NFL
Tua To The Rescue?
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There’s a famous phrase; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
How does that relate to NFL free agency you may ask? Well, the Atlanta Falcons have signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year deal. I think this is a terrible move but I understand it.
Releasing Tua will cost the Dolphins an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead money against the salary cap. That’s an absurd amount of money to get rid of a player.
He struggled last season, passing for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in fourteen games. He averaged 6.9 yards per attempt.
I’m not sure if that can be blamed on being on a bad team or just poor play from Tagovailoa.
This move does show Atlanta is invested in Michael Penix Jr. Penix tore his ACL in November so I don’t believe he will play next season.
Prior to his injury, Penix was inconsistent. He was only a second-year player but I did hope the Falcons would sign a QB to replace him.
At times Tua has shown flashes of being a good player. He is also very prone to injury. He did make the Pro Bowl in 2023 after throwing for 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 picks. This was also the only season that he did not miss a game.
In 2024 he missed six games due to concussions. At that point, I thought he should have retired from football.
Tagovailoa is only 28 years old so he does have time to get better in his career. I believe he should be compared to the backup QB options on the market. From a financial standpoint, this was a great move.
The Dolphins still owe Tagovailoa $54 million. He plans to sign with the Falcons for just over the league minimum, reportedly about $1.3 million. That’s a great price for a good, veteran backup.
A good veteran backup QB salary is about $5 million. The Falcons could have spent more to sign guys like Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson, Tyrod Taylor and Jimmy Garoppolo. The only advantage I give them over Tua is injury history.
Money is an important consideration for the Falcons. They will only have about $20 million to spend under the salary cap once Cousins is officially released.
Signing a veteran backup QB for cheap means more money available to spend on free agents at other positions.
I wanted Atlanta to sign Kyler Murray but that would mean signing him to a longer contract. That move would also end Penix’s time in Atlanta.
The Falcons have a talented roster but I think it will get wasted again next year. I’m not a fan of hiring Kevin Stefanski as head coach, then adding Tagovailoa as the QB is the cherry on top.
They also don’t have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft because they traded it last year to move up and select DE James Pearce. He has some recent off-field legal problems so he might not be on the team this upcoming season.
Falcons Failing Offseasons
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Falcons have made a couple of big personnel decisions before the new league year begins on March 11th.
“The Falcons will release Kirk Cousins before the start of the league year, when his $67.9 million salary would become fully guaranteed under the terms of his reworked contract,” Dan Graziano writes. “Atlanta has to pay Cousins a $10 million roster bonus this year, whether he’s on the team or not, but it does not appear to be interested in bringing back Cousins.”
Atlanta signed Cousins in the 2024 offseason to a four-year, $180 million deal. I’m sure he expected to finish his career in Atlanta. Shortly after, however, the team drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round at No. 8 overall. At that point he never had stability in his position.
Cousins was benched for Penix toward the end of the 2024 season. His play did warrant that move because he was not moving the offense effectively. Then head coach Raheem Morris named Penix the starter heading into 2025 after just three starts, without holding a real quarterback competition during the offseason.
We have to grade the signing of Cousins as an F. Atlanta thought they only needed a quarterback to become a playoff contender, which is why they signed him. He did not lead them to the playoffs and now he’s gone after being there for less than two years.
The Falcons have also placed the franchise tag on tight end Kyle Pitts. General manager Ian Cunningham said it is the “right move” for the organization “right now.”
Per the general manager, the franchise tag is a way to “use the mechanisms provided by the league” — especially considering Cunningham just got to Atlanta, having been hired on Jan. 29 — to allow the team time to fully evaluate what they want for the future of Pitts and the position in Atlanta and how it relates to their roster construction.
“We’re not in the business of letting go really good players,” Cunningham said.
Pitts, who played on his fifth-year option in 2025, is coming off one of his most productive seasons. His yardage total ranked second only to his record-breaking rookie season after being selected No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He had 88 catches, 928 yards and 5 touchdowns last season.
He has been an inconsistent player thus far. He disappears in some games and he’s too talented for that to happen. I do want to point out that having a thousand-yard season is not as impressive as it sounds. In seventeen games getting to one thousand yards means a player averages 58.8 yards per game.
Pitts had 1,026 receiving yards, 68 receptions and 1 touchdown as a rookie. He dealt with injuries in 2022 and only played in ten games. He had 28 catches, 356 yards and 2 touchdowns. In 2023 he had 667 yards and in 2024 he had 602 yards.
As you can see, there’s a reason to be concerned about signing him to a long-term deal. We will have to see if he will have another big season in 2026.
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.
Ian Cunningham’s Task
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Falcons recently hired Ian Cunningham as the new General Manager.
He was the Assistant General Manager for the Chicago Bears from 2022-25. As you know, the Bears won the NFC North title in 2025. He will report directly to Matt Ryan, the team’s president of football.
