The Jags will need some players to step up after two straight losses and Dede Westbrook is one to watch against the Titans.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have reached the point where their playoff aspirations are on life support as they will be taking on the Tennessee Titans, who are almost in the same situation. One thing the Jags will at least have in their favor is the fact that they beat the Titans earlier this year and fans are hoping history repeats itself.
When considering their last two performances, the Jags clearly will need several players to play out of their minds and here are three bold predictions for Sunday’s game:
Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
Dede Westbrook will exit the game with over 130 yards, a receiving touchdown, and special teams touchdown
While it’s Leonard Fournette who most Jags fans want to see more involved, it’s possible struggle against the Titans, who have the No. 13 ranked rushing defense. Additionally, he’s struggled to find success against the Titans and will enter Sunday’s game with just 211 rushing yards throughout four games against them.
However, when looking at their defensive statistics, they’ve struggled mightily against the pass and rank 22nd in the category. When looking at their last three games, they’ve allowed two receivers to accumulate over 157 yards against them (Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill), while Carolina Panthers receiver DJ Moore accumulated 101 yards against them. That said, I think they may focus so heavily on DJ Chark Jr. to the point where Dede Westbrook has a breakout game against them and racks up over 130 yards against them with a touchdown. Don’t be shocked to also see him contribute on special teams against Tennessee, too, as he’s due for a punt return touchdown.
Touchdown Wire’s Pat Yasinskas shares 11 last-minute fantasy football thoughts of Week 12.
As you get ready to finalize your lineups for Week 12 of the NFL season, here are 11 random and last-minute fantasy football thoughts:
11. Eddy Pineiro will bounce back
Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago kicker is under a lot of heat after missing five kicks in his last four games. Things hit a low point last week against the Rams. Pineiro missed two field-goal attempts and the Bears elected to pass on him trying another one and went for it on fourth down. But the Bears have been uncommonly patient and supportive of their kicker. He’ll reward them with a big day against the Giants.
The Jags’ linebacking corps has been an issue all year and DC Todd Wash confirmed the main issue most fans have been pointing to all along.
The Jacksonville Jaguars team as a whole has struggled in their last two games but the fans especially have been pointing fingers at the defense, who’ve struggled mightily against the rush. Dating back to their loss to the Houston Texans in London they’ve given up 480 total yards to opposing rushers and many fans have pinned those issues on the team’s linebacking corps.
Heading into this regular season, the linebacker position was an area of concern with Telvin Smith’s retirement and Myles Jack not having a strong 2018 season. Now, the fears of the fanbase have seemingly come true, as the group is struggling with shedding blocks, which has led to some of the Jags’ issues against the rush.
Jags defensive coordinator Todd Wash pretty much confirmed what some fans were speculating about the linebacker play Thursday and admitted he has to do a better job prepping his unit in general.
“Well in our system we’re an attack front, so it’s not like we sit and try to cover up linemen and keep them off the second level, Wash said. “So, within our system that’s not what we do. Some systems they do, but for us, we’re an attack system and then when you get on a block you have to get off a block is basically the way our system is built from the front seven and nickel, or the front eight and base.”
Wash added that playing “downhill,” as some have suggested, isn’t necessarily the answer either because in today’s game that would put the linebackers out of position to help out in the passing game, too.
“Not that everybody knows, but if our linebackers just run downhill, we’re going to get killed in the passing game,” Wash added. “It’s just the way we play our system. It’s the way Gus [Bradley] plays it, it’s the way [Robert] Saleh plays it, it’s the way they play it in Seattle. Your linebackers can’t get just downhill, a lot of people don’t understand that, a lot of people don’t understand football to be honest with you. So, our scheme allows them to go east and west, but when he does see it, we need to see our linebackers getting downhill better than we have.”
Of course, all of the statements above are not to say the linebackers are solely to blame, but they’ve clearly been a big part of the defense’s issues. Add in the loss of Smith’s pursuit speed and now fans are looking at a defense that is significantly worse than 2017’s group, which led the team to the AFC Championship.
Needless to say, the Jags’ inability to get off blocks are just some of the fundamental things the team has likely emphasized in practice this week. However, with the Tennessee Titans, Derrick Henry and their powerhouse mentality up next, we’ll see just how much they have improved throughout practice as Wash’s job could hang in the balance.
The Jags and Titans game is a must-win for both teams, however, the coverage on the game won’t be huge around the nation.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will be traveling north for the second consecutive week to face another group of divisional opponents in the Tennessee Titans. After sustaining a loss Sunday thanks to the Indianapolis Colts, the Jags will head to Nissan Stadium in desperation mode, but with the Titans currently at 5-5 with the No. 9 seed in the AFC South playoff race, they will be equally desperate.
Sunday’s game will mark the second time the Jags and Titans have met. The first time was a rather memorable night as Minshew Mania got its start at TIAA Bank Field. However, this time around, the Jags will take on the Titans with veteran Nick Foles behind center, who will be looking to improve upon a lackluster Week 11 against the Colts.
