The Jacksonville Jaguars-Tennessee Titans sport on Sunday could possibly be some of the necessary video games on the Week 18 schedule. Not solely is it a win-and-in sport for the Jaguars because it pertains to the AFC South title, however a number of different groups across the AFC are additionally going to be watching the result of that sport.
What makes it much more noteworthy is that the Jaguars nonetheless have no idea if they’ll have quarterback Trevor Lawrence for that sport, or what he’s going to be able to if he does play.
Formally, the Jaguars are contemplating Lawrence questionable for the sport with Friday’s follow taking part in a giant function in whether or not or not he performs. He missed the Jaguars’ Week 17 win over the Carolina Panthers attributable to a shoulder damage, which got here simply a few weeks after he additionally suffered a concussion and an ankle damage.
If Lawrence cannot go it might go away the Jaguars offense within the fingers of backup C.J. Beathard for a second consecutive sport. That could possibly be large information not just for followers in Jacksonville, but in addition followers in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Houston and Indianapolis.
Let’s begin with Pittsburgh. If the Steelers win on Saturday it might open up a number of paths for them to probably sneak right into a wild card spot. A kind of paths can be a Jacksonville loss to the Titans (they might additionally get in with a Buffalo loss or a Houston and Indianapolis tie).
A Jacksonville loss would additionally remove some stress for the Payments of their Sunday night time sport towards the Miami Dolphins as a result of it might robotically clinch them a playoff spot. They’d nonetheless have the division to play for, however wins by Pittsburgh and Jacksonville would put the Payments right into a scenario the place a Sunday night time loss to the Dolphins wouldn’t solely take the division from them, it might knock them out of the playoffs completely.
Then now we have the opposite two AFC South groups nonetheless in rivalry for the division. A Jaguars loss implies that the winner of the Texans-Colts sport would take the division title and get a house playoff sport.
Despite the fact that the Jaguars had been capable of get a win towards Carolina with out Lawrence this previous week, Sunday’s sport goes to current a completely new set of challenges. For one, it’s a highway sport as an alternative of at house. It would even be towards a Tennessee staff that, regardless that it’s eradicated from postseason rivalry, appears very decided to win. Head coach Mike Vrabel was enthusiastic about competing, veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill talked concerning the significance of going out with a win and it is also working again Derrick Henry’s closing sport in Tennessee. They’re going to be motivated even with out a playoff spot on the road and it’ll not be a straightforward sport for Jacksonville.
If Lawrence is something lower than 100% the problem will get even more durable. Lawrence initially suffered his ankle damage on Dec. 4 and struggled in his subsequent three begins with the Jaguars dropping all of them. Now he has a shoulder damage on prime of that.
