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As the match began today between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars, it was billed as a playoff game. The equation was simple for both teams. Win the game and you clinch the AFC South. Winning the division automatically brings a playoff berth.
The Jaguars entered the game with a 8-8 record. The Titans were 7-9 entering this game. A win for the Jaguars would have meant them finishing 9-8, clinching the division and leaving the Titans with a 7-10 record. A win for the Titans would have put them level at 8-9 with the Jaguars. However, they would have held the tiebreaker and won their division.
The loss eliminated Tennessee from postseason contention.
Did the Jaguars or the Titans have any other viable path to the playoffs?
To understand the wider implications, we have to look at the other teams in the AFC. Five teams have already qualified for the playoffs: the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs clinched the top seed with their win over the Las Vegas Raiders today. That left two spots open for the playoffs: the AFC South Division winner and the final Wild Card entry.
We have already detailed how the AFC South looked entering this game. However, there were some interesting permutations across the AFC as well. The final Wild Card spot entering the game was held by the 8-8 New England Patriots. Joining them with the same win-loss record were the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jaguars, therefore, were tied with the others holding the Wild Card spot. The Titans were one game behind.
Hence, the Titans had no other way to get to the playoffs but to win this game. The Jaguars had a Wild Card path open to them as well. But for that to work out, a lot of things need to fall their way. A loss in this game would have put them at 8-9. They need the Dolphins, Steelers and Patriots to all lose to tie all the teams with the same win-loss record. In that case, they would end up with the last Wild Card spot holding the conference tiebreaker.
Unluckily for the Tennessee Titans, they lost the game 20-16 having led at half-time. With the loss, they have to spend this postseason wondering what could have been. At one point, they looked a shoo-in for the playoffs, but a seven-game losing streak ended their season prematurely.
