Jacksonville Jaguars
Next Step For Jacksonville Jaguars?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There’s always a sense of optimism when NFL training camps open, but this year feels different in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars officially opened training camp Wednesday at the Miller Electric Center, and for the first time in a long time, they’re doing so with the weight of expectations instead of hope.
After winning 13 games, capturing the AFC South title, and reaching the playoffs in Liam Coen’s first season as head coach, this franchise is no longer viewed as an up-and-coming team.
The Jaguars have officially entered the conversation as one of the AFC’s contenders. That’s both exciting and challenging.
Training camp is about preparing for a new season, but it’s also about answering questions. Jacksonville has plenty of them.
The biggest concern entering camp is along the offensive line. Starting left tackle Cole Van Lanen begins camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list as he continues recovering from a knee injury.
While the Jaguars remain optimistic he’ll return before the regular season, his absence puts the spotlight on rookie Emmanuel Pregnon and the rest of the offensive line depth.
Protecting Trevor Lawrence has to remain priority number one if this team wants to build on last year’s success.
Another storyline worth watching is the return of Travis Hunter. The dynamic two-way star is fully healthy after an LCL injury limited him to just seven games during his rookie season.
Jacksonville plans to use Hunter primarily at cornerback, but don’t expect him to stay off the offensive side of the ball for long. His unique ability to impact games in multiple ways gives Coen another weapon to deploy, and if Hunter stays healthy, he could become one of the NFL’s most exciting players.
The running back position is another battle that could shape the season. With Travis Etienne Jr. no longer in Jacksonville, second-year back Bhayshul Tuten appears to have the inside track, but nothing has been decided.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. and LeQuint Allen Jr. will also have opportunities to earn significant playing time, making this one of the most competitive position battles in camp.
Offensively, I’m also intrigued by what Coen plans to do with the tight ends. Second-round draft pick Nate Boerkircher and fifth-round selection Tanner Koziol fit perfectly into Coen’s vision of using more two- and three-tight end formations.
If those heavy personnel packages develop the way the coaching staff hopes, Jacksonville could become one of the more physical offenses in the AFC while creating favorable matchups for Trevor Lawrence in the passing game.
There are other interesting storylines as well. Could veteran receiver Zay Jones find his way back to Jacksonville? Is rookie Emmanuel Pregnon ready for meaningful snaps if needed? How quickly will the secondary come together after adding veteran cornerback Corey Ballentine? Those questions will begin to be answered over the next several weeks.
I don’t believe the Jaguars are going to sneak up on anyone this year. Every opponent knows Jacksonville is a legitimate playoff team, and that makes repeating as division champions much more difficult.
That said, I believe this team is better than it was a year ago.
Trevor Lawrence has another season under Liam Coen’s offense. Brian Thomas Jr. has emerged as one of the league’s premier young receivers.
The defense continues to mature, and if Hunter stays healthy, he adds another playmaker capable of changing games.
The biggest question remains depth. Can the offensive line withstand injuries? Will the young running backs produce consistently? Can the defense avoid the injury bug that has derailed so many promising seasons?
If those answers are yes, I think Jacksonville has every opportunity to win the AFC South again.
My prediction is another division title with an 11-6 or 12-5 record. It may not match last year’s 13 victories, but the schedule is tougher, expectations are higher, and every team on the Jaguars’ schedule will have them circled.
One thing is certain: the days of simply hoping the Jaguars are competitive are over. This franchise has entered a new era where success is expected, and that’s exactly where Jaguars fans have wanted this team to be for years.
AFC South Draft Newcomers
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2026 NFL draft is now over. We will take a look around the AFC South and see how each team did and give power rankings based on these moves.
Houston Texans: The biggest needs entering the draft were OL, DL, LB, edge and DB.
Draft picks: G/C Keylan Rutledge, DT Kayden McDonald, TE Marlin Klein, G/C Febechi Nwaiwu, LB Wade Woodaz, S Kamari Ramsey, WR Lewis Bond, LB Aiden Fisher.
