The Titans have issues to fix and hope to keep slim playoff hopes alive when they host the Jags

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have the slimmest of playoff hopes and must win out to have any chance of keeping them alive.

Figuring out who they are would be a first step in the right direction. The Titans (3-9) also must bounce back from last week's ugly loss at Washington that cost this franchise yet another chance to string together consecutive wins for the first time in more than two years.

“We know that this is a big opportunity for us to develop as a team and to create and to continue developing our identity,” quarterback Will Levis said. “And so we’re going to make sure that we do our best throughout these next few weeks to do that.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) lost Trevor Lawrence for the rest of the season after the hit he took from Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair in last week's 23-20 loss to Houston.

Their already dim playoff hopes were extinguished Monday night when Denver won. That leaves the Jaguars playing for pride and potentially drafting No. 1 overall for the third time in five years.

“It’s all about how you finish,” tight end Evan Engram said. “How we finish probably won’t erase the feeling we have of the season. But as the pride of this franchise, the pride of the team, it’s definitely worth going to finish strong and going to get some wins and fighting for that.”

Stop the run

The Titans went into Washington with one of the NFL's stingiest defenses and wound up shredded, giving up a season-worst 267 yards rushing. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said, “We can’t allow what happened last week to happen again.”

Ridley revenge game

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley says he's excited to see some old teammates Sunday and downplayed a question about how close Jacksonville's offer to keep him last March might've been when he chose to sign with division rival Tennessee instead.

“Doesn't matter right now,” Ridley said. “I'm excited for this week. Jags come in here, play with my boys. I'm excited.”

Ridley played one season with Jacksonville after the Jaguars traded for him. He had 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight TDs last season with the Jaguars. So far this season, Ridley has 43 receptions for 679 yards and three TDs.

“I just know I'm going to be ready,” Ridley said.

Streaking Jaguars

Jacksonville has lost 16 consecutive games when tied or trailing at halftime. It’s a complete flip from the 2022 season, in which the Jaguars rallied to beat Dallas, the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee down the stretch to make the playoffs.

The 20-16 victory against the Titans in the regular-season finale that year is the last time coach Doug Pederson’s team has come from behind to win after trailing or being tied at the break. Tennessee led 13-7 at the half in that one and was minutes from winning a third straight AFC South title.

Hines-Allen nears sack record

Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen needs 4 1/2 sacks to break the franchise record of 55 held by Tony Brackens. Hines-Allen has at least half a sack in four consecutive games against Tennessee, which has given up 43 sacks in 2024.

“My family knows about it probably more than me,” Hines-Allen said. “My wife tells me all the time, ‘Hey, get that record. All you just need is four sacks.’ Like, you can just (get) four sacks.

“I had a couple games last year where I had three, so I can’t say it’s out of the realm. But I never had four sacks; don’t know what it feels like to do that in one game. But hopefully speak it into existence.”

QB challenge

Mac Jones will be starting at quarterback and is 0-2 with the Jaguars this season. He has one more interception (three) than touchdown passes (two) in five appearances. The Titans are looking to see if Levis can keep building on his strong play of the past month and start turning those into wins.

Levis is 1-3 since returning from a strained throwing shoulder. He has seven TD passes with two interceptions for a 101.3 passer rating in his past four games. He also is completing 61.7% of his passes for 960 yards.

“The cool thing right now for Will is that as we’ve corrected things, he’s corrected them,” Titans coach Brian Callahan said. “And that’s been really fun to watch as he’s made adjustments from game to game, sometimes even from in the game made an adjustment to a coverage or a read, and that part’s been good to see.”

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AP Pro Football Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville, Florida, contributed to this report.