The Mighty Titans And Jags Rivalry
I wish I could love the Titans/Jags rivalry. I really should. It feels like it should be one of the best rivalries in the league. The two fanbases hate each other. The Jags especially hate the Titans mostly due to residue bitterness over the 1999 season when the Jags lost only 3 games: all to Tennessee.
It’s a perfect rivalry set up. Neither team has ever won a championship, so they are racing for that first one. They both came to be around the same time (Oilers don’t really count here). Both teams seem to be on the same ebb and flow of competence. They seem to suck at the same time and they seem to be good at the same time. They’ve both spent years in the cellar and are both now beginning to climb out and look like potential contenders. They both made it to round 2 of the playoffs just last season. This has all the makings of a classic rivalry. Except for one problem: They can’t play a watchable football game to save their lives.
Seriously every time these two teams get together, especially in the past couple of years, it’s an atrocity. This past weekend was a 9-6 shitfest where a hobbled Titans team starting Blaine Gabbert managed to flop itself into 3 field goals and the Jags, who just beat the Pats and are viewed as AFC contenders only flopped their way to 2 field goals. At home. The previous game they played, also won by Tennessee (TEN is currently on a 3 game win streak and owns the overall rivalry 28-20) was 15-10. When the games aren’t low scoring trash they are ugly blowouts. 37-16. 38-17. But even the closer games never felt very watchable. It’s like watching a street fight between two people who don’t really know how to fight. Just a mess of limbs going everywhere that turns into an awkward mass of lumpy wrestling on the ground.
I’m sure there were good games between these two teams, but I can’t actually remember one. Someone please remind me of the last time these two produced watchable fun football.
And I hate it! This is going to piss off both Jags and Titans fans but from an outside perspective I honestly like both teams. I love Mariota and Bortles. I love Jalen Ramsey and Kevin Byard. I have a soft spot for Delanie Walker (RIP) and good ol’ Tom Coughlin. I’d much rather see either of these teams win the AFCS over the always hateable Colts or the always boring as hell Texans. I just wish they’d play a good game of football.
DAVE COMPUTER UPDATE: Gonna try to make one more comic for tomorrow. If there isn’t a new comic up tomorrow (checkdown or full) then check back Saturday.
Sorry, I just can’t forgive the Jags for extending the career (read: lashing the equine corpse) of Chad Henne.
What do you have against Chad HENNESSY?
RUBBISH. Chad Henne’s pornstache of that era was quality.
Their 2015 game (the one where Mariota had an 87 yard TD run) was lit. Too bad they both still sucked then.
That game somehow felt infinitely more Thursday night than any of the 100+ TNF games the NFL tried to force upon them both for the sake of pushing the rivalry
Yep, this right here. It was like a root canal marathon that was narrated by Gilbert Gottfried. I love the Titans. I’m a huge fan (except those new jerseys, I don’t like those). This years team feels like it is being haunted by the ghost of Jeff Fisher. They could be better. Maybe sometimes worse. Likely just mediocre. And the Jags…..they’re good. Really good. Until they’re not. And when they’re not, they are just like Dave said, garbage.
Best game I could remember that had some implications was December 24th, 2016, that one being the first game Doug Marrone head coached as the interim after the Gus Bus totally crashed once it blew a lead vs HOU the previous week. Tennessee was primed to take the division and all it had to do was beat the 2-12 Jags in a very tight race for the AFC South. As we know, the Jags stifled them in some form of a resounding statement, and won 38-17 (all hope was lost for the Titans once Mariota went down in the 3rd qtr).
The quote (after Ramsey’s pick six): “Who are these Jacksonville Jaguars?” somewhat rings to me every time…
The sad thing for me is that last night I had to convince a friend that Blake Bortles was not the answer he was looking for in a fantasy qb.
Just because it was low scoring doesn’t mean it was terrible. I actually found the game decent.
As a Jagfan who has watched every single Jags v. Titans game sober (as I do not drink to excess) I can unequivocally say that you are correct. This rivalry, though bitter, is void of many truly great games. The only memorable moments that I reserve from this rivalry are these three. 1) Then Coach Coughlin accusing Jeff “The Mullet” Fisher of having Samare Rolle target Mark Brunell. And Fisher also calling Jacksonville the Titans’ second home field. That’s when it became personal. 2) September 26, 2004 at Tennessee Fred Taylor scores the winning TD with 9 seconds left in the game and also gets the two point conversion. This is a great memory for me as I was at the game after deciding at 11pm the day before to attend. My best friend and I red-eyed through a 12 hour impromptu roadtrip to make it to Nashville 1 hour before kickoff, all the while hoping that the guy who sold us our seats on eBay would be at the stadium with our tickets and that he would surrender them to persons in opposing colors. Other then my personal fond memories of it and the nail biting ending, this game was a 15 to 12 snoozer. Mostly field goals. 3) Super Bowl XXXIV Kevin Dyson falls short. HELL YEAH!!! Though the Jaguars weren’t there the collective bitterness and then exhilaration of every Jaguar faithful was. Still my favorite Superbowl moment.
I find better games in lesser known (outside of the Jax faithful) rivalries such as the Denver Broncos (who lead by Denver sportswriter Woody Paige never gave Jax any respect) and former AFC Central division rival Pittsburgh Steelers.
Other then the ability of each team to stick it to the other, regardless of how great one is or terrible the other is at any given time, the Jaguars v. Titans rivalry is lackluster.
Reminds me of the pre Ryan/Brees, Falcons/Saints rivalry. Two Southern fanbases traditionally associated with college sports, two garbage franchises trying to make their way. Lots of passion from the fanbases, no love from the media.
Bortles looks like he’s good on Even Weekes this year. Last year Odd Week Bortles was a monster, and Even Week Bortles was a dumpster fire. This year I bet it’s reversed.
Accurate as of week 5.
I hate having to explain to friends why Blake Bortles should not be their fantasy QB
You’re a good friend. I play ff against my friends. I’d do the opposite and explain why Bortles should be their QB. He runs. Running QBs do better in fantasy.
“PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE INCONSISTENCY BEHIND THE CURTAIN! I AM BORT THE GREAT AND POWERFUL”.
I can’t believe we lost to a crippled Titans squad at home a week after boatracing New England. Smdh.