FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — For the New York Jets, this Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans will be like looking into a mirror — a cracked funhouse mirror, perhaps, but a mirror nonetheless.

The Jets and Titans are two of the five 2-11 teams vying for the first pick in next year’s draft. Both teams are in desperate need of the franchise quarterback — Oregon’s Marcus Mariota — who can only be found at the very top of the draft.

Both teams will be quarterbacked Sunday by fizzled franchise quarterbacks (Geno Smith for the Jets and Jake Locker for the Titans) who are just playing out the string until the next potential long-term answer can be imported. Whoever wins Sunday will almost surely fall out of the running for the No. 1 pick, which means, ironically, that either Smith or Locker will be responsible for ensuring his team has no shot at getting Mariota.

The Jets’ No. 2 running back is Chris Johnson, who spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Titans. The Titans’ No. 2 running back is Shonn Greene, who spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Jets.

Both teams have been decimated by injuries. The Titans have lost four offensive linemen to injured reserve while the Jets have two cornerbacks on IR and have turned to street free agents as starters.

Coaches Rex Ryan and Ken Whisenhunt are both trying to preach optimism as their seasons continue spiraling down the drain. Like Ryan, Whisenhunt has continued to praise his team’s effort and focus during the trying final couple months.

“They’re working hard; they’re upbeat,” Whisenhunt said Wednesday. “Whenever you’re in a stretch like (we are) in and we’ve had some injuries, that’s part of the business. You understand that. But I think there’s a lot of encouraging things from the standpoint (of) we’ve got some young guys that are playing pretty good, getting experience.”

Both teams will be trying to win Sunday — especially the Jets, who have been a better 2-11 team than the Titans. The Jets have lost six games by eight points or less and have lost just three straight games. Of the Titans’ 11 losses, eight have been by 14 points or more. Tennessee has lost its last seven, including the last three by a combined 72 points.

This week also marks the last best chance for the Jets to earn one more win for Ryan, who is expected to be fired following the season. The Jets finish the season by playing New England and Miami while the Titans and first-year coach Whisenhunt get Jacksonville and Indianapolis.

So while fans would love the Jets to lose in hopes of improving their draft position, Ryan has no desire to spend his final three weeks tanking.

“I know where our fans are coming from — absolutely, I get that,” Ryan said. “That doesn’t mean that we’re going to approach this game any different, because we’re going to try to win the game.”

SERIES HISTORY: The Titans lead 23-17-1. The Titans have beaten the Jets in Tennessee in each of the last two seasons. On Sept. 29, 2013, the Jets were scorched for four passing touchdowns by Titans QBs Jake Locker and Ryan Fitzpatrick in a 38-13 loss. The Titans scored their fifth touchdown when they recovered the “around-the-butt” fumble by Jets rookie QB Geno Smith, who tried moving the football from his right to his left hand while under pressure in the end zone. The Jets were eliminated from playoff contention by the Titans on Dec. 17, 2012, when QB Mark Sanchez threw five interceptions in a 14-10 loss. This is the ninth time the Jets and Titans have played since the Titans/Oilers franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997 and the seventh time the game has taken place in Tennessee. The Oilers won the only playoff game between the two teams — on Dec. 29, 1991, when QB Warren Moon threw a pair of TDs to WR Ernest Givens in Houston’s 17-10 victory.

NOTES: RB Chris Johnson, who rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of his six seasons with the Titans, returns to Tennessee for the first time since he was released April 4. “Of course I want to go out there and tear it up and show ’em what they missed out on and make them regret that,” Johnson said. “But I’m not going to go into the game and make it me vs. them.” … WR Percy Harvin (ankle) did not practice Wednesday, but he said he is confident he’ll suit up against the Titans on Sunday. Harvin was in the midst of his best game as a member of the Jets — six catches for 124 yards and a touchdown as well as 109 yards on four kickoff returns — when he was injured in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 30-24 loss to the Vikings on Sunday. … DE Muhammad Wilkerson (toe) did not practice Wednesday and could miss a third straight game. … S/CB Antonio Allen (hand) did not practice Wednesday. Allen suffered a broken hand vs. the Vikings on Sunday. He has yet to miss a game due to injury in his three-year career.