Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans CAN'T TANK v Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Jaguars SHOULD BE & Turnovers are KEY

Episode Date: December 4, 2024

The Tennessee Titans cannot afford to tank this weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars as they desperately need a win to right the ship, but that is exactly what the Jacksonville Jaguars should be doing as their quarterback is likely out for the season and there is an expected head coaching change waiting. There will be plenty of keys to victory in this matchup, but none is more important than the turnover battle as the team that wins that aspect will likely also set themselves up for a victory in Week 13.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Omaha SteaksFrom legendary steaks to mouthwatering desserts and more, save 50% off site-wide for a limited time at OmahaSteaks.com. Plus, our listeners get an extra $30 off with Promo Code NFL. IceShakerCreated by and used by the Gronkowski brothers, IceShakers has sold over 1 million bottles. They have changed the game with workout bottles, and this is the gift you’ve been looking for… go to IceShaker.com and use the code LOCKEDONNFL at checkout to save 25% on your order. Skylight FrameGet $20 off a Skylight Frame when you go to SkylightFrame.com/NFL.Mint MobileTo get this new customer offer and your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to Mintmobile.com/lockedonnfl. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at MINT MOBILE dot com slash lockedonnfl.Disclaimer: $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.). New customers on first 3 month plan only. Speeds slower above 40GB on Unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. See MINT MOBILE for details.Hillsdale CollegeAll of Hillsdale’s courses are self-paced so that you can start whenever, and tune in wherever. Plus, you can go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions - or just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu/lockedon to enroll. There’s no cost, and it’s easy to get started.PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelYou can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. New customers can place a FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - if you win your first FIVE DOLLAR BET ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

The Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Tennessee Titans in a matchup between the AFC South Ugly Ducklings. It's Crossover Thursday, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. You are locked on NFL Crossover, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome in to another Crossover Thursday. It's Locked On Titans, Locked On Jags. I am the host of Locked On Titans, Tyler Rowland,

here with the host of Locked On Jags, the OG, Tony Wiggins. Also, both the hosts of Locked On NFL. Make sure that you check that out. But we finally got our first matchup of the year between the two problem child cousins of the ASC South here, the Titans and the Jaguars. And, you know, neither team is really certain whether they want to win these games.

I don't know. From the Titans' perspective, I think they might need to win this game. The Jags, those are questions that we are going to answer. We're going to talk storylines. We're going to talk keys to victory. Before we dive in, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Price Picks.

Crossover Thursday is always presented by Price Picks. Make sure you download the Price Picks app. Use the code LOCKEDONNFL to win $50 instantly when you play $5. Thank you for making Locked On Titans, Locked on Jags your first listen of the day. Remember to get subscribed. Stay subscribed for year-round free content on your favorite team. But, Tony, nice to have you on. It's been a long time since we last got to talk

in the little division breakdown before the season. It's not been a great year for either of our teams, and now Trevor Lawrence takes a major dirty dirty hit and um is in some jeopardy to play the rest of the year what's kind of your thoughts on the hit itself and then should Trevor Lawrence come back this season for the Jacks good question all right first of all uh you said ugly cousins and you said it plural speak for yourself we ain't ugly we just hurting a little bit we ain't putting no makeup on we ain't got no bonnet on y'all might be ugly all the time but we we just we just forgot to get

ourselves together yeah yeah yeah but um no man you make you make some good points and i'm gonna give you some uh some love here shout out to you because in our season preview, you picked a Jaguars to finish dead last. And I knew you were just hating. You didn't really believe it. But a broke clock is right twice a day, right? It happened. So I got to give you credit. But, yeah, I hope he doesn't play the rest of the season.

There's no need to. They're mathematically eliminated. There was a scenario last week where they weren't. And I'm sure that's why he played. Because if they won out like the two games they have against the titans they played the jets the raiders and if they had won that game the other day the jaguars could have done what they did in 2022 and they could have won out and gotten to eight nine now right all houston had to do was not win more than two games and

if you look at their schedule, that just might not happen. And the Jaguars could have tied it up. But Aziz Al-Shahir changed all of that when he hit Trevor Lawrence. Trevor shouldn't play the rest of the season. There's already some talk that he may need surgery on his non-throwing AC joint. He might not. Don't chance it. Just go and clean it up.

