| Despite being in his first year, Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey is feeling the heat. (US Presswire) |
It might not feel like much is on the line when the Jaguars (2-13) play the Titans (5-10) on Sunday.
There's certainly no playoff birth to be earned for either side. The Jaguars already have wrapped up last place in the AFC South with the Titans assured of a third-place finish in the division. Some fans might even be hoping for a loss to help improve draft positioning.
But there's a lot on the line for both coaches -- Tennessee's Mike Munchak and Jacksonville's Mike Mularkey. Mularkey's only had one season to fix Jacksonville. Munchak is in his second year in Nashville. Both want another shot.
“You can’t lose perspective of the fact that sometimes it takes a little longer to build something than one season or a season-and-a-half," Munchak told the Tennessean this week.
Mularkey told the team's official website: "You’d like to end this year on a strong note. We’d just like to have something positive to finish with. We haven’t had a whole lot of that the whole year. I think it’s important."
The Jaguars are coming off one of their best performances of the season despite a 23-16 loss to the Patriots last week. That, combined with a win against the Titans, could be viewed as the team taking a positive step.
Tennessee, meanwhile, had perhaps its worst performance of the year in a 55-7 loss at Green Bay. That makes Sunday all the more important for Munchak.
"We have a short period of time to fix it, but I feel very confident that we will," Munchak said.
“But I feel good about how we are going to get there and it will be up to (owner Bud) Adams to see if he agrees with me."
MJD questionable for Sunday: The Jaguars kept RB Maurice Jones-Drew off injured reserve because they hoped he would be able to return at some point this season. Sunday is his final chance to do so, but it doesn't look too promising.
Jones-Drew, who has missed the last nine games with a foot injury, has been running on the side at practice, but he will be listed as questionable on the injury report for the Jags game against the Titans.
“Whether it’s for next year or whatever, he’s better than he has been,” Mularkey told the team's official website.
No Pro Bowl: The Jaguars won't be represented in the Pro Bowl this season unless an injury opens up a spot. P Bryan Anger was selected as a second alternate and FB Greg Jones will be a third alternate.
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