Sunday’s game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans is more important to the 2025 NFL Draft than it is to the 2024 NFL season – two 3-12 teams squaring off on the next-to-last Sunday of the regular-season schedule.

So maybe it’s not surprising that Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones’ midweek press conference included questions about the College Football Playoff. Jones was an All-American quarterback for the Crimson Tide’s 2020 CFP national-championship team.

Jones was asked if the first-round results, which included losses by the Indiana, SMU and Clemson, the final three into the 12-team field, demonstrated that Alabama should have been included instead.

“I know I was saying that in the locker room,” Jones said. “But we’ll see. Maybe next year they’ll change it again. I mean, at the end of the day, somebody’s going to be mad that they didn’t make it in. But I’m just glad that — yeah, it’s still cool.

“I thought it was interesting to see really just the teams playing at their home stadiums. It’s so crazy. Couldn’t you imagine an Alabama playoff game? Would be pretty wild.”

While the Titans-Jaguars game is comparatively insignificant on a weekend with games across the league impacting the playoff field, it isn’t insignificant to players such as Jones. A former New England Patriots starting quarterback, Jones has two more games left with Jacksonville before entering free agency this offseason.

“We’re trying to win them all, and it hasn’t gone our way this year,” Jones said. “But we do have a great opportunity this weekend. And if you’re a competitor and you get a chance to play in the NFL, you’re going to go out there and play your heart out, so that’s how I view it. I know the guys on our team are feeling the same way.

“Obviously, it’s a circumstance we may not want to be in. But you’ve got to really view it as a challenge and take it one play at a time, like I always say, and go out there and put good stuff on tape if somebody’s watching.”

Jones made two November starts when Trevor Lawrence was out of the lineup, and when the Jaguars’ No. 1 QB went down for the season during a 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Dec. 1, Jones got to audition for a 2025 job with five starts to close the season.

That started with a 10-6 victory over the Titans on Dec. 8.

“When you’re a younger player in the league and it happens, you’re kind of like, ‘Oh, we just played them,’” Jones said about the second game in three weeks against Tennessee. “And then you’re kind of like, ‘All right, it’s football, and they can change their game plan.’ You can change yours, so you never know what you’re going to get. But at this point in the season, everyone does what they do. And once again, that’s a great defense that we get to go against and a lot of good players, good coaches, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”

In Jones’ three December starts, rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has 27 receptions for 323 yards and three touchdowns.

“I think he’s definitely one of the best ones I’ve played with,” Jones said. “And you have to try and give him the ball, but also just see the defense and go through your reads. I mean, I could just drop back and throw it to him every time, I guess. We’ll see how that goes.”

The Jaguars and Titans will square off at noon CST Sunday at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The game will be the last at home this season for the Jaguars, who complete their 2024 campaign next week on the road against the Indianapolis Colts.

Sunday’s game might be the last time that Jones plays for his hometown team, which acquired him in an offseason trade with New England.

“It’s been a great experience,” Jones said of his season in Jacksonville. “And I really appreciate everybody here. And it’s been great to just get back on my feet. And, hopefully, we can go out there and, like I said, take it one play at a time, march it down the field and get some points. So it’s been, obviously, a dream of mine to play here, and, yeah, I’m looking forward to the next two.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.