Let him get himself back together for next year. Yeah, and something that I watch your show because I use the clips for Locked on NFL, you also mentioned a good point of the Jags are probably going to have a new head coach next year. So you need Trevor Lawrence as healthy as possible so that he can come in and be ready to go during

the offseason. I'm pretty sure I know how you're feeling on this. You do want Doug Peterson gone, right? You are looking to get a new head coach in there. Yeah, I just think it's time. I mean, you know, Doug does a lot of good things well. I'm not blind and oblivious to the fact that he's the first coach to have consecutive winning seasons in the history of this franchise.

Also, I'm not going to act like I don't remember that he basically took over for King Joffrey when he took over for Urban Meyer and how things were for this organization or how things was for this organization before he took over that being said I'm a today person and I like to look at where I am today without all the sentiment without all the

emotion and say do I believe that he is the guy to get us to the next step and I do not so that's why I think to get us to the next step? And I do not. So that's why I think they need to make a change. And don't just leave Trent Baalke over there by himself. I mean, Trent might have a loneliness disorder, man. You can't be taking Doug Peterson and leaving Trent in there by himself like Will Smith in the house. Get him out of there too. Just go ahead and send them all. Don't leave nobody in there by themselves with no furniture, man. Get everybody out of there. I'm a little concerned that it's like Aladdin.

Jafar has the snake staff and he's putting it at the Sultan. I'm a little concerned that that's what Trent Baalke is doing to Shad Conn because earlier he said, this is the best roster we've ever assembled. And you know that that's Trent Baalke saying, this is the best roster this team's ever had. It's the

coach's fault. So are you worried right now that Baalke will, this is the best roster this team's ever had. You know, it's the coach's fault. So are you worried like right now that Baalke will actually stay even if they fire Peterson? Absolutely I'm worried about it because that is what Shaq Khan has always done. He's never making a clean break from anything. He always leaves people around. For people that say, who wants the coach there? Let me ask you this, Tyler Rowland. If your coach gave you open a paycheck

he opened a checkbook anytime you ask for it if he's not around all the time to the point where he really really does uh turn the authority over to other people right he delegates right uh and if you're bad he's gonna be patient he's gonna let you be bad he's gonna be patient he's gonna keep that checkbook open what coach in their right mind doesn't want to work for somebody like that? I think when people do that, they're really hustling it backwards and telling on themselves. That is the ideal job for a coach. The problem is it's an ideal job for a bad coach as much as it is an ideal job

for a good one because if it's terrible, he's going to be terrible and there ain't going to be no repercussions. So, look, I want him gone, but there's no – we got a nickname for him. They call him Littlefinger. They say Trent is another Game of Thrones reference, but they say he is working that mojo and you can't believe what he's saying because if he tells Shod this is the most talented team we've ever had here and when it fails, all he has to do is point to and say,

Trayvon had 10 and a half sacks last year, and he got seven and a half this year. You can say in 26 games, he has 18 sacks. It's not him. We repaid Josh. We repaid Trevor. We just repaid Walker Little. We drafted Brian Thomas Jr. We got Foyola with Khan.

I mean, we ain't done that bad in the draft. Then I would ask him, okay, well, why are we picking first again if the season would end right now? And nobody's going to say, watch that big finger. See that big finger? You can't see it if you're listening, but you can see it if you're watching. He's going to point that big old finger right there at Doug Peterson and say, it's all his fault.

And I'm telling you, man, that's what's being done now. Well, I mean, from that perspective, I think like you're talking, it's not a terrible situation. If you believe in Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr. is a good player. Trevon Walker, like you said, has had a good season, even though the numbers aren't quite last year. Josh Allen Hines, obviously a good player. There's enough talent on Jacksonville that could entice a good coach, and it's not like a David Tepper situation where he's known as a meddling, terrible owner. So I think you're right about that.

