NASHVILLE – It’s arduous to think about any true Tennessee Titans fan actively rooting for his or her favourite workforce to lose.

However judging from responses on social-media posts this week, Saturday’s recreation at Jacksonville could pose a dilemma for a minimum of some supporters.

With a win towards the Jaguars, the Titans (7-9) would seize the AFC South for the third straight season, earn a fourth straight journey to the playoffs and – in fact – put an finish to their ugly six-game dropping streak.

What two-tone-blue-blooded fan wouldn’t need that, proper?

The potential dilemma comes into play, nevertheless, for individuals who imagine not successful this specific recreation – and thereby incomes a possible top-10 choose within the upcoming draft – may be extra helpful within the massive image for a franchise doubtlessly on the verge of a rebuild.

Right here’s how that school-of-thought works:

Positive, successful the division and going to the playoffs sound nice. However realistically talking, how far would this battered bunch of Titans actually be anticipated to advance within the postseason? The checklist of 23 gamers on injured reserve at the moment consists of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, heart Ben Jones, proper guard Nate Davis, operating again Dontrell Hilliard, edge rusher Bud Dupree, and inside linebackers David Lengthy and Zach Cunningham – amongst many others. There’s no indication that any are on the verge of returning, regardless of once they’re technically allowed to return off IR.

And everyone knows how ugly issues have gotten on the sector for the Titans over the past month-and-a-half, as they’ve been held to 16 factors or fewer in 5 of their six losses. The Titans sit at 200-to-1 odds of successful the Tremendous Bowl, per BetOnline.ag, 100-to-1 odds of successful the AFC Championship.

So to proceed with the unorthodox faculty of considering, what long-term good can be gained this week by a victory if any form of playoff run appears to be like extremely unlikely?

Then again, a Titans win this week would make an instantly noticeable distinction in draft place.

As issues stand now, the Titans would choose eleventh within the first spherical. A loss to the Jaguars, particularly if the Saints (7-9) defeat Carolina this week, may transfer the Titans into the highest 10 – doubtlessly giving the workforce its highest first-round choice since Tennessee selected broad receiver Corey Davis fifth total in 2017.

However a victory towards the Jaguars would put the Titans within the playoffs, that means they’d choose no sooner than twenty first within the first spherical.

To increase the situation even one step additional, a top-10 choose would possibly give the Titans a greater probability at grabbing one of many high obtainable quarterbacks – in the event that they had been so inclined to decide on one – or reduce what was wanted to maneuver into place to make such a variety.

Sufficient down-the-road hypotheticals for you?

Within the meantime, we’ve actuality within the right here and now, and we all know that not a single Titans participant – nor a single member of the teaching workers – is anxious about the place the workforce will likely be choosing in April.

We additionally know that, regardless of this workforce’s struggles with harm and insufficient personnel this 12 months, it’s not a gaggle that has lacked for effort.

So what’s the proper plan of action for Titans followers to tackle Saturday?

Root for the win as all the time.

However be comforted by the truth that – not like the final couple of years – a loss received’t really feel like the tip of the world.