NASHVILLE — The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans have one thing in common going into their regular-season finale: Neither team is looking past Sunday.
The Jaguars (9-7) can win back-to-back AFC South titles for the first time since 1998-99, and a fourth straight victory over their oldest division rival is the simplest path to the NFL playoffs. They kept Tennessee from winning what would have been its third consecutive AFC South crown in the season finale a year ago in Florida.
With a trip to Nashville’s Nissan Stadium ahead, second-year head coach Doug Pederson refuses to even share with his team other scenarios that could earn the Jaguars a playoff berth beyond just beating Tennessee.
“I’m not going to cloud their mind with stuff,” Pederson said. “Obviously, our focus is trying to beat Tennessee, and regardless of records and who’s playing and who’s not playing, this is always a really good football game and it’s a four-quarter game. That’s our focus right now.”
The Titans (5-11) have known their season ends Sunday since mid-December, getting eliminated well before the finale for the first time in coach Mike Vrabel’s six seasons as head coach. This also is the final game for two-time NFL rushing champ Derrick Henry and veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill under their current contracts with Tennessee.