“It was evident through our rigorous interview process Ian was the right choice for our general manager position,’ said Ryan. “His vision for our team and organization aligned exactly with the type of leader we were seeking to help take the Falcons to the next level. Throughout Ian’s career, including Super Bowl championships in Baltimore and Philadelphia, Ian has demonstrated the drive and focus it takes to build championship contenders and put them in the position to win games. We love his broad and deep experience across every aspect of talent evaluation and know he’s learned from some of the best in the league. Pairing him with Coach Stefanski is exciting for us, and we can’t wait to see them bring our shared vision to life in everything we do starting right now.”
Cunningham will have to hit the ground running in his new position. He will have just over five weeks before the start of the new NFL business year at 4 p.m. March 11 and several major decisions to make, working with Ryan and Head Coach Kevin Stefanski.
He’ll have more money to spend with the new NFL salary cap projected to be between $301.2 and $305.7 million, up from $279.2 million last year.
One big question is what will the team do with quarterback Kirk Cousins. He might be released and allowed to test the open market.
If he does not find a suitor he might return to Atlanta. Stefanski was his coordinator in Minnesota so that might be appealing to Cousins.
“It’s been incredible to build a relationship with (president of football) Matt (Ryan) over the last several weeks and to have an immediate connection with (coach) Kevin (Stefanski).” Cunningham said in a statement released by the team Thursday night announcing his hire.
“I can’t wait to work with both of these great football minds to put a team on the field everyone will be very excited about. … It’s time to work.”
Bears General Manager Ryan Poles was happy for his former colleague, who was the assistant GM with the Bears when the Falcons hired him.
“I couldn’t be happier for him,” Poles said. “He’s ready. He’s prepared. I know it’s been a tough interview cycle over these last few years. I know he’s gotten his hopes up but as I always told him, when the right opportunity presents itself, he’d be able to close it up and get that job.”
During his time in Chicago as Assistant General Manager, four players acquired earned three All-Pro honors and four Pro Bowl selections in Kevin Byard, Drew Dalman, Montez Sweat and Joe Thuney.
The 2025 Chicago offense finished sixth in the NFL in total offense with 13 of 15 players who played at least 400 snaps acquired during Cunningham’s tenure.
The franchise tag window opens February 17 and runs through March 3. The NFL Scouting Combine is set for Febuary 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis.
It will be interesting to see what they will do with Tight End Kyle Pitts. They will have time to work out a contract extension before the franchise tag period begins.
The NFL draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. On paper this seems like a good hire but I want to see what will be done in free agency and the draft.
Baker’s New Vendetta Against Atlanta Falcons
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Baker Mayfield might have extra motivation when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Atlanta Falcons next season, and it has everything to do with Atlanta’s new head coach, Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski, who is joining the Falcons after spending five years in Cleveland, was Mayfield’s coach during his first two seasons with the Browns (2020, 2021).
Their collaboration ended when the Browns traded Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional 2024 draft pick (a fifth-rounder that became a fourth-rounder)
Based on his Tuesday evening tweet, Mayfield appears to be unhappy with how his tenure in Cleveland ended.
“Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage,” Mayfield posted on X on Tuesday night. “Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach.”
Mayfield’s shot came in response to a reporter’s post asserting that Stefanski’s quarterbacks room in Cleveland was a “dumpster fire,” and that Mayfield and his successor, Deshaun Watson, had “failed.”
“Failed is quite the reach pal,” Mayfield wrote.
The Browns selected Mayfield with the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he compiled a 29-30 record as a starter during his four seasons with the franchise.
His best season in Cleveland was Stefanski’s first (2020). Mayfield completed 62.8 percent of his passes that year for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
The Browns went 11-5 and won a playoff game in the wild-card round before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mayfield and the Browns weren’t able to match that success in 2021, however, and the franchise decided to part ways with the quarterback.
Mayfield’s time with the Panthers didn’t last. Carolina waived Mayfield in December 2022 after he went 1-5 as a starter.
The Rams later claimed Mayfield, and he played well enough in his four starts with Los Angeles that he earned a shot with the Bucs as a free agent.
After helping Tampa Bay win the NFC South in 2023, Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million contract extension with the club.
While Mayfield resurrected his career as QB1, the Browns made one more playoff appearance after his departure but won just eight games through the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Did the Browns make Mayfield toxic? Or was he already that way and his environment just brought it to the surface? Whatever side you believe, one thing is certain: Mayfield will never change. He is who he is.
The Browns certainly did not set Mayfield up for success early in his career with three head coaches and three offensive coordinators in his first three years in the league.
Now the Buccaneers are facing the same hard questions Browns personnel once had to answer. Mayfield is entering the final year of his deal in Tampa. He has been a success for the Bucs, but is he worth a top-scale quarterback contract? If not, then what?
The more things change, the more they stay the same. That goes for Baker Mayfield, too.
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.
The Wrong Guy
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’m from Atlanta so I might be too close to this situation.
