-Allen vs. JC Latham

WIth Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen just 4.5 sacks away from breaking the franchise's all-time sack record, and he could make some progress on Sunday against a rookie left tackle. Hines-Allen has 3.5 sacks in his last four games against the Titans, but none of those games came against first-round left tackle JC Latham.

How Hines-Allen plays on Sunday will go a long way toward determining how the Titans' passing attack will produce. If he can get after Will Levis as a result of beating a rookie left tackle, then the Jaguars' defense could have a fighter's chance.

Jaguars IOL vs. Titans IDL

The Jaguars' interior offensive line has been among their strengths this season, but they might have their biggest challenge of the season on hand. Jeffery Simmons has been a thorn in the Jaguars' side for his entire career, while rookie nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat is among the best young defensive tackles in football. How Ezra Cleveland, Mitch Morse and Brandon Scherff perform against that duo will be critical.

"It’s one of the best we’re going to see all year, quite frankly. They’re big, they’re powerful. Their two tackles, [Titans DT] Jeffery Simmons is one of the best tackles in the NFL," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said this week.

"Sweat’s [Titans NT T’Vondre Sweat] another one that’s a rookie but he’s learning. He’s a load. And we know Arden [Titans OLB Arben Key]. Arden is very athletic. Speed-rusher and plays with a lot of energy. But this front is going to be one of the better ones we’ve seen.”

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