Rutledge (Georgia Tech) was picked in the first round with the 26th pick. He’s 6’4, 316 lbs. and he has a lot of experience. He plays relentlessly through the whistle, finishing blocks with the ability to put defenders on their back. The Texans need the strengthen the offensive line so this was a good pick.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud has gotten worse in each of his three seasons. He made the Pro Bowl (2023) as a rookie but has struggled to play like that again.
Houston added running back David Montgomery (Detroit) in free agency. They have also overhauled the offensive line.
Houston has an elite defense that ranked first in total defense in 2025. Drafting defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) will strengthen the interior defense and help stop opponents from running the ball.
I think they’re the best team in the division and that’s considering inconsistent quarterback play. If Stroud can play like he did in 2023, the Texans will be Super Bowl contenders.
Indianapolis Colts: Their biggest team needs before the draft were edge, LB, S, OL and WR.
Draft picks: LB C.J. Allen, S A.J. Haulcy, G/C Jalen Farmer, LB Bryce Boettcher, EDGE George Gumbs, EDGE Caden Curry, RB Seth McGowan, WR Deion Burks
The Colts did not have a first round pick this year or next because they traded that to the Jets for CB Sauce Gardner.
I like the CJ Allen (Georgia) pick because they have a vacancy at middle linebacker. They traded LB Zaire Franklin to Green Bay for DT Colby Wooden. Franklin averaged 161 tackles over the last four seasons.
Indy started the season 8-5, then QB Daniel Jones went down on December 7, 2025 against Jacksonville with a torn Achilles. That injury typically takes one year to come back from so he should miss most of the 2026 season.
I pick them to finish third in the division.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The biggest team needs were LB, edge, DL, OL and S.
Draft picks: TE Nate Boerkircher, DT Albert Regis, G/C Emmanuel Pregnon, S Jalen Huskey, EDGE Wesley Williams, TE Tanner Koziol, WR Josh Cameron, WR C.J. Williams, EDGE Zack Dufree, LB Parker Hughes
Their first pick was at No. 56, where they drafted blocking tight end Nate Boerkircher (Texas A&M). The best player they drafted was OG Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon). He has potential to become a starter right away.
The Jags hope Travis Hunter can return from his torn LCL and make a big impact in 2026.
They did lose their leading rusher Travis Etienne in free agency when he signed to New Orleans.
They should be second in the division but I’m not sure they’ll make the playoffs.
Tennessee Titans: The biggest team needs were OL, edge, WR, RB and LB.
Draft picks: WR Carnell Tate, EDGE Keldric Faulk, LB Anthony Hill Jr., G/C Fernando Carmona, RB Nicholas Singleton, DT Jackie Marshall, G/C Pat Coogan, TE Jaren Kanak
Carnell Tate (Ohio State) was the first receiver drafted at No. 4. It’s good they paired a weapon with second year QB Cam Ward. I think they drafted extremely well but they’re still a bad team.
Tennessee will finish last.
Welcome To Duuuuval
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When the Jacksonville Jaguars walked into the 2026 NFL Draft, they were already operating under a different set of circumstances than most teams.
For the first time in franchise history, Jacksonville didn’t have a first round pick.
But that wasn’t an accident. That pick had already been spent a year earlier in a deal with the Cleveland Browns that helped the Jaguars land one of the most electric young players in football, Travis Hunter, with the second overall pick in 2025.
So, when you look at Jacksonville’s 2026 draft, you can’t judge it the same way you judge most draft classes.
There wasn’t going to be a splashy headline pick. Instead, this draft was about building the roster out and giving quarterback Trevor Lawrence more help. And honestly, that’s exactly what the Jaguars tried to do.
Jacksonville started in the second round by selecting Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher. That pick makes a lot of sense when you think about what this offense needs.
For years, the Jaguars have been trying to get more production out of the tight end position, and Boerkircher brings a nice mix of pass catching ability and blocking. In other words, he’s the kind of player who can stay on the field for all three downs.
Then in the third round, Jacksonville went back to Texas A&M again and grabbed defensive tackle Albert Regis. This one felt like a classic “get bigger and tougher” type of pick.
The Jaguars have had stretches where they struggled to control the line of scrimmage, especially against the run, and Regis adds some muscle inside.
