Coen Talks the Day After Week 18 Victory Over Titans: "Massive" Postseason Opportunity

Jan 05, 2026 at 05:41 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – Onward.

The Jaguars are 2025 AFC South champions – and if players and coaches weren't exactly nonchalant about a third division title in nine seasons, the theme around the Miller Electric Center these days is very much about what's next.

"The AFC South title was never the goal," Devin Lloyd said.

Lloyd, the Jaguars' fourth-year starting linebacker, spoke Monday – day after the Jaguars (13-4) secured the AFC South title with a 41-7 victory over the Tennessee Titans (3-14) in the 2025 regular-season finale at EverBank Stadium. Head Coach Liam Coen spoke moments later, with Sunday's Wild Card Playoff Game at home against the Buffalo Bills at 1 p.m. the primary topic.

"To play in front of our fans and our community, that's massive," Coen said, looking ahead to a few key points about a 12-5 Bills team making its seventh consecutive postseason appearance:

On Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP: "He's extremely impressive. To watch him play, the competitor … So many playoff games, division, big games. He typically shows up and makes critical plays at critical moments and that's why he's been an MVP candidate for a long time."
On a Bills running game that ranked first in the NFL in rushing this season at 159.6 yards per game and 30 total touchdowns: "They're damn good at running the football, man. They are."
On Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott, the Bills' coaching staff and a team that has won at least 11 games six consecutive seasons with an appearance in last season's AFC Championship Game: "They've won a lot of football games and a lot of playoff games, a lot of big games and they're going to look at everything. They're going to look at everything that we've done; they're going to look at what they do and how to combat those things."

The Jaguars won their final eight games of the season to win the AFC South by a game over the runner-up Houston Texans (12-5).

Sunday will mark the first playoff game at EverBank Stadium since the Jaguars rallied from a 27-0 first-half deficit for a 31-30 Wild Card Playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers following the 2022 season.

"It feels good," Lloyd said. "We're definitely grateful to be in this opportunity. We're looking forward to this opportunity, and we worked hard to get to this point."

The '25 AFC South title marks the fifth division title in franchise history, with the Jaguars also winning the 2017 and 2022 AFC South titles and the 1998-1999 AFC Central titles. They are making their ninth postseason appearance and are 4-1 all-time in the postseason in Jacksonville.

"Homefield advantage is the biggest thing ever in the playoffs," Jaguars center Robert Hainsey said.

Their lone home postseason loss was to the Tennessee Titans, 33-14, in the AFC Championship Game following the 1999 regular season. Home playoff victories: 25-10 over the New England Patriots in an AFC Wild Card Playoff following the 1998 season, 62-7 over the Miami Dolphins in an AFC Divisional Playoff following the 1999 season, 10-7 over the Bills in an AFC Wild Card Playoff following the 2017 season and the victory over the Chargers following the 2022 season.

"I know it's going to be rowdy," Hainsey said. "I know the people are excited. I don't think we have to tell them that we need them there because they know it and they're going to be ready. All the fans are going to be ready, they're going to have a great time.

"Those playoff atmospheres, that's exciting stuff that feels good. When you come in when you have a home game and as an offensive player, you're on the sideline while their offense is out there and it's loud. You're like, 'This is great, because I know how bad that sucks for them.' And so like, 'I'm glad that they have to deal with it right now.'"