JACKSONVILLE – They're tough, and getting progressively tougher.

Liam Coen likes that about the Jaguars, and the trait is increasingly noticeable – and notable – for a team that has won seven consecutive games and can clinch a division championship on the final Sunday of the 2025 regular season.

The Jaguars' late-season surge has been cool. How they have surged matters a lot.

"That's what I'm proud of – is no excuses, no flinch, no blink, just keep competing," the Jaguars' first-year head coach said.

Coen spoke as the Jaguars (12-4) moved on from a victory over the Indianapolis Colts Sunday toward a matchup against the Tennessee Titans (3-13) at EverBank Field in Sunday’s regular-season finale. The Jaguars, who finished 4-13 in 2024, can clinch the AFC South with a victory or tie Sunday – or a Houston Texans loss or tie against the Colts (8-8) in Houston Sunday.

"It's just been cool to have this staff push us to be better and it's just cool to see where we're at now," Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington said.

The Jaguars, after a 4-1 start, lost three of their next four games – including a 36-29 loss to the Texans in Houston in which they squandered a 29-10 fourth-quarter lead. That marked the largest lead lost in a loss in franchise history, but also marked the start of the ongoing seven-game winning streak that has redefined the season.

"It definitely sparked us," Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker said. "I feel like we needed that. We needed that game. It's just all about finishing. We came out, we started playing fast and that's the thing that we've been emphasizing a lot on this back half of the year – starting fast and finishing fast regardless of however long it might take.

"We might have to do it all four quarters. Sometimes you might have to do it more than four quarters, but coming out of that game, we just want to continuously tell each other, 'We've got to finish, continuously come closer together as the game goes on, throughout the ebbs and flows and things of that nature, just stand together.' "

Coen this week discussed the Texans loss, saying, "We learn and grow in life through hard stuff, hard things, hard times, and football is no different. That's why you want kids to play this sport. It's not for the glory. It's because of the life lessons that you learn throughout this process that helps you become a better person, player, all those things and I think that's maybe an example of what occurred there."

The Jaguars are 5-1 on the road since their Week 7 bye and are 4-0 in road games since losing at Houston. They came from behind to win three of those four road victories, rallying from a 10-point first-half deficit to win 23-17 in Indianapolis Sunday.

Right tackle Anton Harrison was among multiple players dealing with flu-like symptoms last week, and the Jaguars played multiple backup offensive lineman Sunday with starters such as center Robert Hainsey and left guard Patrick Mekari out with injuries.

"I thought it was a gritty win for our guys," Coen said. "That's the warrior mentality we've been talking about for quite some time since Houston, getting the job done regardless of the circumstances and regardless of guys being at a 100% or the amount of people we had sick during the week, or the amount of guys playing in different spots they hadn't played or whatever it is, and getting the job done regardless. That's a good win."

QUOTABLE

• Washington caught eight passes for 115 yards Sunday, his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game and the third 100-yard receiving game of his career. Washington, who caught six passes for a career-high 145 yards in a victory over the Denver Broncos the previous week, has had at least 50 yards receiving in four of the last five games. He leads the Jaguars with 53 receptions for 760 yards with four touchdowns – and he also leads the Jaguars with 34 receiving touchdowns. "I just more so focused on my preparation of just being ready for an opportunity," said Washington, a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft who caught 48 passes for 522 yards his first two seasons. "I didn't know what was in store this season. I was just putting the work in and just ready to put my best foot forward regardless of the situation. It's just been special just to be ready for the opportunity to make the most of them." Added Washington, "It's my third year, growth has to take place. For me, the growth is just understanding what it takes to make plays in the NFL and it's just been fun."