But if there’s a pick Jaguars fans should really pay attention to, it might be offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon from Oregon.
If this franchise is serious about getting the most out of Trevor Lawrence, protecting him has to be priority number one. Pregnon brings versatility along the offensive line, and depth up front is never a bad thing in the NFL.
The Jaguars kept addressing needs later in the third round when they selected Maryland defensive back Jalen Huskey, a guy who picked off four passes last season. Jacksonville has clearly been trying to add more playmakers in the secondary, and Huskey fits that mold.
Once day three rolled around, the Jaguars shifted into what you might call roster building mode. They even traded up in the fourth round to grab Duke edge rusher Wesley Williams, which tells you he was a player they specifically wanted.
The rest of the class added more depth across the board. Houston tight end Tanner Koziol, Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron, Stanford receiver CJ Williams, Washington edge rusher Zach Durfee, and linebacker Parker Hughes out of Middle Tennessee State.
Now let’s be honest. None of those picks are going to dominate the national headlines.
That’s just the reality when you don’t have a first round pick.
But here’s the thing Jaguars fans should remember. A lot of really good NFL teams are built on day two and day three of the draft.
You don’t always need the flashy pick. Sometimes what you really need are solid players who fill roles, compete for snaps, and develop over time. And that’s what Jacksonville seems to be aiming for here.
This draft felt less like a blockbuster and more like a roster tune up. Add a weapon for Trevor Lawrence. Strengthen the offensive line. Get bigger up front on defense. Bring in competition at receiver and in the secondary.
It might not be the kind of draft that gets fans jumping out of their seats right now.
But if even a few of these players turn into reliable contributors, the Jaguars might look back a couple of years from now and realize this class quietly helped push the team forward.
Running Out Of Jacksonville
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the past few seasons in Jacksonville, Travis Etienne was more than just the starting running back. He was one of the players who made the Jaguars offense go. Now he is gone.
Etienne reportedly signed a four year, 52 million dollar deal with the New Orleans Saints, and while the move was not exactly shocking, it still leaves a big question mark in Jacksonville’s backfield.
The Jaguars may have had financial reasons for letting him walk, but there is no denying that losing a player like Etienne changes the look of this offense.
Players with his skill set are not easy to replace. Since being drafted in the first round, Etienne developed into one of the more exciting offensive weapons the Jaguars had.
His speed and ability to make defenders miss made him dangerous every time he touched the football. He could break a long run, catch passes out of the backfield, and create big plays that could flip momentum in a game.
Last season under head coach Liam Coen, Etienne rushed for more than 1,100 and continued to be a major part of the passing game as well. That kind of versatility gave Jacksonville something every offense wants. Balance.
When the running game is working, it takes pressure off the quarterback and keeps defenses from teeing off. For Trevor Lawrence, having Etienne in the backfield made life a lot easier. Without him, things get a little more complicated.
The Jaguars will point out that they saw this coming. General manager James Gladstone drafted two running backs in 2025, Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, and both showed some promise during their rookie seasons. Tuten especially has the speed and pass catching ability that fits nicely in Coen’s system.
But there is still a big difference between flashing potential and carrying the load for an entire season.
Right now Jacksonville’s running back room is extremely young. Tuten, Allen, and Ja’Quinden Jackson are all entering just their second season in the league.
DeeJay Dallas is the only veteran in the group, and even he is not guaranteed to make the roster.
That means the Jaguars are asking a lot from players who simply have not proven themselves yet, and that’s a huge gamble.
There is also the bigger picture to consider. The Jaguars likely knew they could not match the contract the Saints were willing to give Etienne.
In today’s NFL, teams rarely want to invest big money at running back when they believe they can find production through younger and cheaper players.
From a salary cap standpoint, letting Etienne walk probably makes sense. It gives the Jaguars flexibility to focus on other areas of the roster, including defense, where they still have important decisions to make.
But football is not just about cap space. Etienne was one of the few players on the Jaguars roster who could take a routine play and turn it into something special. When an offense needed a spark, he was often the guy who provided it.
Now that responsibility is going to fall on someone else. Maybe Bhayshul Tuten steps into that role and becomes the next breakout player in Jacksonville. Maybe the Jaguars add another running back in the draft or in free agency to help fill the gap.
