Week 8 TNF Preview
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennesse Titans
8:25PM EST at Nissan Stadium
69F – 61F Clear skies with 4mph winds
Tenn -3.5 O/U 43
Week 8 Thursday Night Football Preview
The Tennessee Titans (3-4) host the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4) for an AFC South showdown on Thursday Night Football. This is the 44th meeting between these two teams with the Titans leading the series 24-19. The Houston Texans lead the AFC South with a modest 4-3 record and both the Titans and Jags will need a win to close the gap in the division.
Can Bortles get on track?
Blake Bortles posted big numbers in 2015, mostly a byproduct of compensating for a bad defense. Expectations for 2016 were for Jacksonville’s defense to improve and for Bortles to continue his solid play. Neither has happened. Bortles is currently ranked 27th among starting QBs in passer rating. He is completing less than 60% of his passes with 8TDs and 8INTs. His regression from last season has been attributed to poor mechanics and lack of chemistry with his talented receiving corps. This week he faces an average secondary that is missing some starters. Bortles needs to get on track if the Jags hope to stay competitive in a weak AFC South.
Another big game for DeMarco Murray?
The Jags are 15th in the league with 110 rushing yards allowed per game. Thursday night they will be without their top run defender in NT Roy Miller. Murray has 825 yards from scrimmage this year (633 rushing, 192 receiving) and 5TDs in his last 5 games. Since 2013 he leads the NFL with 33 rushing touchdowns and his 4,301 rushing yards rank second over that span – impressive when you consider his lack luster stint in Philly. Murray could be a big part of the game plan tonight.
Putting the past behind
Both teams are coming off tough losses coming into this game. Against Oakland last week, the Jags trailed by a double-digit margin the entire second half. Jacksonville committed 3 turnovers and allowed 144 yards rushing. Bortles finished the game with a 58.9 passer rating while the Jags running game was mostly ineffective.
The Titans lost a close game with their division rival Colts on Sunday. The Titans managed a fourth quarter comeback only to have the Colts score two touchdowns in the span of eight seconds with less than two minutes remaining. The final Colts score was the result of a Mariota fumble that was returned 14 yards for a touchdown.
Injury report
Tajae Sharp (WR-TEN)- Questionable (knee)
Julius Thomas (TE-JAX)- Questionable (ankle)
Check us out on Twitter @thedklegends for last minute injury updates.
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