The Tennessee Titans face off with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. The forecast calls for thunderstorms throughout the day, so the Titans are taking a unique approach to get the players ready.
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Jim Wyatt, who covers the Titans for the team site, posted a video on Thursday showing offensive players going through drills. Running back coach Randy Jordan stood in front of them with a hose.
Jordan used this hose to spray water in their faces as they reached down to tap some safety cones. The players had to focus on keeping their grip on the footballs, which became slick as the water hit them.
With the potential for rain on Sunday in Jacksonville, @Titans RBs coach Randy Jordan isn’t messing around. pic.twitter.com/pKivK4XLSx
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 26, 2024
A hose did not fully replicate a Florida storm, but it was the best option available to the Titans considering that practice took place on an overcast afternoon in Middle Tennessee.
The weather has affected numerous games throughout NFL history. Some, such as the Ice Bowl between the Packers and Cowboys, took place with temperatures well below freezing. Others were in snowy conditions, such as the 2013 battle between the Lions and Eagles.
The Fog Bowl was another prominent example. The Bears and Eagles were facing off in a pivotal playoff game in 1988 when heavy fog engulfed Soldier Field. The players only had an estimated 15-20 yards of visibility for the rest of the game.
The Jaguars, who face off with the Titans this weekend, have experience playing in heavy rain. They were part of the Tsunami Bowl that took place during the 2011 season.
This game featured the Jaguars and Panthers facing off in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game started with a relatively dry field, but heavy rain began falling during the second quarter. It did not let up as part of the stadium flooded.
Panthers Throwback!!!
September 25th, 2011.
Cam Newton’s first NFL win.
The tsunami bowl. #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/4DjvCCVjS7
— Panthers Legacy (@PanthersLegacy) October 6, 2019
The weather played a significant role in the outcome as a slick ball led to multiple dropped passes from rookie quarterbacks Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert. When players landed on the ground, they would slide several feet while water splashed into the air.
The Panthers won the messy game 16-10 after stopping the potential game-winning drive by Gabbert and the Jaguars offense. Gabbert's final pass was a dropped interception with no time remaining on the clock.
It remains unclear if the weather in Jacksonville will come close to matching this game from the 2011 season, but the Titans are taking steps to prepare for a deluge.