But until someone proves they can do what Travis Etienne did for this offense, there is going to be a noticeable hole in the Jaguars backfield. And that makes this offseason decision feel a little risky.
The Jaguars might be betting on the future. The question now is whether that bet pays off.
Jaguars Offseason Philosophy?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in an interesting position this offseason.
On one hand, a 13-4 season, an AFC South title, and a playoff appearance say this team is firmly in contention.
On the other hand, a first-round exit to Buffalo showed that they are not quite elite yet.
The problem facing General Manager James Gladstone is simple to describe but difficult to solve: Jacksonville is trying to improve without a first-round pick and while operating under real salary cap pressure.
That reality makes one thing clear. The Jaguars cannot win the offseason through free agency. They will have to win it through calculated trades. And the keyword there is calculated.
The easiest headline move would be trading wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
The speculation makes sense on the surface. Thomas did not build on his incredible rookie season, and with Travis Hunter now expected to spend most of his time at cornerback, Jacksonville could argue that flipping Thomas for draft capital solves multiple problems.
Some speculation has surrounded sending Thomas and a fifth-round pick to Buffalo for Keon Coleman and a late first-round selection, and that has generated plenty of debate. But I think that’s exactly the kind of move the Jaguars should avoid.
Trading Thomas now would be selling low. Sophomore slumps happen, especially when a new system arrives.
Liam Coen’s offense is still evolving, and Thomas remains one of the few players on this roster who has already proven he can look like a true No. 1 receiver.
Jacksonville does not need more developmental wideouts. It needs certainty. Keon Coleman might become a solid player, but swapping Thomas for another question mark just to reclaim a first-round pick feels like solving a paperwork problem, not a football problem.
The smarter approach is to treat Brian Thomas Jr. as untouchable unless an overwhelming offer arrives.
While the Jaguars shop the trade market, they should be targeting two specific areas. First, and probably most importantly, is the offensive line.
Protecting Trevor Lawrence remains the single biggest variable between Jacksonville being good and being dangerous. The team already has expensive contracts tied up there, and moving players like Walker Little could create flexibility while bringing back mid-round capital.
That kind of move is less glamorous but far more practical. Turning surplus linemen into draft picks and cap space is the kind of quiet roster management that contenders use to sustain success.
Second, work must be done on the defensive interior. The Jaguars improved dramatically in 2025, but when they were knocked out of the playoffs, Buffalo controlled the line of scrimmage late.
That is the difference between a divisional-round team and a true Super Bowl threat.
If Jacksonville is aggressive anywhere, it should be in acquiring proven rotational defensive linemen who can play immediately, even if it costs a Day-2 pick.
And that leads to the real philosophy the Jaguars should embrace: quantity over splash.
Without a first-round pick, Jacksonville’s value lies with its depth.
The current draft setup includes a large number of picks across the middle rounds. Rather than forcing a flashy trade to reclaim a first-round headline, Gladstone should use those mid-round assets to package smaller deals.
Think veteran upgrades, role players who fit specific needs, and controllable contracts that avoid cap headaches. Because the cap matters here.
Jacksonville is projected to start the offseason slightly over the salary cap, meaning every move must carry long-term flexibility.
Big splashes are off the table, but strategic trades combined with restructures can quietly rebuild the roster without weakening the core.
The Jaguars don’t need a roster overhaul. They need refinement.
Keep Brian Thomas Jr. unless the offer is overwhelming. Move expendable contracts for mid-round value. Target trenches, not headlines. Use depth picks as currency rather than desperation.
If Jacksonville treats the trade market like a scalpel instead of a sledgehammer, they will give themselves a better chance to take the next step from division winner to legitimate AFC contender.
What’s Next For Jaguars?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars ended their 2025 season with heartbreak, but also with something that felt unfamiliar after years of turbulence: real optimism.
A 27–24 Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills closed the book on a 13–5 campaign that saw Jacksonville win the AFC South and return to the postseason.
For a franchise that finished 4–13 just a year earlier, the turnaround under head coach Liam Coen was nothing short of dramatic.
