Will the Jaguars' Nashville Problem Rear it's Head Again This Season?

If the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) are to start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2018 and the second time since 2006, they will need to do something on Sunday they haven't done very often in recent years — in Nashville.

The Jaguars have had struggles with winning in general in the past decade or so, but they have especially struggled when traveling to play the Tennessee Titans (1-0). Jacksonville hasn't won in Nashville since Nov. 10, 2013, the first win of the Gus Bradley regime. That year, Tennessee started Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback and Mike Munchak was head coach, so clearly a lot has changed since.

In the six years since, the Jaguars have walked into Nashville and left with losses, no matter the coaching staff or construction of the roster. Even in years when the Titans were among the league's worst teams, or the one year the Jaguars were among the league's bests, the Jaguars have simply not been able to get the job done on the road.

Can that change in Week 2 as the teams try to establish a lead in the AFC South, though? That is at least the hope in Jacksonville, but neither side is putting much stock into what has happened in the past, especially the Jaguars.

Why? Simply put, the NFL changes every year, and the Jaguars have changed even more than most. For example, the Jaguars have 12 draft picks and a handful of undrafted free agents who on the roster, in addition to several free agents. As a result, a large chunk of the roster hasn't gone through the same Nashville headaches that Marrone and the Jaguars have seen.

“I think that’s one of the things I’ve changed this year. I used to do that. You kind of look back and you look at things, whether it’s positive or negative," Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone said Wednesday.

"Before I used to look at things like that when you have a lot of guys returning and stuff, but I think, with this team, it’s such a different atmosphere, such a different team and such a young team."

In the last six trips to Nashville, the Jaguars have been outscored 181-114. This includes last year's 42-20 loss, which saw the Jaguars allow 219 rushing yards, 14.4 yards per attempt to Ryan Tannehill and allowed four touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone.

For whatever reason, the Titans have had Jacksonville's number on the road no matter how the teams are composed or who is coaching them. In recent years, it has followed a pattern of Derrick Henry running wild on Jacksonville and the Titans bullying the Jaguars up front, two things the Jaguars will need to avoid this year.

"This is our first road game and I’m really curious to see how our young guys on our team play on the road," Marrone said. "I mean it’s the first time we’re going on the road, so I’m more concerned just about the operation of that and trying to get into some type of structure for them so this way we can go up there and play well.”

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel more or less had the same message on Wednesday when he spoke with Jacksonville media. Vrabel has only played the Jaguars at home twice before Sunday so while he does have experience against the team and Doug Marrone, he doesn't factor into the history of the two sides to a large extent.

"I have only been here two years so I don't know really what what to take [from] that other than, you know, every week is different in this league and certainly every year is different," Vrabel said.

"So it was a tight game last year here. It was scoreless in the second quarter and was tight in the third quarter. We had a couple big plays and got the turnover and you know, that decided the game. But, you know, again, we're ready. We're gonna have to get ready for a physical, tough contest here on Sunday with a division opponent that you know knows a lot about us."

Jacksonville left their home stadium with an upset win in Week 1. To do the same in Week 2, the Jaguars will need to buck one of their worst recent historical trends. While the past may not factor much into Sunday's result, it doesn't change the looming importance of finally finding a way to win in Nashville.