There will be more suitors for Jacksonville than maybe some people want to say. But with that being said, I guess looking forward, do you want the Jags to win these games? Do you want to – would you rather have the highest pick in the draft, and is there anybody in the draft that you really want? Yeah, there's some guys in the draft I want. But I always – when I did radio, I used to struggle with this,

with my co-host Ryan Green. We used to always talk about how do you tank and i always like in football to the closest thing i've ever seen in football and basketball is when i was in the military there's no way to fake doing your job and and and i get when people say tank it doesn't mean that guys aren't going to play hard but it means like say tank it doesn't mean that guys aren't going to play hard but it means like okay if trevor's hurt you you kind of lean on the side of not playing him yeah and tell tell the other guys to do as good as you can but you know you're not really putting your best foot forward from that perspective when there's health involved yeah if it's not about health we we got to really be

careful because the attachment to gambling now that is done. If guys can play, you can't have them just sitting. And if they're going to be out there, you can't fake playing because that's how you get hurt. So it's always a hard discussion for me to have. Now, for just from the football, the little kids sitting around eating cereal, talking to my friends. Hell no, I want them to win the rest of the games. I want them to get the number one pick in the draft. You know what I mean? And speaking of that, I think Travis Hunter is the best pure football player

in the draft. But I like him at corner and a part-time receiver. Because I think you need, in order to be good at corner, you need those reps all the time. In order to be good at receiver, they can just give you a little package. But Jamar Chase and those guys would lick their chops, and that's what the NFL is. It's the best on best.

You've got a dude guarding me one-on-one with cover zero, and he ain't repped all week at corner. See, that's what he's going to get in there. He's going to get a dude in thefl that's just like him yes i don't think that works being a part-time corner i do think part-time wide receiver travis hunter can get open on full-time corner travis hunter but i don't think full i think i don't think part-time corner travis hunter can guard wide receiver travis hunter so uh but i don't want the Jaguars to take him. I want him to use the leverage to trade.

Trade. For whoever wants Shador to make sure they bypass the Titans. And like if it's the Giants, send Shador to New York or to L.A. or somewhere and then take the big defense attack. I want the defense to tackle Mason Graham out of Michigan. I'm jealous of what Tavondre Sweat has done for you guys. I want the defense to tackle Mason Graham out of Michigan. I'm jealous of what Devondre Sweat has done for you guys. I want some of here. Yeah, well, either way,

again, whether you take a player you like, whether you trade the pick, having the number one overall pick would definitely help Jacksonville going forward, but I don't think you've got to worry about the Titans taking a quarterback because Will Levis has been playing some ball, and I'm sure that you're going to ask about that. We continue the crossover Thursday.

It's part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Get ready to tackle the final third of the NFL season with FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, because right now, new customers can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets if you win the FanDuel Sportsbook app. Gives you everything you need to place live bets on the NFL all in one place, so you get a hunch in the middle of a game. You can check out the latest stats, you can view live play-by-play, and so much more on the same page where you place your bets.

Make sure that you visit FanDuel.com to join today. Again, you'll get started with $150 in bonus bets if you win your first $5 bet. And if you're looking for a $5 bet to use, Titans, Moneyline, I think that might be a pretty good bet. But either way, make sure that you go to FanDuel.com. Never waste a hunch and make every moment more with FanDuel, an official sportsbook partner of the NFL.

Today's episode is also brought to you by Hillsdale College. Time is our most precious commodity, so don't waste it scrolling through the same mind-numbing content for hours and hours. How can you spend it wisely to improve yourself? Well, our sponsor Hillsdale College is offering more than 40 free, that's right, free online courses, including Constitution 101, the meaning and history of the Constitution, Introduction to Free Market Economics, The Great American Story, A Land of Hope. All of Hillsdale's courses are self-paced, so you can start whenever.