The Jaguars went from organizational reset to division champion in one offseason, and the foundation now looks sturdier than it has in years.
Jacksonville’s renaissance began with sweeping changes at the top.
After the disappointing 2024 season, the Jaguars parted ways with head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, ushering in a new era led by Coen and general manager James Gladstone.
Rather than chase splashy free-agent headlines, the new leadership group focused on targeted additions, internal development, and building a roster that fit Coen’s vision on both sides of the ball.
The results were immediate. Jacksonville opened the season with statement wins over Carolina, Houston, and San Francisco, establishing itself as a legitimate contender early.
Trevor Lawrence delivered the best year of his career, posting his highest QBR while operating in an offense that finally maximized his strengths. Injuries and off-field distractions, including ongoing “stadium of the future” planning, could not derail the Jaguars’ momentum.
By season’s end, Jacksonville had claimed the division and a playoff berth, signaling that the rebuild had arrived ahead of schedule.
The playoff loss to Buffalo stung, but it did little to dampen the sense that Jacksonville is trending in the right direction.
While the Jaguars face tough free-agency decisions, they appear to be on the right track on both sides of the ball, as well as off the field.
In a division where Houston, Indianapolis, and Tennessee each face their own questions, Jacksonville’s trajectory stands out.
Still, Year 2 of the Coen era may prove even more challenging than Year 1.
The Jaguars enter the offseason roughly $21 million over the salary cap, limiting their ability to shop for premium talent.
Several key contributors face uncertain futures, including linebacker Devin Lloyd, cornerback Montaric Brown, and running back Travis Etienne.
Lloyd, coming off a breakout season, is poised to command top-market money, while Etienne and Brown will test Jacksonville’s ability to balance financial realities with roster continuity.
Defensive tackle, cornerback depth, and pass rush remain priorities, meaning the draft will likely play a central role in shaping the 2026 roster.
One of the most encouraging developments of the offseason so far is stability on the coaching staff.
Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, one of the youngest and most highly regarded play callers in the league, drew head coaching interest from Buffalo and Cleveland.
Ultimately, the Bills hired Joe Brady, allowing Jacksonville to retain Udinski with a pay raise and continued influence over Lawrence’s development.
Udinski’s reputation as a rising offensive mind, often compared to Sean McVay’s early career path, underscores the growing respect Jacksonville has earned across the NFL.
Head coach Liam Coen has long praised Udinski as an elite communicator and a coach with no ego, a rare combination that has helped shape Jacksonville’s offensive identity.
Keeping that continuity could be as important as any player signing, especially as the Jaguars prepare for Travis Hunter’s expected two-way role in 2026.
For Jacksonville, the mission now is clear. The Jaguars must transition from surprise contender to sustained contender.
That means navigating a tight salary cap, making difficult roster decisions, and continuing to build through the draft while maintaining the culture Coen and Gladstone have established.
The 2025 season ended short of a Super Bowl run, but it reintroduced Jacksonville to the NFL’s upper tier.
The Jaguars are no longer a rebuilding afterthought. They are a team with a quarterback in his prime, a coaching staff in demand, and a front office that appears to have a long-term plan.
The hard part now is staying there.
Not Done Yet
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars are back in the playoffs, but this time it feels different.
This is not a young team simply happy to be here or wide-eyed by the moment. This is a group that has been tested, hardened, and sharpened by pressure long before the postseason officially arrived.
For the past two months, the Jaguars have essentially been playing playoff football.
Eight consecutive victories were required to claim the AFC South, and the Jaguars delivered every single time. With Houston breathing down their necks and winning nine straight games of their own, Jacksonville had no margin for error.
That stretch matters. It changes how a team views the stakes. It builds habits that carry into January. The messaging inside the building reflects that mindset.
The division title was celebrated, but not lingered on. The shirts may have read ‘Been There, Won That’, but the words players keep repeating are ‘Not Done Yet’.
That has not just been talk for the cameras. It shows up in how they prepare and how they play.
Trevor Lawrence is the clearest example. He enters the postseason playing some of the best football of his career, having thrown for 38 total touchdowns while leading an offense that has averaged nearly 33 points per game over the last ten weeks.
