Jaguars v Titans has got the nod for TV, but will people tune in when it is hard to see where the quality is coming from?
The AFC South is currently the only division in the NFL where every team, including the leaders, have a losing record.
Even if there has only been nine games of the season thus far, it is still an alarming statistic.
Historically, NFL divisions have consisted of at least one or two strong teams and the rest weaker.
The crucial element was change. Teams would rise and fall within the ecosystem of their own division.
One franchise might develop a long-lasting dynasty, but conversely could suddenly struggle and be usurped in any given season.
The AFC South seems to currently consist of four teams, all of whom are struggling at the same time.
Even the ever-reliable Colts are shockingly 4-5.
And the general malaise and struggle is summed up perfectly with the Jaguars v Titans on Thursday.
A 3-6 record.
Occasionally the numbers can do a team an injustice, but while it is certain the Jaguars are not as bad this season as last, they deserve their record.
What’s more, any bad luck they have suffered since their franchise was created was surely re-paid on Sunday night as they somehow avoided losing to the Baltimore Ravens in incredible circumstances.
The clock was already at zero when Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles slipped in the pocket.
His team were two points down and over 60 yards from the Ravens’ end zone. But as he tried to stand, Baltimore linebacker Elvis Dumervil grabbed his facemask and hauled him to the ground – a clear foul.
With the 15-yard penalty, it suddenly meant Jacksonville had a 53-yard field goal to win with the last kick of the game.
It sailed over the posts. Jubilation, joy and relief.
While perhaps one of the most dramatic ends to an NFL game for many years, that it took such an effort to break a streak of 13 losses on the road – stretching back almost two years – tells its own story.
Bortles is cripplingly inconsistent, with interceptions and pick-sixes occurring at any second. Miscommunication, meanwhile, is becoming a real issue.
With the boom and bust swing of NFL divisions, the biggest strength is momentum.
If they want to improve and become one of the big AFC South teams, the Jags are going to need it.
They are more than capable of making the playoffs, especially as their remaining games are statistically the easiest in the NFL.
To win the AFC South? They’re 5/1. If they keep the momentum, it’s a steal.
Alternately, the Titans are 25/1 to win the AFC South, which should tell you everything you need to know.
What was it we said? “Occasionally the numbers can do any team an injustice.”
In this case it’s the Jaguars who should feel hard done by.
If you compare their 3-6 record with the Titans’ 2-7, there would seem to be little in it – one game either way.
But beneath the surface, Tennessee are light years away.
Their one bright spark? They have a very good defence. Probably the best in the division, and fifth overall in the NFL for yards allowed.
The bad? Well, their offensive side is almost non-existent.
Slow and turgid, QB Marcus Mariota is about to make only his eighth career start, so he can be forgiven for taking time to get up to speed.
The issue is that he may not be afforded that time.
He and the offensive line around him have been so indescribably poor that Tennessee’s head coach was fired after the Houston Texans game (a 20-6 loss).
At that point. Mariota had only made six starts.
Short-termism can be a problem in the NFL, but the Titans are propping up the division and providing a yardstick by which the other teams are measured.
The rest may be playing better football, but the very best of them only have two more wins than the Titans. Yikes.
Now is the time for the swing to start.
On Thursday, Jacksonville will be hoping they will benefit and become one of the division’s frontrunners.
It would take a truly Titan effort to stop them.