I’ve always been a Falcons fan and I’ve always felt they would not win a Super Bowl in my lifetime. Their doing a great job proving me right, in my humble opinion.
As you know, Atlanta fired the Head Coach and General Manager after the season ended. That was a great move, if they hire the right people to replace them.
They finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. Then, they hired Matt Ryan as the team’s first-ever President of Football. He’s now the leader for hiring the new GM and Head Coach.
As you probably already know, Atlanta hired Kevin Stefanski as the new head coach.
Stefanski, 43, was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2020-25, leading them to the playoffs after the ’20 and ’23 seasons.
He was named coach of the year in each of those playoff seasons. He previously served as the offensive coordinator for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, where he worked with Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2018-19.
I have to point out that the Browns finished 5-12 this past season and 3-14 in 2024.
In his six years in Cleveland, he had winning seasons twice. His overall record was 45-56. I’m not a huge fan of hiring coaches that were unsuccessful in their previous position.
I’m not sure why Atlanta rushed to hire Stefanski. Buffalo just fired Sean McDermott after they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Bills were 12-5 this season and 13-4 in 2024. In McDermott’s nine seasons in Buffalo, they went to the playoffs eight times. They won their division five consecutive times and his record is 98-50. I believe he would have been a much better hire.
“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” Matt Ryan, Falcons president of football, said in a team statement.
“Coach Stefanski is a team-first leader who puts a premium on accountability for everyone and a player-driven culture. His experience in Cleveland and Minnesota has given him a great understanding of the importance of working in sync with scouting, personnel and the rest of the football staff to maximize talent across the roster and in doing everything possible to put our players in the best position to succeed.”
“Kevin’s style of leadership, combined with the staff and infrastructure in place here in Atlanta, gives us confidence in our shared vision for the team and we are excited to have him as the leader of our football team.”
Ryan has to make this sound like he did a great job by hiring him. I grade this coaching hire as an F. I’ll revisit this in a couple of years and I can admit if I’m wrong.
One obvious weakness Atlanta has is quarterback. Starter Michael Penix Jr. tore his ACL in Week 11. I believe he will miss all of next season. This is his third ACL tear because he suffered the same injury in 2018 and 2020 when he was at Indiana.
He was inconsistent before the injury and now we do not know if he will be the same player when he returns.
The other option is Kirk Cousins and he will turn 38 before the season. He also has not played well since coming to Atlanta. Atlanta still has to hire a general manager.
Falcons Changing Flight Path
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL regular season has ended and as expected, several coaches were fired.
The Atlanta Falcons fired General Manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris. I love that move because I think the GM should be removed with the head coach when a team wants to move in a different direction.
Atlanta made an interesting move after this by hiring Matt Ryan as their president of football. He’s a former great player for the Falcons and he currently is an analyst on CBS. He gets to keep that job by the way while working in Atlanta’s front office.
Some of the other names that were interviewed for the position were Ian Cunningham, Chicago Bears assistant General Manager, Mike Disner, Detroit Lions Chief Operating Officer and Josh Williams, San Francisco 49ers Director of Scouting and Football Operations. The other guys seem to fit this role a bit better, if we’re being honest.
Ryan’s role as the president of football in Atlanta isn’t simply an advisory role. He’ll have a “strong voice” in the franchise’s decision making, similar to how former quarterback John Elway ran the Broncos as the executive vice president of football operations and general manager from 2011 to ‘21 before stepping into an advisory role in ‘22.
I liked Ryan as a player but I’m not thrilled with him having this title because he does not have experience beyond playing football.
“Arthur gave me the chance of a lifetime almost 20 years ago, and he’s done it again today,” Ryan said. While I appreciate the time I had with the Colts and with CBS, I’ve always been a Falcon. It feels great to be home. I could not be more excited, grateful, or humbled by this new opportunity. I began my career with a singular goal: to do right by the Blank family, the Falcons organization, the city of Atlanta, and especially our fans. My commitment to the success of this franchise has not changed. I’m beyond ready to help write a new chapter of excellence.”
Atlanta has not made the playoffs in eight seasons. They have a lot of talent on the roster but they need to hire the right duo as GM and Head Coach.
So far, four coaches have been interviewed for the Head Coach position. They are Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak, Dolphins Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver, Seahawks Defensive Coordinator Aden Durde and ex-Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski were interviewed by the team.
Former Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel will interview for the position. I know Atlanta also wants to interview John Harbaugh.
For the GM position, Atlanta has contacted Ian Cunningham. He’s Chicago’s assistant GM.
Atlanta looks like a decent position because they have some good players. The biggest question with the roster is quarterback though.
Starter Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partially torn ACL in Week 11 against Carolina. He suffered two torn ACL’s when he played at Indiana.
He was in his second season but he did not play well consistently before the injury. The other option at QB is Kirk Cousins.
Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with Atlanta in March of 2024. He has been a disappointment thus far and he’s 37.
I’m hopeful Atlanta hires people that can make them a contender again.
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.
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