You can tune in wherever. Plus, you can always go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions, or of course, just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu slash locked on to enroll. There's no cost and it's easy to get started. That's hillsdale.edu

slash locked on to get registered. hillsdale.edu slash locked on to get registered. Hillsdale.edu slash locked on. All right, Tony, let's continue today's crossover Thursday edition of Locked on Titans, Locked on Jags. We just talked about the big storylines with Jacksonville, which a lot of them are more forward-thinking, looking ahead to the offseason. I'm certain we'll have more of those discussions

when we have another crossover here in just a couple of weeks because all these division games are all the way at the back end of the season. But now we move to the Titans side of things, and I'm sure that after not having any of our discussions about these two teams for 14 weeks, you have some questions about the Titans. I do, and it questions about the Titans. I do. And it starts with the quarterback, just like you said,

as you were going to break when you teased. I don't know if you heard, but we, on Monday, Julian Council and I, he gave some of those things, you know, those things that Will Levis was doing early in the year, where it was like he kept doing stupid stuff like the ball he called them whoopsie daisies and ever since he said that term we were like he's been doing whoopsie days but the other day he gave him credit he said no whoopsie daisies will levis actually look good i think will levis is the ultimate variance quarterback well maybe other than james winston like one looks like a Hall of Famer,

the next minute he looks like a little league kid playing his first game. Yeah. But Levis is a little bit different. I think you have to harness and play a game a certain type of way. It's almost like you got Taysom Hill full time. That's the way it feels with me with Will Levis. My question to you is, can y'all handle that variance, and can you handle the inconsistency in how has Coach Callahan been able to deal with,

you know, the fact that you're going to have extreme highs and then extreme lows with Will Nevis as a quarterback? Well, I think one of the things that they did, because one of the extreme lows is the turnovers. I mean, that is the lowest of the low when he creates turnovers, and those turnovers tend to happen when he tries to play hero ball. He just tries to do too much. He can't accept that the play is over.

Tries to keep it going. Can't just take a sack. And I think that they told him, take sacks. Like, just take the sack. You know, like, you don't have to do this crazy thing where you try to keep plays going. You don't have to do all that. And that's why he's had 22 sacks over the last four games. have to do this crazy thing where you try to keep plays going. You don't have to do all that. And

that's why he's had 22 sacks over the last four games. That, I mean, that's the most in the NFL by far. You know what I mean? But I think part of that is on purpose. They're like, we would rather have a million sacks than have you give the ball away. And another thing that I think that they're doing here is they're telling him, if your first two reads aren't there, then just try to run. Just try to run up the gut. And what he's trying to do is he knows he's going to get sacked, but you would rather lose one, two yards on a sack than lose seven or eight because he's running around trying to avoid it.

So they're trying to get him to just accept the reality and with the offensive line in the state that it's in. And look, everybody's hype about Nick Westbrook-Akene. He's got eight touchdowns on 20 catches or whatever. But like other than Calvin Ridley, the Titans don't have a high level wide receiver. They don't have a high level separator at any position. So like without a second great option in the passing game

and without a quality offensive line, you don't have a lot of options to get the high-level plays as often as you want them. So I think they're really working with them on how to minimize the lows. And quite honestly, if they would have done that early in the year, and look, I'm not going to blame the coaches for Will Levis going off the reservation and making those turnovers early in the year. But if he just doesn't make one or two of those stupid plays,

they're 4-8, they're 5-7. It's not as bad as the record seems because Levis was crazy at the beginning of the year and he was hurting the team. But now it's flipped in the last few weeks where Levis is playing great football and it's the team around him that's messing everything up. So it's like, you know, if it ain't one thing, it's another. And now Levis is playing good football and some other areas of the team aren't,

but they're trying to minimize the lows of the variance. And understanding that if they do that, they're still going to get the lows of the variance and understanding that if they do that, they're still going to get the highs just with a little bit less lows. And that's a pretty good player. Yeah. Sounds like a pretty good player. I'll tell you what, between the first two days of the draft, the Titans added like 730 pounds a man between the first two picks. I want you to give me your assessment of those two guys with different perspectives. The one is that you had to apologize because Devondre and you could,

you were apologized for me too, because he wasn't one of my favorite players in the draft. Right. Right. Right. And now he's the Vita Veya part two. You know what I'm saying? And the other part of it was,

I know you wanted Joe Alt when they didn't get Joe Alt, they got JC Latham. How has that turned out and how close are they to really having a salvageable offensive line, and do they have to double back and go back early in this year's draft to try to cement that? Well, I'll start with tackle first. And, yes, I was a big Joe Alt guy, and, I mean, Joe Alt has been fantastic this year. So I don't think that I was wrong big Joe Alt guy, and I mean, Joe Alt has been fantastic this year.