More importantly, he looks comfortable controlling games. He’s not chasing highlights. He is making correct decisions and punishing defenses when they overcommit.
The defense has quietly become just as important to Jacksonville’s identity.
Over the last six games, the Jaguars are allowing barely more than two touchdowns per game while generating turnovers at a playoff level.
Foye Oluokun is everywhere. Josh Hines-Allen continues to disrupt quarterbacks. Antonio Johnson has turned mistakes into points. That balance is what separates dangerous teams from real contenders.
The wild card matchup with Buffalo will be a legitimate test. The Bills are experienced, battle tested and led by the reigning league MVP in Josh Allen. They run the ball as well as any team in the NFL and have spent years navigating January football.
But this version of Jacksonville is not intimidated by résumés. The Jaguars will go into the contest on Sunday boasting the league’s number one run defense, and as the team ranked second in the NFL in defensive takeaways.
The Jags have beaten elite teams during this run, including the AFC’s number one seeded Denver Broncos. Just three weeks ago the Jags traveled to the Mile High City and ended the Broncos 11-game win streak with a convincing 31-20 victory.
The Jags will take on the Bills this Sunday at home, where franchise history shows they thrive in postseason environments. EverBank Stadium matters.
Jacksonville is four and one all-time in home playoff games, and anyone who remembers the Chargers comeback in 2022 knows how quickly that building can tilt a contest.
For an opposing offense, that noise is not just uncomfortable. It is disruptive.
So, can the Jaguars make the Super Bowl? I think the answer is yes, but with context.
The numbers say the odds sit around seven percent. That may not sound overwhelming, but it places Jacksonville squarely in the league’s list of contenders, ahead of teams with bigger markets and louder narratives.
It also reflects how difficult the path is in the AFC, where every round feels like a heavyweight bout.
What gives Jacksonville a real chance is not odds or simulations. It is timing.
They are healthy. They are confident. They are playing their best football at exactly the right moment. They are also mentally prepared for the grind, having already lived in must win mode for weeks.
This is not a team hoping for magic. It is a team expecting results. That expectation changes everything.
I think the Jaguars will defeat Buffalo, and once that happens, belief will shift quickly from possibility to probability.
The reward for winning on Wild Card Weekend? Another trip to the Mile-High City to take on those same Denver Broncos.
One win leads to another, and in January momentum often matters as much as matchups. Jacksonville has both.
They are hungry. They are grounded. And they aren’t done yet.
Super Bowl Bound?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Do the Jacksonville Jaguars have a legitimate shot to make the Super Bowl?
This question would have sounded absurd not long ago but it feels increasingly reasonable with each passing week.
The Jaguars are no longer sneaking up on anyone. They just won their sixth straight game and did something the franchise had never done before by beating a 12-win team this late in the season.
They snapped Denver’s 11 game winning streak at Mile High Stadium and did it convincingly.
That alone forces the league to take notice even if Jacksonville insists it does not care who is paying attention.
Head coach Liam Coen has embraced the idea of being overlooked. He has turned perceived disrespect into fuel and history shows that approach can carry a team a long way.
The 2017 Eagles built an entire championship run on an “us against the world” mentality and Jacksonville is clearly tapping into something similar.
The quotes coming out of that locker room are not polished or cautious. They are raw, confident and unified. That matters in January.
More importantly, the Jaguars are playing their best football at exactly the right time. They have won seven of their last eight games, and the six-game winning streak is the longest the franchise has seen since the turn of the millennium.
This is also the first 11-win season since 2007, and with games remaining against the Colts and Titans there is a real chance Jacksonville finishes 13-4. That kind of record demands respect regardless of market size or preseason expectations.
See what I did there, Sean Payton?
The biggest reason for belief is Trevor Lawrence. He is on a four-game heater that rivals any quarterback in the league right now. Twelve touchdowns no interceptions over that stretch, plus production with his legs tells a powerful story.
He just dismantled a Denver defense that was supposed to be among the toughest in football. Lawrence looks confident, decisive and aggressive, which was not always the case earlier in the season.
There is still reason for caution, of course. This is still a relatively small sample size.
