where youve got to be a little more position,"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - There are few, if any, reasons to watch Tennessee and Jacksonville on Thursday night.Not even fantasy owners could have much interest in this prime-time matchup.Its two 2-12 teams from the AFC South that are playing out the string. The Titans have lost eight consecutive games and are down to third-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, who is making his eighth career start.The Jaguars have dropped six of seven, have scored two offensive touchdowns in the past four games and are without their top rusher, top receiver and top tackler.So expectations should be low.Theres not a lot to hang our hat on from this season, but its a Thursday night game, said Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt, whose team is looking to sweep Jacksonville for the just second time in 11 years.National games always seem to add a little more zest to it. I dont know if its really sweeping a division opponent that makes that much as it is an opportunity to get a win.The Jaguars, meanwhile, are favourites for the first time since Sept. 30, 2012. Since losing 27-10 to Cincinnati as a 1 1/2-point favourite, Jacksonville had been underdogs for 42 consecutive games.Weve had plenty of opportunities to win a lot of games, Jaguars defensive tackle SenDerrick Marks said. Its like we have to learn how to finish. ... Once we build that mindset and grow the guys, I really feel like it will be that much better. Weve had plenty of opportunities to pull out a victory in all of these games and we just fell short. I think we have that ability to change that within no time.Getting the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft should help either team, and the Thursday nights loser would move closer to securing the top pick.For Tennessee, it could mean having its pick between Oregon quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and Florida States Jameis Winston.Former first-round draft pick Jake Locker is a free agent, and Whisenhunt bristled earlier this week when asked whether he was committed to Zach Mettenberger.I dont know where you heard that, Whisenhunt said. Thats something that we said wed discuss. Thats not a question that we want to discuss in-season. Thats something wed go through after the season is over and go back and look at all of the snaps and go from there.For Jacksonville, landing the top draft spot would leave the rebuilding franchise in position to possibly trade down and get more picks.Neither team is thinking about that right now — at least not publicly. They focused on winning, regardless of how less-than-ideal the matchup might appear.A lot of people will turn the TV on Thursday night football and theres nothing else to watch, Titans receiver Kendall Wright said. Were going to try to give them a show either way.Here are some things to know about the Titans and Jaguars:___BORTLES READY? The Jaguars are leaning toward playing injured quarterback Blake Bortles. The rookie sprained his right foot Sunday at Baltimore and has been limited during light practices this week. He will go through pregame mobility tests before his status is determined.MARKS MARK: Jaguars defensive tackle SenDerrick Marks has extra incentive against his former team. Marks needs half a sack to trigger a $600,000 bonus in his contract. Marks has 7 1/2 sacks, an impressive number for an interior lineman playing on a team that rarely has a lead. I wont abandon the scheme just to be selfish and get something for me, said Marks, who spent four seasons with the Titans.STILL LOOKING FOR 100: The Titans have yet to have a 100-yard rusher this season, and only one receiver had topped the century mark in 2014. Kendall Wright had 132 yards receiving in a Nov. 30 loss at Houston, then he broke a bone in his right hand in practice. That has kept him out of the past two games. The Titans are hoping Wright can return against the Jaguars, with Whisenhunt saying its a matter of pain tolerance.AT LEAST THERES WALKER: Titans tight end Delanie Walker has been the bright spot on offence, and he already has set the franchise record for yards receiving in a season (793). He also is the only player on the roster to top 100 yards receiving in two separate games, and he had 93 in last weeks loss to the Jets. That has made him a big target for defences.MULARKEYS RETURN: Former Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey will return to EverBank Field for the first time since getting fired after the 2012 season. Mularkey sat out last year before joining the Titans as tight ends coach.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys . He is nigh unstoppable against the leagues worst. The 31-year-old dangerman set up two goals and scored two himself as Toronto FC rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the slumping Houston Dynamo 4-2 on Saturday night. