The Jacksonville Jaguars' 2007 season is highlighted by three key matchups against their AFC South division rivals – at the beginning against Tennessee, in the middle against Indianapolis, and at the end against Houston. The team will open its 13th NFL regular season with two home games at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for the second straight year, beginning September 9 against AFC South rival Tennessee at 1:00 p.m. on CBS followed by a week two game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Jaguars' schedule also features a Monday Night game at home on ESPN against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts on Monday, October 22. The Jaguars close the regular season at Houston on December 30.
Fifteen of the Jaguars' 16 regular season games during the 2007 season will be played on Sundays, with 13 scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET kickoffs and two late afternoon games. The Jaguars will have back-to-back home games three times and will be faced with three consecutive road games. The schedule features five games against playoff teams from 2005 -- Indianapolis twice, as well as Kansas City, New Orleans and San Diego -- and 10 games against teams who finished .500 or better.
The Jaguars, who open the season at home for the third consecutive season, have back-to-back home games to start the season for the fourth time overall (1996, 2001, 2006). The Jaguars opened the 2006 season with wins against Dallas and Pittsburgh. The Jaguars' opener against Tennessee marks the sixth time that the Jaguars will open a regular season against a divisional opponent and first time since 2002. The Jaguars have played Tennessee more than any other NFL team (25 games). Except for the Jaguars' inaugural game against the then-Houston Oilers, it will be the first time the teams have met to start the regular season. The Jaguars own the NFL's best record on opening weekend with a 9-3 mark (.750 winning percentage in their 12-year history) and have won three consecutive opening day games. The Jaguars are also 9-3 in their home-openers.
Following the season-opener, the Jaguars will host Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, September 16. It will be Atlanta's second regular season game in Jacksonville, and the first since 1996 when the Jaguars advanced to the playoffs following a missed Morten Andersen field goal. The Jaguars will play their first road game on Sunday, September 23 at Denver before observing the bye week on September 30.
In October, the Jaguars will visit Kansas City on October 7 for a rematch of last year's regular season finale. The Houston Texans visit Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on October 14 for an AFC South matchup. The Jaguars continue division play the following week as they host Indianapolis on October 22 on ESPN's Monday Night Football. This will mark the sixth season in club history (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006) the Jaguars have faced the defending Super Bowl champion. The Jaguars defeated Pittsburgh last year on Monday Night Football at home in their last game against a defending Super Bowl champion. It will be the Jaguars' 11th Monday Night game in team history as they have a 7-3 record.
The Jaguars conclude October with the first of three consecutive road games beginning on October 28 at Tampa Bay. The Jaguars have been faced with three consecutive road games twice since 2001 and the club has won all six games. The road swing continues with games at New Orleans on November 4 and at Tennessee on November 11. It will be the Jaguars' first trip to the Louisiana Superdome since 1996. The Jaguars return home to face 2006 AFC West champion San Diego Chargers on November 18 before finishing the month of November at home against Buffalo on the 25th.
The Jaguars play three road games and two home games in December. The Jaguars travel to Indianapolis on December 2 for their second meeting of the season. Following the Colts game, the Jaguars will host Carolina on December 9. The Jaguars will play at Pittsburgh on December 16, the 12th time in 13 seasons the Jaguars have met the Steelers. It will be the latest the two teams have ever met at Pittsburgh.
Oakland will visit Jacksonville for the first time on December 23 in the Jaguars' final home regular season game. The Jaguars close the 2007 regular season on the road at Houston on December 30. It will mark the seventh time in club history the Jaguars have concluded the regular season on the road, including seven times in the last eight seasons.
Schedule notes
- Of the Jaguars' six division games, three each appear in the first half and the second half of the season. The Jaguars conclude the regular season against Houston, the sixth time in franchise history the club will finish with a division game.
- The Jaguars will play five of their eight road games in a seven-week span from September 23 through November 11.
- Five of the Jaguars' first six games are against AFC opponents.
- The Jaguars will have a bye week on September 30, the earliest open date since 2002 (September 22).
- 13 of the Jaguars' 16 regular season games will be televised on CBS and locally on WTEV-TV. ESPN will broadcast one game with FOX airing the Atlanta and Carolina games at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
- The schedule features four playoff teams and five games against playoff teams on the schedule – the Colts twice, as well as the Chargers, Chiefs, and the Saints. All five of those games take place in a nine-week span from October 7 to December 2.
- The Jaguars will play consecutive road games two times in 2007 including three consecutive road games for the fifth time in franchise history (1997, 1998, 2001, 2005). The Jaguars have been faced with three consecutive road games twice since 2001 and the club has won all six games.
- The Jaguars will face Super Bowl champion Indianapolis twice (October 22, December 2). This will mark the sixth season in club history (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006) the Jaguars have faced the defending Super Bowl champion. The Jaguars defeated Pittsburgh last year on Monday Night Football at home in their last game against a defending Super Bowl champion.
- The Jaguars will have 10 games against teams who finished .500 or better in 2006, and four against division winners. The Jaguars will face division winners Indianapolis (AFC South, October 22), New Orleans (NFC South, November 4) and San Diego (AFC West, November 18) in a five-week span.
- The Jaguars will open the regular season at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for the third consecutive season and the eighth time in club history. The Jaguars own the NFL's best record on opening weekend with a 9-3 mark (.750 winning percentage in their 12-year history) and have won three consecutive opening day games. The Jaguars are also 9-3 in their home-opener. In addition, it will be the earliest game against an AFC South opponent at home since the Jaguars opened the season against Indianapolis in 2002.
- The Jaguars are 61-35 all-time at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium including a 6-2 mark in 2006. The Jaguars are 41-55 overall on the road.
- The Jaguars will travel to New Orleans on November 4 to play at the Louisiana Superdome for the first time since 1996. The Jaguars will travel to in-state rival Tampa Bay for the second time in franchise history (1995).
- Oakland will visit Jacksonville for the first time on December 23. In addition, the Atlanta Falcons (September 16) and the Carolina Panthers (December 9) will visit Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for the first time since 1996.
- The Jaguars will play their 26th and 27th games against the Tennessee Titans (including playoffs), the most against any NFL team. In addition, the Jaguars will play at Pittsburgh on December 16, the 12th time in 13 seasons the Jaguars have met the Steelers.
- Of the Jaguars' eight regular-season road games, two will be played in a domed stadium on artificial turf (Indianapolis, New Orleans).
- The Jaguars will not play at the stadium of a New York based team for only the second time in club history (2001).
The Jaguars have played in 22 nationally televised prime time games in their 12 seasons with a 13-9 record, including a 11-5 mark at home. The Jaguars won their only two games under the lights in 2006 as they defeated Pittsburgh and the New York Giants.
