Jacksonville Jaguars predictions: Who do NFL experts pick to win game vs. Tennessee Titans?

This one's for all the marbles.

The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Tennessee Titans in a Saturday night showdown for the AFC South title. The Jags last made the NFL playoffs in the 2017 season; the Titans were last year's No. 1 seed in the AFC.

The two rivals have been trending in very different directions the past few months. Jacksonville (8-8) has won four games in a row, starting with a Dec. 11 36-22 thrashing of Tennessee. The Titans (7-9) have lost six straight.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is leading a resurgent offense with running back Travis Etienne and tight end Evan Engram, who went off for 162 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 14 win vs. Tennessee. With Josh Dobbs starting just his second game for the Titans, the biggest question will be how far star running back Derrick Henry can carry the Tennessee offense.

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So who will win the AFC South? NFL reporters and analysts weigh in with their picks:

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Jaguars 24-20

The Titans made the right call to rest their key players against the Cowboys, given their rash of injuries. They also were wise to turn to veteran Josh Dobbs as their starting QB. Derrick Henry will keep Tennessee in the game after his week off with more of his usual power running vs. Jacksonville. But Trevor Lawrence will deliver for a second time against a weak pass defense to save the Jaguars' amazing post-Urban Meyer run toward a division title.

John Breech, CBS Sports: Jaguars 20-17

Look, the Jaguars are the more talented team in this game, but I have a hard time picking against Tennessee because no one is better than the Titans at winning games they're not supposed to win. In their past 15 games as an underdog of five points or more, the Titans are 11-4 against the spread and 8-7 straight up. They've won more than HALF their games as an underdog of FIVE OR MORE.

I think Tennessee's game plan is going to be simple here: They're going to give the ball to Derrick Henry 75 times in hopes of controlling the clock and if they control the clock, that will keep Jacksonville's offense off the field, which should keep this game close.

Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Jaguars 30-16

Like the Steelers, the Jaguars were 2-6. Now, after five wins in their past six games (like the Steelers), they’re a victory over the Titans from winning the AFC South division (unlike the Steelers). The Titans were once 7-3 and in sole command of the division lead, but they have lost six games in a row, tied for the longest streak in the AFC. Their offense is a bigger mess than Broadway Street after a Friday night. The Jaguars won the first meeting in Nashville by 14. This could be worse.

Nick Musial, Sporting News: Jaguars 23-17

With two teams entering this winner-take-all game in opposite directions, it's easy to side with the red-hot team and back the Jaguars on the spread to notch a comfortable home win. However, the betting market has already priced the Jaguars as fairly hefty favorites, and given the Titans' ability to stop the run coupled with a better performance from Dobbs in his second start, the Titans can hang around. We're not expecting an outright win, but we think Tennessee does enough to snap its ice-cold ATS streak when its backs are seemingly against the wall.

Devon Platana, FanDuel: Jaguars 24-17

Jacksonville already defeated Tennessee, 36-22, back in Week 14. Since then, the Titans have continued to spiral (mainly due to Ryan Tannehill's season-ending injury), averaging just 13.7 points (third-worst) and 291.0 total yards (ninth-worst) over their last three games.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars' offense has been hot with at least 30 points in three of their last four games. I expect the offense to keep rolling after Trevor Lawrence torched Tennessee for 368 passing yards and a trio of touchdowns just a few weeks ago.

With the Titans looking like they've forgotten how to play football, expect the Jaguars to be on top of the AFC South when the dust settles.

Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Jaguars 19-13

Could a team of the Titans players on injured reserve beat the actual Titans that will line up Saturday night? At least Mike Vrabel gets some guys back, including defensive linemen Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons, two starters in the secondary (Kristian Fulton, Amani Hooker) and Derrick Henry. The offensive line was a disaster before its latest setbacks, however, and new Titans quarterback Joshua Dobbs is being asked to do the nearly impossible. The Jaguars' defense has improved alongside Trevor Lawrence and should make the second-year quarterback's job easier.

Bill Bender, Sporting News: Jaguars 26-21

The Jaguars beat the Titans 36-22 in Week 13, which started a four-game winning streak. The winner takes the AFC South here, and Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel has to choose between quarterbacks Joshua Dobbs and Malik Willis. Dobbs might be the better bet here, and he will have to be on point against a Jacksonville run defense that has allowed an average of 75 rushing yards. Will Derrick Henry (hip) play?

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Jaguars 30-21

The winner here wins the AFC South. The Jaguars have played well down the stretch, while the Titans have lost five straight games. Tennessee is beat up and will start Josh Dobbs at quarterback here. Unless Derrick Henry can run for 250, I don't see the Titans hanging around. Jaguars win it.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars vs. Titans predictions: NFL experts pick Week 18 game