So I don't think that I was wrong on that evaluation. I think Joe Alt has been a better player than J.C. Latham. Now he's playing at right tackle on a better offensive line with a better offense and a better quarterback and all that stuff definitely factors into the equation. But the Titans couldn't pick Joe Alt. He was off the board. He was gone. So I think they made the right decision with J Titans couldn't pick Joe Alt. He was off the board. He was gone.

So I think they made the right decision with J.C. Latham, and Latham has had certain struggles. He can get beat inside sometimes by guys that are faster than him. I think he's only been okay in run blocking, where I thought that maybe he would be better based on his college tape. I think with J.C. Latham, a lot of it is mental. Sometimes he just seems like he may be confused about his assignment in run blocking, but overall he's

been probably the second best rookie offensive tackle in the NFL this year, and he was the second drafted offensive tackle. When you look at the Titans' previous first-round picks, Traylon Burks and Isaiah Wilson and Caleb Farley, this is a magical experience to see J.C. Latham be the best offensive lineman on the team so far this year. Now, overall for the O-line, I think some Titans fans would smack the table and say, how can you not go get a right tackle? Because the Titans' right tackle position,

no matter who is playing there, has been the worst right tackle position in the NFL this year based on sacks and pressures allowed and all that, but it's twofold. I don't like the offensive tackle options in the draft this year early, whether it be Kelvin Banks from Texas, whether it be Will Campbell from LSU, who I think probably is a guard at the next level, is very similar to Peter Skowronski in that way. So I don't think there's a lot of value at offensive line,

but I do think the Titans need to go out and get a veteran in free agency to solidify the offensive tackle position. You cannot bet on a mid-round rookie to fix it. You need this fixed now because Will Levis isn't a guy who's good in the pocket. He doesn't navigate the pocket well or handle the pressure well in the pocket. So you have to get, it's like Jared golf, you know, you have to give him a super clean pocket for him to be workable and usable, quite frankly. So that's the offensive line is close. JC Latham has been good. Peter Skowronski has been excellent the last eight weeks of the season.

He's allowed one sack, only nine pressures or 11 pressures, I think in two months. So he's really coming along. Lloyd Cushenberry going down with an Achilles hurt the Titans for sure, and it hurt Dylan Radins at right guard. But that right guard spot and that right tackle spot, if you can solidify those in free agency, I think you're in an okay spot going forward. And Tavondre Sweat, like you said, I put out an apology video. Honestly, it's the best content I've ever put out.

He is just super disruptive on the line of scrimmage. You can't move him out of the way. He is starting to get more pressure on the quarterbacks, even if the sack numbers aren't there, multiple times over the last few weeks. The pressure he put on the quarterback resulted in a sack for someone else, which people who aren't paying attention aren't going to notice that, but you know that I do. Totally do too, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Tracy Rocker did a great job getting him ready to go. He did have like his worst game of the year against Washington. Him and Jeffrey Simmons both got smoked up front, which was sad to see. But overall, he's been excellent. He was totally worth the pick. And I can't really think of anybody outside of him who would have been a better pick. Dominic Puni, the goalie in San Francisco has been great.

But when you take Peter Skowronski in the first round, I don't think that that would have been the right move for the Titans. So yeah, I was definitely wrong about my evaluation on Tavondre Sweat. I wasn't alone in that concern, but you know me, Tony. I can't do anything quiet. So while other people are just like, yeah, you know, I don't know about that pick. I'm like, it's the worst pick ever. It's just how I am. So I deserve to take my L for that.