Before this run, Lawrence endured a rough stretch that included multiple interceptions and uneven accuracy. His completion percentage for the season is not elite and that cannot be ignored.
The fair question is which version of Lawrence shows up in the playoffs.
But here is the counterargument.
Teams are judged by who they are becoming, not who they were in October. Right now, Lawrence is seeing the field well and the offense is in sync.
The trade for Jakobi Meyers has quietly changed everything. Since his arrival the Jaguars are 6 and 1 and have scored at least 25 points in every game.
Meyers may not post gaudy numbers but he stabilizes the passing game and gives Lawrence a reliable option when it matters.
Zooming out to the entire AFC picture makes Jacksonville’s case even stronger. Ask yourself which teams truly inspire fear.
New England, Denver, Buffalo, the Chargers, Houston and Pittsburgh all have flaws.
Jacksonville has already beaten Denver and the Chargers by double digits, swept the AFC West and split with Houston, despite not playing its best football at the time. There is no dominant juggernaut blocking the path.
Defensively the Jaguars are not perfect. They can miss tackles and give up chunk plays. But they lead the AFC in turnovers. The unit is young, talented, and have shown a knack for rising to the moment in big games.
Add in an improving pass rush and a coaching staff that has clearly changed the culture, and you have the makings of a dangerous postseason team. This feels like one of those seasons that fans remember forever.
Whether Jacksonville reaches the Super Bowl or falls short, this group has already changed the trajectory of the franchise. Still, it is hard to shake the feeling that something special is brewing.
The Jaguars have the quarterback, the belief, the momentum, and the opportunity.
In a year defined by parity, there is no reason to think the Jacksonville Jaguars cannot be the team still standing at the end. The hype train may just be getting started.
The Trevor Lawrence Problem
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars sit at 7-4, staring at a playoff berth and very much in the AFC South hunt.
On paper, that sounds like a franchise on stable footing. But if you have watched this team week after week, if you have seen the way they win and the way they almost lose, you know better.
The Jaguars are walking a tightrope, and the biggest wobble on that line is the quarterback they once believed would be the face of the franchise.
Trevor Lawrence arrived in 2021 as the most can’t miss quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. Jacksonville’s leaders imagined a decade of Pro Bowls, playoff runs, and steady ascension.
Instead, they paired him with Urban Meyer. Then they paired him with Doug Pederson. Now he is learning a third system in five seasons under Liam Coen. Continuity hasn’t been a gift the Jaguars have given their young quarterback.
At some point, the excuses begin to sound like noise. The instability is real, and it has affected him. But great quarterbacks rise above chaos.
They drag coaches and receivers and entire rosters with them. They do more than survive dysfunction. They stabilize it. Lawrence has not done that.
Sunday in Arizona was the perfect snapshot of the Trevor Lawrence dilemma.
The Jaguars beat the Cardinals by a score of 27 to 24 in overtime. They improved to 7 and 4. Lawrence led clutch drives when it mattered. It all sounds good at first glance.
Except they needed those heroic drives because he buried them in mistakes earlier.
Lawrence committed four turnovers, which included three interceptions and one lost fumble. All of the turnovers were avoidable, and all of them are deeply concerning.
These mistakes were not the product of pressure or protection breakdowns.
On all three interceptions, Lawrence had time. He had a clean pocket. He had open windows. And he still misread, misfired, or misjudged. These are the errors of a player who still looks like he is trying to figure out the position.
This is why Jacksonville’s record feels like it hides more than it reveals. The Jaguars are winning in spite of their quarterback, not because of him.
What is really carrying this team is the pass rush. Josh Hines Allen has rediscovered his form and has become the most disruptive force on the roster.
With Travon Walker out, Hines Allen was moved all over the formation. He lined up on the left side, he looped through the middle, and he attacked mismatches whenever he could.
The result was ten pressures, one sack, and constant havoc. Jacksonville’s front seven kept Jacoby Brissett uncomfortable for most of the afternoon.
The defense bailed the Jaguars out from a turnover filled disaster. The offense, particularly Lawrence, nearly handed the game away.
This is not a one-time problem. Lawrence entered the week completing only 58.6 percent of his passes, which is his lowest mark since his rookie year. He has fourteen turnovers, which ties him for the most in the NFL.