Meanwhile, the Titans will have a new starting quarterback themselves who didn’t participate in Week 3’s game in Ryan Tannehill, who has actually given the offense a little bit of a resurgence.
All of that said, this will be a must-watch game for those within the Jags’ and Titans’ fanbase and the fans who live in the blue region of the TV coverage map below will be able to tune in via CBS.
(Map courtesy of 506sports.com)
Announcing the game will be Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Dan Fouts (color commentator).
The Titans lead the series between the two teams with a 29-21 record. The Jags will have to defy history if they want to win as they’ve lost their last five games in Nashville. On top of that, they will go into the games as underdogs, as BetMGM has the Titans down as 3.5 point favorites.
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 11 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 11 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
QUARTERBACKS
MATT RYAN- $6700 DRAFTKINGS, $7900 FANDUEL
Matt Ryan strolls into Week 12 with a dream matchup vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ryan has been super consistent and is averaging 22.7 DraftKings points per game. Tampa Bay is allowing 290 passing yards per game and ranks 30th against opposing quarterbacks. There are not many favorable matchups this week so Ryan comes in as one of your safest plays in both cash games and tournaments. The ideal pairing would be with either Julio Jones or Calvin Ridley for your stack.
DREW BREES- $6600 DRAFTKINGS, $8500 FANDUEL
Drew Brees has been a little up and down due to injuries this season but a matchup with the Carolina Panther at home in the dome should change things. It looks like this offense is coming around and Alvin Kamara will be a prime receiving target to bolster this passing offense. Brees is averaging 17 points per game and should provide a safe floor for all your daily fantasy needs. For cash games, a lot of my builds will start with a Brees and Thomas stack.
RUNNING BACKS
ALVIN KAMARA- $8200 DRAFTKINGS, $8300 FANDUEL
Alvin Kamara is coming off a 22 point DraftKings showing in Week 11 where he didn’t find the endzone. He hauled in 10 receptions which is a great sign for him moving forward. Like I stated above I like attacking this Panther defense and even more so from the running back position. Carolina ranks 29th against opposing running backs and they are allowing 128 yards rushing per game. Combine that with the dual-threat presence Kamara provides and we should see him as the top-scoring running back in Week 12.
DERRICK HENRY- $6900 DRAFTKINGS, $7100 FANDUEL
Derrick Henry doesn’t get the respect he should as a fantasy player if you ask me. He is averaging 17 points per game and is coming off a 36 and 24 point performance in back to back weeks. He is now well-rested coming off a bye week and has a home matchup vs the Jaguars. Jacksonville ranks 25th against opposing running backs and allowing almost a league worse 134 yards per game on the ground. Lock in Henry as a low owned tournament play that can separate you from the pack in Week 12.
WIDE RECEIVERS
CALVIN RIDLEY- $6500 DRAFTKINGS, $6700 FANDUEL
Calvin Ridley could be called a boom or bust play due to his inconsistency but he will still be on my roster in Week 12. Ridley is averaging 14 points per game and is coming off 31 point game versus the Panthers. The Panthers are a middle-tier defense against the pass and now he gets a bump to one of the worst secondaries in the league. A matchup versus Tampa Bay is as good as it gets. Tampa Bay ranks 32nd against opposing wide receivers and is allowing 290 yards through the air. Both Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones are in line for monster games so an approach I will be taking is making lineups with each of them in one.
JAMISON CROWDER- $6200 DRAFTKINGS, $6500 FANDUEL
Jamison Crowder has been shocking the fantasy world week after week.
Crowder has scored touchdowns in 3 straight games and has been a focal point of this Jet offense. He is averaging 12 points per game over the season but those numbers are low due to injuries to his starting quarterback. Since Darnold has been back he has a 22, 19, and 18 point game in his last 3. Pair that with a matchup against Oakland who ranks 30th against opposing wide receivers and we have a nice mid-tier low owned play at wide receiver.
TIGHT ENDS
ZACH ERTZ- $6000 DRAFTKINGS, $6100 FANDUEL
Zach Ertz is one of the only receivers left for the Eagles who can actually catch the ball. The Eagles receivers are all hobbled and Ertz is the safe play to target in this matchup versus the Seahawks. Ertz gets a home game versus a Seattle secondary who ranks 26th against opposing tight ends. The Seahawks are giving up 271 passing yards through the air and have been picked on all year. Ertz should be the safest play for both cash games and tournaments and will be my highest owned tight end this week.
JARED COOK- $4500 DRAFTKINGS, $6000 FANDUEL
Similar to all the stats I placed above for Brees and Kamara, Cook comes in as a solid play due to his matchup versus Carolina. The Saints have a weak receiving core outside of Michael Thomas so Cook has been a focal point of this offense from the tight end slot. I’m not in love with Cook, so I would look to mix in some other plays or pay up for Ertz. Cook will be a low owned tournament play who can find the endzone. Darren Waller, Ryan Griffin and Vance McDonald will also be sprinkled into my tournament mix at tight end.
