Tag: aft south

Listen: Jags Wire discusses defense heading into Week 2 with ESPN’s Turron Davenport

The Jags’ defense had some standout moments against the Colts Week 1. James Johnson chatted with Turron Davenport and previewed the unit.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense may have allowed 445 total yards against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, but there were moments where they came up big. Among those who made crucial plays were Abry Jones, Myles Jack, and rookie cornerback CJ Henderson, who was nominated for the Pepsi’s Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week Award.

Heading into Week 2 they will need an even better performance, however, and especially will need to slow the run game down with Derrick Henry lining up behind the quarterback. To discuss the state of the Jags’ defense heading into Week 2, I joined ESPN 102.5 The Game of Nashville for a chat with Titans beat writer Turron Davenport via the “Talking with TD Show.”

Some specific players we discussed at included Jack, Henderson, Jones, DaVon Hamilton, Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson to name a few. To listen to the full clip, just hit play below.

Behind Enemy Lines: Week 2 Q&A with Titans Wire

Titans Wire’s Mike Moraitis is taking the Titans in Sunday’s game as the Jags have routinely struggled with stopping Derrick Henry.

The Jacksonville Jaguars got them a win Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts and it’s now time to turn their focus to the Tennessee Titans. A Week 2 win on the Jags’ part would thrust them into first place in the division, a place nobody expected them to be so early in the season, or at any point in 2020.

To get our readers more acclimated with the Titans, Jags Wire sat down with the Titans Wire and their managing editor Michael Moraitis. Here are five burning questions he was able to answer as we get closer to Week 2’s important game:

Jags Wire: With there being no preseason, Week 1’s series of games were very important for all 32 teams to iron out the kinks and give fans a preview of their teams. What were your takeaways from the Titans’ Week 1 win over Denver?

Michael Moraitis: The Titans’ offense looked pretty sluggish, and it was the defense that really kept Tennessee in the game long enough to grab the win. Overall, Ryan Tannehill didn’t look sharp and Derrick Henry didn’t seem to have much bounce in his step, even though he broke the 100-yard mark. The Titans were lucky to escape with a win, especially given their struggles in the kicking game.

JW: Last year the Titans went to the AFC Championship and were a game away from going to the Super Bowl. What were some of the additions made this offseason to get them over the hump and make them stronger in the AFC South?

MM: The Titans have tried to get faster in the slot with the addition of second-round pick Kristian Fulton, and their pass-rush should be much better with the additions of Jadeveon Clowney and Vic Beasley – that is, once Beasley actually gets on the field.

We got a good taste of what Clowney can do in Week 1, but his impact was minimal in the second half as he was dealing with fatigue, which wasn’t surprising considering he had less than a full week of practices ahead of the Broncos game. After the game, Clowney said he expects his play to get even better once his conditioning improves, and he admitted he’s still learning the defense and wasn’t totally sure what was going on out there in his debut.

JW: Of course, we all know about Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Kevin Byard, but who are some of the lesser known names who could make an impact Sunday for the Titans?

MM: On offense, it’s no doubt wide receiver Corey Davis. Granted, he’s a former No. 5 overall pick, but he has been flying under the radar since Brown exploded last season. Davis was sensational in Week 1, pulling in seven catches for 101 yards, and both of those totals were the most he’s had in a game since Week 10 of 2018.

Also, watch out for tight end Jonnu Smith. The Titans are lining him up all over the field – including in the backfield – and really trying to get him the ball in space so he can make plays with his insane athleticism.

On defense, outside linebacker Harold Landry could wreck this game. He started off a bit slow in Week 1, but he made his presence felt in the second half by creating pressure and being effective when dropping back against the pass, which is something he has struggled to do in the past.

JW: Sunday’s game is going to be significantly different than those we’ve seen in the past because there will be no fans at Nissan Stadium. Do you think that may work against the Titans this week?

 MM: Not at all. Unfortunately for the Titans, they’ve had lackluster attendance at games over the years, and when a team with a bigger fan base comes to town, the visiting fans can make it feel like a road game for the Titans. Tennessee has also been a good road team in the past, proving it can thrive in even the most hostile environment (see: the 2019 playoffs). If there’s one team who can easily overcome not having the energy of fans in the stands, it’s the Titans.

JW: What are your score predictions for the game?

MM: Until the Jaguars prove to me they can stop Derrick Henry, I don’t see them beating the Titans. The Titans are going to try and do what they couldn’t in Week 1, which was setup the play-action game with a lot of Henry, who should have more room to run this week after being mostly stifled by a stellar Broncos run defense. Titans come out on top, 28-17

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

Vrabel speaks highly of Minshew’s leadership, reflects on success he had vs. Titans

Jags QB Gardner Minshew had a excellent game against the Titans last season and their coach Mike Vrabel is well aware of it.

The Jacksonville Jaguars only had one primetime game last year during the regular season, but it was one that was very important to the fanbase. Of course, one reason for that was because Jacksonville got the national spotlight for the week, but an even bigger reason was because that moment kicked off Minshew Mania.

After completing 22-of-25 passes against the eventual Super Bowl champs, and nearly putting together a game-winning drive the following week against the Houston Texans, fans were excited to see Gardner Minshew on the big stage. To the surprise of some, he rose to the occasion Week 3 during Thursday Night Football, propelling the Jags to a huge 20-7 win over the Tennessee Titans, who eventually went to the AFC Championship.

Now, almost a year later, Titans coach Mike Vrabel still vividly remembers how things went down that night. While meeting with the media Wednesday he praised Minshew for the growth he’s shown and made it known that Minshew brings an infectious energy to the team that could be an X-factor in Sunday’s game.

Last season’s primetime game against the Titans marked Minshew’s only meeting against them because the Jags re-inserted Nick Foles back into the lineup once he came off of injured reserve. During that memorable night, Minshew went 20-of-30 for over 200 yards and two touchdowns, and it can’t be ruled out for him to have similar success with there being no crowd at Nissan Stadium.

Vrabel and company will also have to deal with Minshew as he’s coming off a historic performance against the Indianapolis Colts Week 1. Minshew, who completed 95% of his passes (19-of-20), was able to register the fourth-highest single-game completion percentage in NFL history when looking at quarterbacks who’ve made 20 or more attempts. The only players to register a higher rate are Drew Brees (2019), Philip Rivers (2018), and Marcus Mariota (2018) with percentages of 96.7, 96.6, and 95.7, respectively.

Make no mistake about it, the Titans aren’t going to be an easy team to beat by any means with an all-time record of 30-21 against the Jags. However, Minshew has done more than enough to make many confident in him. If he can garner a win Sunday over the Titans, it would be the biggest statement he’s made in his career and would put Jacksonville at 2-0, which is a start nobody saw them getting off to.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.