He has 83 career touchdown passes and 81 career turnovers. That is not elite quarterback play. That is not even average quarterback play.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars receiving corps has been a revolving door of injuries and inconsistency.
Brian Thomas Junior has not lived up to expectations. Travis Hunter Jr. is on injured reserve. Drops and miscommunications have plagued the offense, which is one of the reasons Jacksonville traded for the reliable Jakobi Meyers. Meyers has already become Lawrence’s most trustworthy target.
Great quarterbacks elevate inconsistent receivers. The Jaguars receivers are not lifting Lawrence, and he is not lifting them.
That leads to the real question, the one that Jacksonville fans often whisper.
Is Trevor Lawrence truly a franchise quarterback, or is he simply adequate? Is he a quarterback who wins only when everything else goes right, and who crumbles when it doesn’t?
The final stretch of this season will answer that question. The Jaguars can still win the AFC South. They can still host a playoff game. But the closer they get to January, the clearer the truth becomes.
The defense is excellent. The coaching is improving. The roster is competitive.
The quarterback, who should be the most stable part of the operation, is still the one thing they cannot fully trust.
Until that changes, the Jaguars will remain a good team pretending to be a great one, hoping their quarterback finally becomes the player they drafted him to be.
Contenders Only
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars are 3-1, and that is not something a lot of people saw coming after last year’s mess of a season.
Just a few months ago this was a 4-13 team that looked lost. Now they’ve knocked off the San Francisco 49ers 26-21, and the big question is whether this start is the real deal or just an early season tease.
What stood out against San Francisco is how complete the win was.
The defense, under new coordinator Anthony Campanile, is playing with swagger. They already have more takeaways in four games than all of last season, and they held one of the toughest offenses in football to just one touchdown in three trips to the red zone. That does not happen by accident.
On offense, the Jaguars are still figuring things out under Liam Coen, but they are starting to look dangerous. The run game has been steady, piling up over 150 yards against the 49ers. Travis Etienne keeps finding room to run, and that all goes back to the offensive line.
A year ago, that group was a punchline. Now they are the backbone of this team.
The line has allowed just three sacks through four games. Last year by this point, Trevor Lawrence had already been sacked 13 times. On Sunday, he wasn’t touched once. Zero sacks, zero hits.
That is unheard of against a 49ers front that usually lives in the backfield.
The Jags front office deserves a ton credit for rebuilding that unit and adding depth. Even when starters went down, the backups have stepped in and the offense hasn’t missed a beat.
Lawrence did not put up crazy numbers to be sure, but you could see how comfortable he was. He controlled the game, made smart decisions, and spread the ball around.
Second year wideout Brian Thomas Jr. had his best game yet. Brenton Strange chipped in as a do-everything tight end, and special teams made big plays with Bhayshul Tuten’s kick return and Parker Washington’s punt return. It was a full team effort.
The defense has its own standouts. Devin Lloyd looks like a man on a mission in a contract year, and Dennis Gardeck has been one of those hidden gems who makes plays all over the place.
Even with injuries to Travon Walker, Anton Harrison, and Eric Murray during the game, they held strong. Stopping San Francisco in the red zone was the difference in the game.
Now, it’s not all sunshine. The Jaguars are still way too sloppy with penalties.
They’ve been flagged more than any team in the league so far, and the offensive line has been guilty of too many false starts and holding calls.
Third down has also been a problem, with too many drives stalling out because they’re playing behind the sticks. Those are things that have to get cleaned up if they want to hang with the big boys.
So, are the Jaguars for real? At this point, it sure feels like it.
The defense is creating turnovers, the run game is consistent, the offensive line is dominating, and Lawrence looks like he has full control of the offense. This isn’t the same old Jags that collapsed when things got tough.
This team looks tougher, deeper, and more confident.
The real measuring stick comes next Monday night when the defending AFC champion Chiefs come into Duval.
If Jacksonville can handle the stage, clean up the mistakes, and keep winning at the line of scrimmage, then this 3-1 start might not be just smoke and mirrors.
It’s the sign that the Jaguars might finally be a team to take seriously.
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