Tennessee Titans vs Jacksonville Jaguars: 6 keys to victory in Week 13

The Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars face off in their first meeting of the 2025 season in Week 13 from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, at 12:00 p.m. CST.

The Jags currently sit at 7-4, but if you've watched any of their games, they don't look like a 7-4 team. The Titans are the worst team in the NFL, though, and it shows every week when they're on the field. However, something else that shows every week is that this team continues to grow and develop as a cohesive unit every week.

Divisional matchups are often the most difficult to predict because the circumstances make it so none of the typical variables matter. And, in this case, with the Titans beginning to gain momentum, the Jaguars might be in trouble this week because of how inconsistent they've been.

That said, let's take a look at six keys to a Titans' victory in Week 13.

Protect Cam Ward

Cam Ward has been sacked a league-leading 45 times in 2025, which is a huge reason for the turnovers he's committed and why the offense isn't scoring touchdowns. Jaguars' defensive end Josh Hines-Allen has 3.5 sacks in his last four games and is heating up at just the right time. The Titans cannot afford to let him get to Cam Ward this week. Keeping Ward on his feet is the top priority, because nothing happens without him directing traffic.

Win the special teams battle

John Fassel's special teams unit has been the shining glory of the Titans this year. Return-man Chimere Dike leads the NFL with 24.9 yards per punt return and two touchdowns. Flipping field position and potentially scoring on special teams could be the difference in a tight divisional game, especially since the Jags are prone to keeping games close. The Titans showed last week against the Seattle Seahawks why that might not be a good idea.

Force Trevor Lawrence into mistakes

Trevor Lawrence threw three interceptions against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12, but the Titans' secondary has struggled with takeaways this year. The Titans have just two interceptions since Week 2, but baiting Lawrence into risky throws will play a key factor in the defense getting off the field so the offense can do its job. Given the right field position, Cam Ward will not struggle to find the end zone this week.

Limit self-inflicted wounds

Okay, let's take a deep breath here and ask, please, can we limit the false starts this week? J.C. Latham did better last week, but the entire offensive line has received a pre-snap penalty of some kind at some point. As heavy underdogs, the Titans cannot afford drive-killing penalties or turnovers. Clean execution is crucial to staying competitive, and it's crucial to getting into the heads of the Jaguars so they question if they're really as good as they think they are. (Hint: They aren't.)

Contain Travis Etienne

Through 11 games in 2025, Travis Etienne has recorded 169 carries for 815 yards and five touchdowns, plus 24 receptions for an additional 160 yards and two more touchdowns. He is on pace to record over 1,200 rushing yards and over 1,500 scrimmage yards this season. The Titans have allowed 132.8 rushing yards per game and 16 rushing touchdowns. They have to stack the box and force Lawrence to win through the air, rather than rely on Etienne's ground game.

Generate explosive passing plays

The Titans have two plays over 40 yards this season, one rushing and one passing, and 32 plays over 20 yards (20 passing, four rushing). Wide receiver Elic Ayomanor has been sidelined with a hamstring injury and remains questionable for this week's game. Without Ayomanor, the Titans must find a way to stretch the field, likely with Chimere Dike, since slot receivers like James Proche II and Xavier Restrepo thrive in short-yardage plays. The Titans must use the slot receivers to create separation to prevent Jacksonville from crowding the box, and Cam Ward must find Dike down the field.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans: 6 keys to victory in Week 13 vs. Jaguars