DEFENSES
BILLS- $3400 DRAFTKINGS, $4700 FANDUEL
The Denver Broncos surprised a bunch of people by putting up points versus the Vikings in Week 11, but I think that was more of a fluke game. Now they travel to Buffalo and have to face the Bills Mafia in Week 12. The Bills come in as one of the top plays on Defense and I will target them in my cash games as long as I have the salary to get there. I like targeting home defenses and the fact we can combine that with the fact the Broncos will traveling through time zones for a 1pm Eastern game and we have a solid play in Week 12.
STEELERS- $4000 DRAFTKINGS, $5000 FANDUEL
The defense who is in a matchup versus the Bengals has been a prime target for me if you have been reading my column week after week. The Bengals are bad and the Steelers have a top 10 defense that is getting better week to week. The Steelers have averaged 12 fantasy points per game and have been forcing turnovers and accumulating sacks. Play it safe at the defense position and either lock up the Bills or Steelers in Week 12.
Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than seven years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.
The Jaguars will face yet another division foe this weekend, the Tennessee Titans. Here are three keys to victory against Tennessee.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will face yet another division foe this weekend: the Tennessee Titans. After getting beaten handily in back-to-back weeks, the Jaguars are hoping they can right the ship and get back on track.
The Titans team the Jags will face this Sunday is a completely different team than the one they faced Week 3 as they’re playing better football and currently have a 5-5 record. Does that mean the results will be the same though?
Here are three keys to victory against Tennessee:
Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Give Fournette the ball
Through the first nine games of the season, the Jaguars heavily leaned on running back Leonard Fournette. At one point and time, Fournette was the AFC’s leading rusher and scrimmage leader. The past two games, however, the team has seemingly forgotten how much of an impact Fournette has on this offense.
In his most recent games against the Texans and Colts, Fournette has been given just 19 carries and has only accumulated 63 yards and no touchdowns. The team has curiously gone away from their bread and butter: a strong run game. Coincidence or not, the Jaguars have also struggled mightily in those games. If the Jaguars wish to return to winning, they need to go back to their identity.
The Jags should expect a scrappy Titans team Week 12 after they will be coming off their bye with momentum from their win against the Chiefs.
While their fanbase is still recovering from Sunday’s deflating loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Jacksonville Jaguars must now let it be nothing more than a moment in the past. Up next for them is a team who may be even more desperate than the Colts were in the Tennessee Titans, who look to be a better team than they were Week 3 when the Jags beat them on “Thursday Night Football.”
All of that said, here are three things to know as the Jags and Titans gear up for their second meeting of 2019:
Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The Titans have a lot to play for with the No. 9 seed in the AFC
The Titans will come into Sunday’s game with plenty to play for — and quite frankly — more than the Jags. As of Tuesday, they have the ninth seed in the AFC playoff picture with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills in their way for a wild-card slot.
But they’re not the only team in the league that has failed at times to use their most important rushers properly.
The Tennessee Titans have made some baffling decisions on offense this season — one of which was not giving the ball to running back Derrick Henry enough.
The Titans seem to have corrected that issue now, though, as Henry finished last week’s 35-32 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs with 188 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
But they’re not the only team in the league that has failed at times to use their most important rushers properly.
Just as the team did in its loss to the Houston Texans in London earlier this season, they hardly gave former LSU standout Leonard Fournette a chance to be a part of the ground attack — even though he should be the player at the heart of it.
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He finished out Sunday’s 33-13 divisional loss to the Indianapolis Colts with just eight carries for 23 rushing yards. Fournette also reeled in seven receptions for 34 yards, but didn’t account for a score.
This is curious, considering that Fournette is recognized as one of the league’s best rushers.
The fact he still finished as Jacksonville’s leading rusher at the end of the contest brings light to just how much their run game struggled, with Ryquell Armstead being the only other player to record a rushing attempt.
He had just one carry for six yards on the day.
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It will be interesting to see just how much of a workload the team gives him as they travel to Nissan Stadium to face the Tennessee Titans at 3:05 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Derrick Henry was honored this week in his hometown of Yulee, Florida for his football achievements
Former Alabama running back Derrick Henry who now plays for the Tennessee Titans, was honored this week in his hometown of Yulee, Florida for his football achievements, as well as his contributions in the community with a welcome sign.
Derrick Henry played for Alabama from 2013- 2015. Not only did Henry win the 2015 Heisman trophy, but he also finished his career at Alabama with 3, 591 rushing yards and 42 rushing touchdowns.
Henry, who was drafted by the Titans in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, is having a big impact on the Titans’ rushing game. He’s on track for his second straight season rushing 1000+ yards. So far in 2019, Henry has rushed for 832 yards and 8 TDs.
NFL Freaks of the Week is a weekly poll on the Alabama football twitter account
The “NFL Freaks of the Week” is a weekly poll on the Alabama football twitter account, that lets fans vote for an NFL offensive and defensive freak of the week from the previous week’s matchups.
Last week, Josh Jacobs and Minkah Fitzpatrick were the Freaks of the week.
Let’s see who the fans voted for this week!
Offensively, these were the four candidates twitter got to vote on:
