Titans and Jags meet for 2nd time in 4 weeks, but with QB Mason Rudolph starting for Tennessee

Tennessee (3-12) at Jacksonville (3-12)

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Jaguars by 1.

Against the spread: Titans 2-13; Jacksonville 7-7-1.

Series record: Titans lead 35-25.

Last meeting: Jaguars beat the Titans 10-6 in Nashville on Dec. 8.

Last week: Titans lost 38-30 at Indianapolis; Jaguars lost 19-14 at Las Vegas.

Titans offense: overall (27), rush (21), pass (26), scoring (T25).

Titans defense: overall (5), rush (23), pass (1), scoring (31).

Jaguars offense: overall (26), rush (26), pass (21), scoring (28).

Jaguars defense: overall (32), rush (20), pass (32), scoring (29).

Turnover differential: Titans minus-15; Jaguars minus-15.

Despite three interceptions last week, the Titans are sticking with QB Mason Rudolph in hopes he will show some improvement as coach Brian Callahan wraps up his first season after being hired specifically for his history with quarterbacks. Rudolph led Tennessee to 23 consecutive points against the Colts — the team's second straight scoring flurry under the veteran — before running out of time.

Brian Thomas Jr. now holds every franchise rookie receiving record and is one of Jacksonville's few bright spots in 2024. He's been targeted 49 times the past four games, with fellow receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis out for the season. He has 73 catches for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Titans know Jacksonville will try to run on them early and often after they gave up 335 yards rushing last week to the Colts. It's the most in an NFL game this season and the most for the former AFL franchise since 1961. Tennessee held the Jaguars to 26 yards rushing in their previous meeting.

The Titans placed starting LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (wrist) on injured reserve Wednesday. K Nick Folk looks poised for a return after missing a game. But his abdominal injury prompted the Titans to work out kickers Thursday morning and sign Matthew Wright to the practice squad for insurance if Folk can't play Sunday. The Titans might get starting LB Luke Gifford (concussion) after he sat out last week. The Jaguars will be without LT Walker Little (ankle) for the rest of the season. Cole Van Lanen will start in his place. S Darnell Savage (concussion) remains in the league's protocol, thrusting veteran Andrew Wingard into the starting lineup. LB Ventrell Miller (ankle) also is unlikely to play.

This is the second game between these teams in a four-week span. The Jaguars are trying to sweep the season series for the second time in three seasons. They also have won four of the past five between these teams. The Titans won the 2023 regular-season finale in coach Mike Vrabel's last game before he was fired two days later.

The Titans can finish with a .500 record inside the AFC South if they win their final two games. ... The Titans have scored TDs on seven straight trips inside the opponent's 20 over the past two games. ... The Titans have had at least one interception in five straight games. S Amani Hooker set a career high with his fifth of the season last week, which leads Tennessee. ... Folk has made an NFL-record 85 consecutive field goals on attempts from less than 40 yards. Folk also has 403 field goals, putting him 14th in NFL history. ... The Jaguars are 2-9 in one-score games. ... Thomas is the first rookie in franchise history and the 25th in league history to top 1,000 yards receiving. He needs seven receptions to become the seventh player in team history with at least 80 catches in a season. ... DE Josh Hines-Allen needs 3 1/2 sacks to set the franchise record held by Tony Brackens (55). ... DE Travon Walker needs one sack to move into the top 10 in franchise history. ... RB Travis Etienne needs 21 yards rushing to pass Leonard Fournette (2,631) for fourth in franchise history. ... PK Cam Little needs 14 points to break Fred Taylor's franchise record (102) for most by a rookie.

Titans WR Calvin Ridley returns to Jacksonville for the first time since playing for the Jaguars in 2023. Ridley caught seven passes for 59 yards in the teams' first meeting.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11) looks to throw a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones, center, is forced to throw the ball away as he is pressured by Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle John Jenkins, second from right, as Jaguars center Mitch Morse (65) and Jaguars offensive tackle Anton Harrison, left, try to make blocks during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan looks up from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard (42) breaks up a pass intended for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (15) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. runs to the end zone for a touchdown after making a catch against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Nick Sirianni has the highest winning percentage among active NFL coaches and the fifth-best in NFL history.

He should be lauded for his accomplishments with the Philadelphia Eagles. Coaches who win as frequently as Sirianni are esteemed.

The four coaches ahead of him on the overall list — Guy Chamberlin, John Madden, Vince Lombardi and George Allen — are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But Sirianni’s reputation doesn’t match up to his .697 winning percentage. He’s more often ridiculed for his sideline antics than praised for his coaching success.

Many of the critics include former players and coaches now working in the media. The criticism is sometimes over the top and unfair.

ESPN analyst Damien Woody, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, called Sirianni a clown in October for yelling and gesturing at Eagles fans toward the end of a close victory over Cleveland. Sirianni heard “Fire Nick!” chants during that game and reacted emotionally.

Still, he apologized a day later.

“I’m sorry and disappointed about how my energy was directed at the end of the game,” he said. “My energy should be all in on coaching, motivating, and celebrating with our guys. And so, I’ve got to have better wisdom and discernment of when to use that energy, and that wasn’t the time.”

After the Eagles beat Kansas City on the road in a Monday night game last year, Sirianni mocked Chiefs fans as he walked off the field.

Some viewed it as a passionate response to a hard-fought victory against the team that beat Philadelphia 38-35 in the Super Bowl nine months earlier.

Others considered it childish behavior.

Sirianni’s latest incident isn’t debatable. He exchanged words with former Eagles three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz after Washington’s comeback win against Philadelphia.

Videos show Ertz gave Sirianni a high-five as they were headed in opposite directions. Sirianni turned to say something to Ertz, who then turned around and walked back toward his former coach.

Reports said Sirianni mocked Ertz for having little impact on the game — he had one catch — after taking exception to the hard hand slap. The two cleared the air this week after Sirianni called Ertz to apologize. Ertz downplayed the exchange on Thursday, saying he has a great relationship with Sirianni and “no ill feelings.”

Ertz caught the go-ahead touchdown pass from Nick Foles when the Eagles beat New England in the Super Bowl. He’s beloved in Philadelphia for his performance on the field during eight-plus seasons with the team and his impact in the community.

Sirianni didn’t endear himself to anyone with this unnecessary spat.

“Sirianni has the vibe of a fan who won a contest to be the team’s head coach for a day,” ProFootballTalk.com posted on X.

Sirianni’s chest-bumping, sideline-prancing, expletive-tossing personality has irked opponents and their fans since the Eagles hired him in 2021. He’s incurred the wrath of the fickle Philly fans plenty of times over the years.

But players respond well to him — outside of last season’s collapse — and he wins (46-20). He’s approachable, engaging and likable to most who aren’t annoyed by his trash-talking. Yet, his success as a coach is often overshadowed by self-inflicted distractions.

It’s on Sirianni to avoid creating more of those.

On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here.

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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, left, greets Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin after an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni reacts while talking with side judge Dale Shaw (104) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, left, and Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, right, on the field at the end of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks to members of the media after an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)