Tennessee Titans 3 Keys to Victory Against Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11

The Tennessee Titans are underdogs on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend and if they intend to pull the upset there some key things they will need to go their way.
Tennessee Titans 3 Keys to Victory Against Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11
Tennessee Titans 3 Keys to Victory Against Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11 /
In this story:

The Tennessee Titans are significant underdogs as they head into a Week 11 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Titans travel to Florida having not won a game on the road all season, leaving their road losing streak at eight games.

Jacksonville is the better team on paper, with a coach who has won a Super Bowl and they are playing at home. For the Titans to pull the upset it would take some significant things to break their way. But, they just might. 

Here are three keys to victory for the Titans on Sunday.

Win the Turnover Battle

This isn't breaking news. Football history is littered with upsets that were driven by the game's great equalizer — turnovers. This will be especially important to the Titans considering the Jaguars are tied for most turnovers forced in the NFL this year(18) and the Titans themselves are tied for last(7).

This key to victory seems incredible elusive considering all the circumstances and that is exactly why it is the one thing the Titans must do above all others if they expect to grab their first win away from Nashville in 2023.

Getting the Jaguars' offense off the field while also giving your own struggling offense an easier chance at points is a combo meal the Titans simply cannot pass up on.

Feed Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry's usage is a common talking point, but this game more than ever will require Henry to deliver a vintage performance that includes a heavy workload. Trying to have a shootout with a more talented offense would spell doom for the Titans. The classic ball control offensive style we've seen the Titans have before must show here.

Jacksonville has one of the better run defenses in the NFL on paper, allowing just over 86 rushing yards a game. That's in the top five in the NFL, but look closer and Jacksonville has been a bit up and down in their rush defense, allowing 100 yards rushing or more in four games, including a season-high 144 yards allowed to San Francisco last week.

If the Titans want to keep this game in striking distance and also keep their rookie quarterback upright, they'll need classic Derrick Henry dominating in his hometown as he used to do.

Be Aggressive

No one is accusing Mike Vrabel of being ultra-conservative. That simply isn't the case. Vrabel has shown he is willing to be aggressive and take chances when needed, but in this season with this team, Vrabel has to be even more aggressive than normal in his game strategy.

The odds are stacked against the Titans in this game and that means on fourth and short opportunities or in situations where the Titans have to choose between a field goal or going for it, they need to be aggressive.

You won't win this game by settling for field goals or punting on your side of the field. The Titans' offense struggles as is, so feeding into that by sullying away positive drives with conservative decisions would be irresponsible. 

Aggressiveness can be shown outside of just offense. Going after a punt block, an onside kick, a fake punt or field goal, trick plays on special teams, sending a blitz. Vrabel has to take the fight to the Jaguars if he hopes to end this road losing streak against a division rival.

Related stories on Titans-Bucs

  • WEEK 11 INJURY REPORT: The Tennessee Titans had some key players absent for Thursday's practice, but even with the non-participants, things are much brighter on the injury front than they appear. CLICK HERE
  • LEVIS SHOWING CONFIDENCE: The Tennessee Titans' offensive line is under fire after being a glaring issue for the better part of the last season and a half. One of the primary concerns due to the offensive line is the health of rookie quarterback Will Levis, but Levis isn't showing concern. CLICK HERE
  • PLAY DUNCAN AT LT: The Tennessee Titans offensive line has been so poor to this point that the head coach is worried most for the health of his players, namely rookie quarterback Will Levis. However, Mike Vrabel is confident they can correct the issues upfront. CLICK HERE
  • WEEK 10 LEVIS FILM STUDY: The Tennessee Titans lost once again in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while giving an embarrassing performance on offense. Rookie Will Levis will get the attention for an underwhelming stat line, but looking at the film shows how the rest of the offense let the quarterback down. CLICK HERE

Published
Tyler Rowland
TYLER ROWLAND

Tyler Rowland is a Tennessee Titans fanatic for nearly 25 years and the host of the Locked On Titans podcast. While diving into all things Tennessee Titans, Tyler specializes in film study and providing grounded opinions on all of the latest Titans news.