The Jaguars’ week 18 matchup pits a rebounding Jaguars team against a Titans team that’s had a tough season. While they’ve struggled, the Titans are an opponent one can’t underestimate. With both teams dealing with injuries to their starting quarterbacks, the game script is in constant flux of being altered.
With the Jaguars’ playoff hopes within their control, the Jaguars only need to win to get in. While a loss wouldn’t knock them out, it would be significantly more challenging to make the playoff. Relying on others, when the Jaguars have a chance to get it themselves would be a less than ideal situation. With the Jaguars’ playoff hopes on the line, the Jaguars’ week 18 matchup against the Titans should be one of the better ones of the final weekend of the 2023 NFL regular season.
Jaguars’ Week 18: 3 Matchups to Watch
Jaguars Wide Receivers vs. Titans Defensive Backs
Jacksonville Jaguars TE Evan Engram (17) – James Gilbert/Jacksonville Jaguars
If there’s one thing that is well-known about the Titans in 2023, it’s the issues in the secondary. Trading away Kevin Byard, and a revolving door at multiple positions in the secondary has led the Titans to having a bottom-of-the-league pass defense.
Ranked fifth worst in the NFL according to PFF in coverage, the Titans’ defense is very beatable through the air. The main benefactors of such a poor defense will be the Jaguars receivers. In the Jaguars’ week 18 game, Calvin Ridley and Evan Engram are the only two main receiving weapons healthy. Christian Kirk is trying to return from injury, while Zay Jones is injured as well. Parker Washington, Elijah Cooks, and Tim Jones are the next wide receivers in line. With the recent season-ending injury to Jamal Agnew, the Jaguars offensive weapons took another hit.
A massive opportunity for the Jaguars receivers presents itself, and with the injury bug hitting the positions hard, a good performance would go a long way to instilling confidence in a Jaguars offense that’s had its struggles in recent weeks.
Derrick Henry vs. Jaguars Run Defense
Jacksonville Jaguars OLB Josh Allen (41), CB Tre Herndon (37), LB Devin Lloyd (33), and S Antonio Johnson (26) – James Gilbert/Jacksonville Jaguars
Defending against a dominant, physical runner is the last thing a team is looking forward to this late in the season. With Derrick Henry looming, the Jaguars’ week 18 matchup features one of the best running backs in the NFL against a Jaguars run defense that is one of the better teams against the run. But, Derrick Henry can make any team’s life a living hell.
Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd will have their hands full containing Henry as he breaks through the line, something that is bound to happen plenty throughout the game. Any matchup with Derrick Henry is an intriguing one, and the Titans’ run offense is still top ten despite not being nearly as good as they’ve been in years past.
Another interesting aspect of this final week of the season is there’s a chance that Henry won’t see as much time to allow for the Titans to get a better look at Tyjae Spears. The 22-year-old rookie has only one touchdown on the year, but he’s seen a slow increase in usage throughout the season. Containing Derrick Henry will already be challenging in the Jaguars’ week 18 matchup, but Tyjae Spears could provide an extra wrinkle for the Jaguars’ defense to try and deal with.
Josh Allen and Travon Walker vs. Titans Offensive Line
Jacksonville Jaguars OLB Josh Allen (41) – Kam Nedd/Jacksonville Jaguars
It’s no surprise, but Josh Allen was named a Pro Bowler for the 2023 season. Allen and Walker will be tasked with bringing pressure against a bottom ten pass blocking team. The Jaguars’ week 18 matchup will be the most important one of the season, and the Jaguars will need their best player in Josh Allen to get pressure on the Titans quarterback, whether it’s Ryan Tannehill or Will Levis.
Regardless of who’s at quarterback, the Jaguars pass rushing duo will need to take over. With both players coming off massive games against the Panthers, the Jaguars pass rushers will have a chance to follow it up against another bad pass-protecting team.
The last time Josh Allen and Travon Walker went against the Titans, they both ended with a half-sack each. While sacks aren’t the only indicator of a good performance, the Jaguars pass rush duo should be looking to improve those numbers, as Travon Walker looks to get double-digit sacks and Josh Allen looks to set the Jaguars single-season sack record total even further than he got it in week 17.
Jaguars’ Week 18 Injuries to Monitor
Jacksonville Jaguars QB C.J. Beathard (3) – James Gilbert/Jacksonville Jaguars
- OL Ezra Cleveland (Knee)
- WR Zay Jones (Knee/Hamstring)
- WR Christian Kirk (Groin)
- QB Trevor Lawrence (Right Shoulder/Left Finger)
- OL Walker Little (Hamstring)
Of the players listed on the injury report, Ezra Cleveland and Walker Little are both expected to go barring any setbacks. Both practiced in full on Wednesday. But, the other players are both more noteworthy and less likely to play than both offensive linemen.
Zay Jones and Christian Kirk are the two other injuries to monitor, as both are vying to play in the Jaguars season finale. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, the wide receiver room has been decimated by injuries. Of the top four receivers entering the season, only Calvin Ridley remains healthy. While both Kirk and Jones practiced limitedly on Wednesday, the outlook isn’t as positive.
Trevor Lawrence on the other hand seems much more likely to go this week than he was for week 17. The Jaguars’ week 18 matchup against the Titans isn’t going to be easy regardless, but having Lawrence command the offense should be a massive help. While C.J. Beathard has proven he can manage a game, against an opponent who is significantly better than the Panthers the Jaguars backup might struggle more.
Jaguars’ Week 18 Prediction
Jacksonville Jaguars OLB Josh Allen (41) – James Gilbert/Jacksonville Jaguars
With the final game of the season against a divisional rival who’s already been eliminated, the Jaguars have an easier road to the playoffs than other teams still in the hunt. But, they still have to take care of business on the road in Tennessee. The Jaguars’ week 18 matchup is a tough one since the Titans are going to play to eliminate a rival. The next best thing to making the playoffs is to defeat a rival and stop them from making it.
The Jaguars’ week 18 matchup is a must-win, and with a chance to go to the playoffs on the line the Jaguars have a chance to control their destiny. While I had the Jaguars winning the final week of the season to clinch a playoff berth in my preseason predictions, the records were different. A more competitive division, combined with a close wild card race means that this final game is very important for the Jaguars’ playoff chances.
I predict that the Jaguars will defeat the Titans in the Jaguars’ week 18 matchup, setting up for a playoff showdown against the five-seed in Jacksonville.