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys China . DETROIT LIONS AT ATLANTA FALCONS, 9:30 AM (ET) Detroit - RB Reggie Bush, TE Eric Ebron, TE Joseph Fauria, WR Calvin Johnson, QB Kellen Moore, TE Brandon Pettigrew, OT LaAdrian Waddle Atlanta - CB Javier Arenas, DT Jonathan Babineaux, OT Cameron Bradfield, WR Freddie Martino, QB Sean Renfree, OT Jonathan Scott, LB Tyler Starr SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS, 1:00 PM (ET) Seattle - DT Jordan Hill, CB Byron Maxwell, OT Andrew McDonald, TE Zach Miller, C Max Unger, LB Bobby Wagner, WR Bryan Walters Carolina - CB Bene Benwikere, LB Chase Blackburn, WR Philly Brown, G Amini Silatolu, G Trai Turner, RB Fozzy Whittaker, RB DeAngelo Williams HOUSTON TEXANS AT TENNESSEE TITANS, 1:00 PM (ET) Houston - OT Jeff Adams, DB Josh Aubrey, LB Brian Cushing, DB Darryl Morris, WR DeVier Posey, QB Tom Savage, LB Jeff Tarpinian Tennessee - RB Antonio Andrews, WR Kris Durham, TE Richard Gordon, DL DaQuan Jones, CB Coty Sensabaugh, OT Will Svitek, TE Taylor Thompson BALTIMORE RAVENS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS, 1:00 PM (ET) Baltimore - CB Chykie Brown, LB Arthur Brown, DL Chris Canty, TE Owen Daniels, G/C Gino Gradkowski, RB Bernard Pierce, OT Jah Reid Cincinnati - RB Rex Burkhead, DE Will Clarke, WR A. http://www.cheapbuccaneersjerseysauthentic.com/. Speaking on TSN Radio 1050s TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on Monday, Colangelo said he had no intention of tanking the shortened 2011-12 season, but definitely wanted a high pick in the draft. "I wish that word wasnt used for headline reasons," said Colangelo, "but the story behind it was: how can we fix the system? How can we tweak the system to make it less likely that teams are rewarded for losing records? "I do believe that if youre as transparent as we were at the time - with our season seat holders, our fans, the market place and the media - everybody knew what the plan was and what we were going through. Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys . The Earthquakes (6-9-7) were coming off a 5-0 loss at home last Saturday to FC Dallas. Even with the draw, the Sounders (13-7-3) climbed back into a tie for both the Western Conference and overall top spot in MLS. Seattle, West co-leader Real Salt Lake and East leader Sporting Kansas City all have 42 points. Wholesale Buccaneers Jerseys . Huntelaar also had a penalty saved by Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. The two goals brought Huntelaars total for the season to 18, level with Bayern Munichs Mario Gomez for most in the league.Dave Tippett is known for getting the most out of his players in the NHL, and hell be counted on to do the same as Team Canadas coach at the upcoming world championship. Tippett, whose Phoenix Coyotes narrowly missed the playoffs, was named to that post Wednesday and will be joined by assistants Peter DeBoer of the New Jersey Devils and Paul Maurice of the Winnipeg Jets. Itll be up to that staff to try to make the most of a roster that wont be as star-studded as the group that won gold at the Sochi Olympics. "Thats the exciting thing for me is to try to get players in, get them in roles and get them in situations where they can succeed at," Tippett said in a phone interview. "Thats always been our philosophy in Phoenix is we might not be a cap team, but we got players that can do jobs in certain areas and really excel at it. "Once the team gets settled in here well try to figure out where everybody kind of fits, but thats one of the challenges, whether youve got young players or veteran players or superstar players, is getting your group together and getting them all in situations where they can play well." This Canadian team will include David Perron of the Edmonton Oilers, Sean Monahan of the Calgary Flames, Morgan Rielly and James Reimer of the Toronto Maple Leafs, forwards Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers, Cody Hodgson of the Buffalo Sabres, and Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets, along with defenceman Jason Garrison of the Vancouver Canucks among already confirmed theyll go to Minsk, Belarus, for next months tournament. Five more players have accepted invitations to play for Team Canada at the World Championship, including forwards Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers, Cody Hodgson of the Buffalo Sabres, Nazem Kadri of the Toronto Maple Leafs and MMark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets, along with defenceman Jason Garrison of the Vancouver Canucks.dddddddddddd There isnt Olympic experience there, but Jason Chimera of the Washington Capitals was there in 2007 when Canada last won gold at the world championship, and Reimer went 4-0 at the 2011 tournament. Tippett, from Moosomin, Sask., was an assistant coach in 2009 and 2013, and DeBoer, from Waterloo, Ont., was on staff in 2010 and 2011. Maurice, from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., has experience with the bigger, international-sized ice surface from coaching in the KHL. Theres a certain style of play that has come to be expected from Tippett-coached teams. The ice means there are some adjustments, but dont anticipate that changing too much. "Theres some things that you have to be aware of: spacing and sometimes running around where youve got to be a little more position," Tippett said. "I think the Canadian teams that have done well over there have gone over and played a real simple, hard, Canadian style of hockey. Those are principles that we want to put into place." One challenge for Tippett is to do that with just a couple of days of practice in Zurich. "Youve got to get everybody on the same page as quick as you can," he said. "I know every Canadian team that goes over there, its about continuing to try to improve as the tournament moves on." Tippett wants to get a team mind-set in place right away. Dont be surprised if it mirrors what Team Canada did in February. "Were very fortunate," Tippett said. "We have a very good template just from a few months ago of the Olympic teams." The IIHF world hockey championship runs from May 9-25 in Minsk. Canada opens the event on May 9 against France (TSN, 9:30am et/6:30am pt). 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