He's a good player. He's only going to get better. And he's exceeded expectations for his rookie year. And that's all you get. You know what? You didn't take an L because guess what? Everybody, why i said i said the same thing i didn't want i didn't want anything to do with a dude that i thought was a pure nose tackle but the thing is is you have fun with your listeners and you admitted it and that's why i brought it up because i didn't bring it up because you were wrong i brought it up because

you stood you stood there and and and when you when you came out and you were you you were transparent man that's the best show you ever did so i that's what i like i like that transparency no man you're not wrong i just really wanted to see also because i think though as an interior there's no better two some there's no better duo and then the other part of it we the jaguars people think that we were going to fix the line in one year you don't fix the whole offensive line in one year man it takes it takes two years of doing it and that's why i want teams to start really really focusing on it more or you end up like the titans and the jaguars were last year yeah well uh news flash to everybody

listening it is hard to find big people that are good at football. It's just hard. They're limited. There's not a lot of people out there who are that big and also good. So, yeah, if you don't really dedicate resources to it, you're going to be in a bad way. But with that being said, we will move forward and talk about our keys to victory in this game.

I think turnovers will ultimately decide this matchup, so we'll talk about our keys to victory in this game. I think turnovers will ultimately decide this matchup, so we'll talk about that. It's locked on. Podcast Network, your team, every day, crossover Thursday. Today's episode is brought to you by Mint Mobile. With big wireless providers, what you see is never what you get. Somewhere between the store and then your first month's bill,

the price you thought you were paying magically skyrockets. With Mint Mobile, you'll never have to worry about gotchas ever again. When Mint Mobile says $15 a month when you purchase a three-month plan, they mean it. Say bye-bye to your overpriced wireless plans, jaw-dropping monthly bills and unexpected charges. Mint Mobile is here to rescue you with premium wireless plans starting at $15 a month.

And all plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. To get this new customer offer and your new three-month premium wireless plan for just $15 a month, go to mintmobile.com slash lockedonNFL. That's mintmobile.com slash lockedonNFL to cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at mintmobile.com slash lockedonNFL. $45 upfront payment required, equivalent to $15 a month. New customers on first three-month plan only.

All right, Tony, we're going to cap off today's crossover Thursday. Locked on Titans, locked on Jags. Thank you for making us your first listen each and every day. Looking at the keys to victory in this game, obviously you're conflicted on whether they should want to get a victory in this game or not, but we'll just say, if Jacksonville is able to win on the road against the Titans

here, what do you think has to happen? They have to get off to a fast start, and that's something that they haven't done for the most of this year. They never scored touchdown on their first possession. I think they have to get off to a fast start and establish the two-headed monster at running back. They started doing it a little bit in the second half, even though last week they didn't get 100 yards, but it was the way they committed to it down the stretch after Trevor Lawrence got hurt. You saw them on first and second down continue to put themselves in third and

short, and they started to convert. The Jaguars just don't stay on the field long enough, and they keep their defense on the field too much, and they wait too long to find Brian Thomas Jr. I think when you have a guy like that, you don't just play and just go, okay, you go through your progression. No, when you have a dude that good, you have to come out and be very, very intentional and look for him early and force him to make the other team make an adjustment. So they have to do something they haven't done all year. They have

to maintain possessions, convert third downs, and commit to the run early enough to get off to a good start, and I don't think it's going to happen. Yeah, well, I mean, based on the way the Titans played run defense last week, giving up about 270 to Washington, can't rule it out, but it's funny because my keys to victory for the Titans are kind of similar here. After the way they started last week, they were down 28 to nothing before I could open up my pop can. It was crazy how quick they got down. So for the Titans, it's also you got to start fast. And it's not just about this game and getting out to a good start. You could say that for every team every week. But after the way they started last game, if they were to get down

10 to nothing to Jacksonville or something like that early, all of those feelings that they had from last week against Washington are going to come back like, we weren't prepared. We can't get out of the hole. Oh, no, here it goes again. They just can't have those feelings come back because then it's not just we're down in one game. You feel like you're down 52-19 in two weeks. So it just compounds that way.

