Titans vs. Jaguars Game Day Newsletter Sept23Titans_Digital | Page 79

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DEFENDING AFC SOUTH CHAMPION JAGUARS OPEN DIVISION SCHEDULE AGAINST TENNESSEE TITANS
JACKSONVILLE – Let the critical part of the schedule begin … divisional play is here .
Yes , the Jacksonville Jaguars have checked off the fi rst two landmarks of the 2018 schedule : a tough Week 1 road game in New York … Win , 20-15 . Check . A stirring Week 2 home game against the perennial AFC powerhouse Patriots … Win , 31-20 . Check .
A great start , and in fact , a perfect start in terms of results . Sure , there are corrections to be made in some areas and others that are performing well in the early season , but now this is the part of the schedule where winning results become vital .
There are a few ways for a team to approach the schedule each year . Win three games in each quarter of the season , and you ’ ll have 12 wins . Win your eight home games and half the road games and that gets to 12 wins as well .
The fastest way to the playoffs , though , is to dominate and win the division . If your team is good enough to beat the three teams they play twice a year , then in theory it should be good enough to win others outside of the division to get into playoff contention .
Winning the AFC South is what the Jaguars are built around . You see the Tennessee Titans , Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts twice a year . Those teams ’ logos are ingrained in the Jaguars players ’ minds walking around TIAA Bank Field . In fact , in the hallway outside of the Jaguars locker room – the main hallway between the locker room and the lunchroom , the main lobby , the parking lot , the coaches ’ offi ces pretty much anywhere – one sign shows the dates and results of the division games only – no others .
That sign at the end of last season showed a 4-2 record in the AFC South . The two losses … to the Titans , who fi nished with a 5-1 record in the division . It was the Jaguars ’ 10-6 overall record that propelled them to the division title , fi nishing one game better than the Titans for the fi rst AFC South title in franchise history . The other two division titles came in the old AFC Central in the 1990s .
So yes , we use the “ Remember the Titans ” movie title as the title for this matchup . Cheesy , maybe … the movie was released 18 years ago , not long after those old division championships – and the Titans ’ three wins over the Jags in the 1999 season / postseason . Applicable now ? Absolutely .
Yes , it is a new year . Yes , the teams are different from a year ago . Yes , last season is last season and we are on to 2018 ( we went over this last week leading into the Patriots game ). That said , it would be nice to not only start off on the right foot this season in the AFC South but to bring an end a two-game skid against a hated division rival .
Today the Tennessee Titans ( 1-1 ) face the Jacksonville Jaguars ( 2-0 ) at 1:00 p . m . at TIAA Bank Field in Week 3 . Remember the Titans , or at least what they did to the Jaguars a season ago . Make it loud , make it rowdy , make it the toughest road environment in the NFL – especially for the division rivals .
Let the critical games begin … the fi rst of six divisional games , that is .