The Jacksonville Jaguars will continue their quest for a playoff spot when they face the rival Tennessee Titans in Week 13. Although their AFC South foe is 1-10, they cannot afford to take them lightly because of how tough divisional matchups tend to be.
And while the Jags will need to game plan for the usual suspects, such as defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and edge rusher Arden Key, they'll also need to keep close tabs on the Titans.
The Jaguars will need to neutrailze Chimere Dike
Liam Coen met with the local media ahead of the Titans game and heaped praise on rookie Chimere Dike, pointing out that
"We liked him a lot coming out," Coen responded when asked about the challenge that presents containing Dike. "Obviously, not far down the road here in Florida, we watched him a ton throughout the evaluation process with somebody we had a lot of respect for in that process. And man, he has made game-changing plays, or game-altering plays to give them boosts and give them opportunities to stay in games."
Coen continued, "That was the guy that we talked about this morning on the game records for special teams, so not just on teams, but on offense, where you see him catch shallow crosses, and he can go and take it. I think they're getting more and more comfortable using him on offense and in confidence, and on the special teams unit. I know John Fassel very well, and I know he'll try to scheme him to get an opportunity to make plays again this Sunday."
A fourth-round pick in this year's draft, Chimere Dike has become a Swiss Army knife for Tennessee, quickly becoming a key contributor on both the offense and special teams. As a receiver, he's logged 28 receptions for 252 yards with two touchdowns. And as a returner, the former Florida Gator has had two returns for touchdowns.
Heck, you could make the case that the Titans have their own Parker Washington in Dike, an underrated contributor who can impact the outcome of a game as a returner or a receiver. Below is Liam Coen's full exchange with the local media. His remarks about Dike start at the 11:12 mark.
The Jaguars face a trap game against Chimere Dike and the Titans
By now, you may be wondering where Calvin Ridley is, and why an unsung rookie has quickly carved a niche as a receiver. The answer is simple: The player formerly known as Agent Zero during his stint with the Jaguars broke his fibula and is out for the season. Before getting injured, he had reeled in 17 receptions for 303 yards.
With Ridley out of the picture, the Titans' trio of Chimere Dike, Eli Ayomano, and tight end Chig Okonkwo have stepped into bigger roles on offense. Although the group won't keep opposing coordinators awake the night before the game, they've come through for rookie Cam Ward, who has fared relatively well in spite of the lack of support and the general state of the franchise.
Again, this doesn't mean the Jaguars can afford to take Tennessee lightly. If anything, this is the kind of trap game they must win, and finding a way to contain Chimere Dike will most definitely help.