'We don't like them': Jaguars get set for rebound week against rival Tennessee Titans

Dawuane Smoot didn't hesitate when asked about his first experience with the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (3-6) rivalry.

It didn't take long for the then-rookie defensive lineman to catch on, especially once the playoffs rolled around. The Jaguars lost both games against Tennessee that year (2017) but maintained a better record and earned a trip to the playoffs via the AFC South title.

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Prior to Jacksonville's first playoff game against the Buffalo Bills during the AFC Wild Card round that year, former Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey took it upon himself to call out Jacksonville's offense during a radio hit the week following Jacksonville's Week 17 loss to Tennessee.

"As long as [Jaguars QB] [Blake] Bortles is back there, if the ball game is in his hands, he's going to choke," Casey said at the time.

The Jaguars defeated the Bills and the Titans won their first-round matchup as well.

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However, in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Jaguars defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers while the Titans were rolled by the New England Patriots 35-14, a second-round exit.

Bortles completed 14 of 26 passes for 214 yards and one touchdown. He ran for another 35 yards in a game that was not as close as the 45-42 final might've implied.

After the game, former Jaguars DL Malik Jackson saw an opportunity to fire back at Casey and Tennessee.

"He's a dog. I want to know what Jurrell Casey has to say about him choking in big moments, while you sit at home and watch us next week," Jackson said at the time in a true mic-drop moment.

Looking back on it, that's the moment Smoot learned just how much the two teams hated each other. It's stuck ever since.

"Right then, I'm like, 'Oh we don't like them,'" Smoot said with a laugh. "Every since then, we just kind of kept that fire."

Smoot knows the Jaguars will have a challenge on their hands this week, regardless of the circumstances.

"We know it's gonna be a hard-fought game ... Always hard-fought, evenly matched," Smoot said of the matchup with Tennesee. "Whatever their regular is and whatever our regular is, we already know it's gonna be a hard-fought game and it's gonna come down to the wire."

The next opportunity will come Sunday at EverBank Stadium, back where it all began in 1995.

'We're 6-3': Jaguars learned from, but didn't dwell on poor performance vs. 49ers

While many outside of the Jaguars' building took last week as an indictment on the rest of the team's season, the players and coaches inside the building haven't looked at it that way.

While, yes, there has been disappointment, frustration and a bit of a fire lit under the franchise, the simple point remains: the team is 6-3. That sentiment was echoed by receiver Calvin Ridley earlier in the week.

"We only lost three games. We making it a big deal, going crazy... we lost three games. 6-3 is good!" said Ridley. "So we just got to get back on our pace. I mean, we won five games, lost one … we gonna be alright."

Jaguars players within the locker room this week did not dwell on the loss. In fact, the locker room was essentially a status-quo in terms of what the players spoke about, how they looked and what they did during their downtime while the media weren't interviewing them.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson spoke about the team's need to do the little things, perhaps even after practice. Pederson's message was in general, speaking about the players, coaches and other staff members just to be sure everyone is reminded how important everything is.

Pederson said Friday that he didn't see anything out of the ordinary when it came to players, but did say they appeared a little more focused because of how they played last week.

"Maybe a little more attentive, a little more focused. I just think it’s because of the way we played. You’reonly as good as your last game. They understand that and that wasn’t very good," said Pederson. "You don’t have to say a lot as a coach, they just understand that when you play bad, you’ve got six or seven days before you go again. You’ve got a lot of time to think about it.”

At the end of the day, the Jaguars are 6-3 and are in good shape right now to make the playoffs down the stretch, but they cannot afford a repeat performance of last week.

Derrick Henry isn't slowing down

What has now seemingly become an annual re-evaluation, Titans running back Derrick Henry is indeed still an impressive player.

Despite injuries and inconsistency surrounding the Titans' offense, especially at the quarterback position, Henry has continued his form.

Thus far this season, Henry has accounted for 625 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 19 receptions and 161 receiving yards. Henry is currently second in the league this year in rushing yards and sixth in the league in rushing yards per game with 69.4.

So, no, Henry isn't slowing down and the Jaguars understand that.

"It's the same thing every year. People always think like, 'Ah, Derrick Henry not gonna be it, Henry not gonna be it,' but it's later on in the year when you really gotta watch it because that's when they really start pounding the ball," Smoot said.

The bruising back from Yulee continues to be a star in the NFL and the Jaguars are going to need to lean on players like Smoot, along with the rest of the defense, to hold him steady.

The Jaguars haven't held Henry to fewer than 100 yards on the ground since 2020. They'll need to do that Sunday in order to squeeze out a victory.

Tyson Campbell, Jamal Agnew ruled out, Zay Jones listed as questionable vs. Tennesee

The Jaguars ruled out both cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring) and receiver/return specialist Jamal Agnew (shoulder/ribs) on Friday.

On Saturday, the team placed Agnew on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least the next four games. In a corresponding move, the team activated rookie wideout/returner Parker Washington, getting him set to debut (again) against the Titans on Sunday.

CB Gregory Junior and Washington are suitors to replace the two injured players.

Washington called his return "perfect timing," when asked about it in the locker room Wednesday.

“Let’s get it. That’s the mindset. Next man up. Got to be ready. I was just down and now I got to step up no matter if I had practice time or not. It’s just part of the job, I feel like, and it’s an exciting opportunity," he added.

Junior has a similar mindset this week. Activated off of the team's IR list recently, he's expected to play at least some during the team's game against the Titans on Sunday.

Junior has a recharged confidence after spending last year on the team's practice squad, soaking up advice from players such as Campbell and fellow CB Darious Williams. He also credited cornerbacks coach Deshea Townsend for his development.

"He was big on me last year," Junior said of Townsend. "Always had me on the board, doing extra work. And during [the offseason] just working with Tyson [Campbell] and D-Will [Darious Williams] and Tre Herndon, all the older vets, it just helped me go out there and develop my game."

One player not ruled out was receiver Zay Jones, who could make his return from a nagging knee injury reaggravated during the team's win over the Buffalo Bills this season.

Jones has played in just three games this year, catching eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Jones was officially listed as questionable to play after being ruled out last week.

Jones is currently dealing with a legal matter after being arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery on Monday, but was at the Jaguars' building all week otherwise and until the league steps in if they do, he is eligible to play.

The Jaguars listed Washington (knee), DL Roy Robertson-Harris (ankle) and OL Anton Harrison (back) as questionable to play, but all three should suit up Sunday. Harrison and Robertson-Harris first appeared on the injury report this week.

Titans rule out Andre Dillard and Sean Murphy-Bunting vs. Jaguars

The Titans aren't getting much help this weekend after receiver Treylon Burks (concussion), left tackle Andre Dillard (concussion) and CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (thumb) were ruled out Friday.

Tennessee's offensive line is graded as the 22nd-best pass-blocking OL in the league, according to Pro Football Focus with a grade of 57.2. Jacksonville's pass rush ought to be a difference-maker in that regard.

On the other side of the ball, with Murphy-Bunting ruled out, Jacksonville should have some space to run with their wideouts. Tennessee's coverage unit ranks 26th in the league, according to PFF with a grade of 57.7.

The Titans listed just two other players with status. Both guard Daniel Brunskill (ankle) and linebacker Luke Gifford (shin) are questionable to play.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars fired up to play Tennessee Titans at home Sunday