So the Titans need to get out to a fast start and kind of wash away the sins of last week early on to let them forget about that no matter what happens. And also, the Titans got to run the football. Like, if you get in third and long, what is the big, big strength of Jacksonville's defense? Those edge rushers. If you let Josh Allen Hines and you let

is it Josh Hines Allen or Josh Allen Hines? Yeah, it's Hines Allen. Just think Kepner first. Just like that. THA. How about that? Okay. You know, I got to tell you, I know that he did it for good reasons, but haven't we learned that changing

your name midway through your career is just never good. Like, look at my guy Leonard over in Indianapolis. I mean, it's just never a good thing. But anyway, Josh Hines-Allen and Trevon Walker are going to destroy whoever plays at right tackle for the Tennessee Titans, whether it's NPF or Leroy Watson, if they get in third and longs and they can pin their ears back and go to work. And Jacksonville likes to play man coverage, if I'm not mistaken.

That's what they like to do. And the Titans have struggled against man coverage this year because Calvin Ridley is the only separator that they have on the team. If it's zone coverage, then Nick Westbrook-Akene can sit in the zone because he's a smart player. Tyler Boyd, who's 30 years old, can sit in the zone and make a play. But against man coverage, Tyler Boyd and NWI are not great. And then you can put too much attention on Calvin Ridley.

So you've got to make sure that you stay out of third and long for multiple reasons. And that starts with running the football. And the Titans barely ran the ball at all last week because they were down so quick, so early. They just had to start throwing the ball. And that's not where you're going to get the best out of Will Levis either. Keeping him in play action, keeping him in third and short where he doesn't need a ton of time in the pocket. That's key. And then finally for me, it's turnovers.

I think the Titans are a better football team right now than Jacksonville. And with Mac Jones instead of Trevor Lawrence, that makes Jacksonville just a tick worse. I don't think Mac Jones is a terrible backup by any means, but the great equalizer in a lot of games with a team that's a little bit better than another team are a lot better as turnovers. That'll always be the great equalizer in football. So if the Titans turn over the ball and give Jacksonville short fields and don't take advantage of their offensive possessions, and like you said, time of possession, let Jacksonville's defense rest

while the Jags' offense stays on the field too often. That's just going to kill the Titans. So for me, it's start fast, get back to running the football, and I don't even think the Titans got to win the turnover battle. They just can't lose it in this game, and they should be able to get to a win. I agree with you. I think it's going to come down to that. And I think y'all going to execute and do it because the Jaguars are just

this year, man, they lost so many close games, but they're two and 10. After a while, no matter how many of them are close, you just go, they're just, that's just who they are. They're going to find a way. So it's not me being overly pessimistic. It's just that I just believe the Jaguars are going to show me who they are. And they show you who they are every week. And they're 2-10.

They're going to be 2-11 after this week. Yeah, and I think also one big factor here that I've talked about a little bit this week on the show is the Titans need to win this game for morale. Like, they have a first-year head coach that is going to be back next year, and they need this. The Jags are going to fire their coach after the year, and they're going to have a new coach, and they're going to restart the culture in that way.

So losing this game means more for the Titans than it does the Jags in terms of what it means for the future. So from that perspective, I think the Titans have to win this game and they will operate as such. But with that being said, that is our Crossover Thursday episode. Tony, much respect. You know that I've leaned on you here since I've been with the Locked On Podcast Network, which has been six seasons now, man.

It's kind of crazy that we've been doing this for so long. As a reminder, I host the morning edition of Locked On NFL. Tony hosts the afternoon edition of Locked on NFL. Tony hosts the afternoon edition of Locked on NFL. You get your team news with us, get your NFL news with us as well over at Locked on NFL. It's part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. This was Crossover Thursday. Thank you so much

for tuning in. Get subscribed, stay subscribed and I'll be talking to you in not too much longer when these teams play again, Tony. Yeah, it won't be too long, but hope you guys enjoyed. Thanks for tuning in.