Freek1969 was kind enough to put his pre-game thoughts into a post here.
Enjoy
1. Jeff Fisher: This man is one of the nastiest, trickiest and meanest SOB's in the game. He plays dirty tricks, and when given the chance in a game will "give you the business" without the benefit of any lubrication. That said...thats why he's a helluva a great head coach.
2. 1999: The 1999 season was quite a success for the Jags as they rang the victory bell 14 times with only 2 losses, this was the best regular season record in the NFL that year. However, the Jaguars would be denied in the AFC championship game - this time as the favorite AT HOME - and lose to the Titans 33-14. The Jaguars finished the season 15-3, with all three of their losses coming against the Titans. (Not surprisingly, this was the only time in NFL history that a 3-loss team met all of its losses at the hands of only one team.) Remember that Jag's fans? I do, and I still have the ulcers to prove it.
Now those 2 things that I have mentioned should be enough for you to have wished that the DNA of every Titans player should have been tossed from a B-117 Stealth Bomber prior to their conception in the womb....but I digress into fantasy. But the icing on the cake about the Titans was when it was later reported that Jeff Fisher had his team actually PRACTICE the AFC Championship Trophy presentation during their final team practice in Jacksonville! BASTARDS! They actually practiced where they would stand, what they would say and how they would celebrate winning the AFC Trophy! That's classic Jeff Fisher the "no lube" master. That's how I "Remember the Titans". I dont like 'em, cant stand 'em. Yet I am pulling for them this Sunday against the Chargers. Why you may ask.....
It's very simple. With a Titans win, and a Jag's win..the Jag's would go to Indianapolis, and the Titans to New England. Why is this significant?
The Jaguars have always stated this season that they want to go "deep" into the playoffs. In my opinion "deep" would be defined as an AFC Championship game or better. I want my Jag's to go "deep" this year. I want the boys to strap on the scuba gear, get the decompression chamber cranked up and dive the Mariana's Trench baby!
The Jaguars road to the AFC Game would be the best if they went through Pittsburgh and then Indianapolis. If the the Titans beat the Chargers that is exactly how it would play out.
Why is this road better for the Jag's?
1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T: I usually don't play the respect card, but in the scenario I have laid out for you the Jag's would earn some respect from around the league that would last them a long, long time. They would finally be an "Elite Team"
2. The Fans: The Jaguars fan base would grow significantly both inside and outside of Jacksonville. This would be a defining moment between the fans, the city and the franchise and would super-glue them together into one frothing seething mass of love that would guarantee that you won't see a Los Angeles Jaguars. Ever. We would truly become the "Pittsburgh of the South"
How would we achieve these things if the Titans win and the Jags go to Indy? take a look at the scenario and how it would play out.....
1. Jags beat Steelers: I know you've already heard the hype....no team has ever beat the Steelers at home twice in the same season...poppycock after the Jag's kick their teeth down their throat. Think the Jag's would earn a little respect for that one? In addition they would shed the label in the back of everyones mind that at crunch time the Jags fold. If I'm not mistaken, it would also give the Steelers their first playoff loss in their new house- Ketchup Field, and thats a stat that no other team can achieve or ever change. R-E-S-P-E-C-T anyone? What the hell, lets throw in Freddy T setting another Ketchup Field rushing record to boot....that could help his Hall of Fame chances....
2. Titans beat Chargers: This would send the Titans to New England and the Jag's to Indy. This helps because the only team I fear in the playoffs is the Patriots. I believe that in the right conditions (can you spell S-N-O-W?) the Jag's have a good shot. A loss to NE in the second round (if the Titans were to lose to the Chargers) would not be "going deep" in the playoffs and would be almost equivalent to a wildcard loss, as high as the expectations are for the Jags this season. In addition the Titans going to NE would give the Jag's an extra week for snow to show up around game time to give us an edge.
3. Jags beat Indy: I respect the Colts but don't fear them. Beating the Colts is doable, and there is no way in hell the Jag's would let another team beat them 3 times in the same season, the odds are against it. Even though the Colts swept the Jags' in the regular season it should have been a split, because I think had Garrard not been hurt in the first game at home the Jag's would have come out on top. None the less, everybody knows that the Colts are our arch-rivals. A win in Indy shuts up all the idiot Colts fans (except MarkedHoosier...he's an awesome and respectful Colts fan), eliminates the defending champs, makes the Jag's the de facto division champs and sets up an AFC Showdown against the Patriots that will be watched by more people than any other game in the playoffs.
4. AFC Championship Game: This game would be one of the highest rated AFC Championship games in history because of course, the Pats are trying to go all the way undefeated, and the Jag's have already been tagged to be the one team that has a shot of screwing Bill Belichek and the Pats like Jeff Fisher did to us in 1999, with a win. A win at New England and the Jag's will immortalize themselves as having been the team that was better than "the greatest football team ever". I could be wrong, but I think the rest of the world would give us just a smidgen of respect for that too...maybe. Hell it might even shut up the "respect" crowd in the Jag's fan base.
5. Jag's to the Superbowl: They would not be the underdogs, and no matter who the NFC sends to the dance, they will truly FEAR us. And the Jag's will be able to claim that "fear isn't a factor for us" after earning that right to be there. I would expect the Jag's to win that Super Bowl hands down. They would be battle hardened and roll over the NFC team like an M1-A1 Abrams tank on steroids. Period.
In this scenario the real winner above and beyond all the others is a little unexpected....and here it is. The Jag's would have accomplished their ULTIMATE GOAL, and its not the Super Bowl win they would have. Their ultimate goal is something even more special than that, it is what truly DRIVES this team and would prove the old saying "there is no "I" in TEAM" What is this ULTIMATE GOAL?
Securing Fred Taylor's Legacy and guaranteeing his induction into the Hall of Fame. This team plays for Freddy T. He is their heart, soul, body and mind. This team loves him and he loves them even more (look at his performance this year). To this team getting to the Super Bowl and winning is secondary, what really matters is feeding Fred the ball and getting him that SuperBowl MVP trophy...thats the real prize. The trophy this team is fighting for has the words "Fred Taylor- Super Bowl MVP"
The scenario I have laid out would be unimaginable in any Jag's wildest dream, but you know what, I think it is VERY possible and we could really see it happen.
If you dream like I do, of hearing Fre-ddy, Fre-ddy, Fre-ddy chanted by the entire team, crowd and fans WORLDWIDE as the confetti falls and the fireworks explode......
Remember the Titans....You want them to win.