JACKSONVILLE - Let's get to it...
Boxcutter Bill from MA
Isn't it wonderful? Went from hoping to win to winning becoming the expectation. Bold prediction here: We win next week, everything falls into place, and we sneak into the No. 1 seed.
Expectations around the Jaguars indeed have changed dramatically in less than a year, from a 4-13 and third-place AFC South finish in 2024 to entering Sunday's regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium with a chance to clinch the division title. The Jaguars (12-4) have won seven consecutive games and will clinch the South with a victory or tie Sunday – or a Houston Texans loss or tie against the Indianapolis Colts in Houston. From this perspective, though, your bold prediction is probably a stretch. The Jaguars indeed will be the No. 1 seed if they win Sunday and both the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos and AFC East-leading New England Patriots lose on the same day. The Broncos are playing the Los Angeles Chargers in Denver Sunday. The Chargers are good and capable of beating the Broncos, but the game being in Denver makes it a tough task for Los Angeles. The fact that the Chargers plan to rest some starters Sunday doesn't help the Jaguars' situation. The Patriots play host to the 7-9 Miami Dolphins Sunday – and while the Dolphins are improving late in the season, they have little for which to play and the Patriots are playing for seeding. Could one of the two teams – Denver or New England – lose Sunday? Maybe. Both losing seems like a lot to ask. But maybe. Stay tuned.
Chiana from Munich
Sunday's win felt somewhat familiar, as we have seen a lot of those games from the Colts' perspective last seasons. Keeping it close against a contender only to fall short in the fourth quarter. Pretty much everything went wrong for a lot of this game and the Jags managed to get it done. One more and then ride that wave into the wide-open playoffs.
The Jaguars are hot and confident right now. Hot, confident teams often win close games. The Colts are struggling to the end of the season. Teams struggling to the end of seasons often lose close games. The Jaguars are really good right now. It's hard for struggling teams to beat really good teams late in the season, even in really close games.
Sean from Saint Johns City
I suppose you're going to tell me it's a week-to-week league and you take wins however you can get them late in December.
Yes, this is the NFL.
Steve from Jax Beach, FL
Even when they aren't great, they can still find a way to win. It has been a while since we could say that around here. So, is it just me or did General Manager James Gladstone steal our starting center for the next 8-to-10 years in the seventh round? Kid seems legit O.
The Jaguars selected center Jonah Monheim in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He started Sunday. The Jaguars indeed believe Monheim is an eventual starter. I don't know for sure he will start or how long he will start if that's the case.
Paul from St. Augustine, FL
I understand why fans call a win like Sunday "ugly," especially given that college football ruled supreme in Jacksonville prior to the Jaguars – and in the minds of some fans, it still does. Close games where you don't play perfectly are not "ugly." Close games where you have to fight and scrape for every inch, every point and every play are not "ugly." Particularly if you win. Games where your team can't even execute well enough to make the game competitive - THOSE games are "ugly." What we saw Sunday is winning, and while I can see getting used to it, I hope I never take it for granted.
Correct.
Mark from Richmond VA
IF there is one criticism of the coaching staff - and that's a big if – it's that they sometimes make it more difficult than it has to be. Specifically in this game, 1) The short kickoffs, 2) The hook-and-ladder play when you are freely moving the ball at will, and 3) Not taking the first down by penalty in the fourth quarter followed by two offensive penalties. This won't be so forgiving in the payoffs. so why do this to your team?
The Jaguars under Head Coach Liam Coen are going to be aggressive. Not all aggressive decisions are going to succeed and decisions that don't succeed get criticized. If you don't like aggressive decisions, this may not be the team for you.
EJ from Jacksonville
Can you please explain the strategy of declining the offside penalty in the fourth quarter? Why not take five yards and a first down?
The approach is a bit tricky and confusing, so I'll do my best to explain as it has been explained to me. The Jaguars on the play in question Sunday held a 20-17 lead and faced second-and-1 at the Colts 39 with 2:20 remaining. The Colts intentionally jumped offside on the play, hoping the Jaguars would take the penalty. The Jaguars instead declined it. The reason for this is you're trying to drain the clock. In that situation, analytics say your percentages of winning are higher if you run a second down play and convert a first down, then run three more plays (four total plays) to drain clock and force the Colts to use timeouts AS OPPOSED to running three total plays with the same objective. The strategy assumes you will pick up the first down on one of the three plays following the second-and-1 situation. As I said, I'm doing the best I can to explain this one. The old-school football guy in me was screaming to take the first down on Sunday. The wiser, younger "analytics" guys swear the better move was to decline the penalty. I'm used to being wrong and can only assume I was again in this case.
Charles from Jacksonville
Would you please explain the strategy behind not taking the first down when the Colts were offside late in the game? I thought first downs were almost always a good thing.
They usually are. I can't say I'm absolutely sure a first down wouldn't have been a good thing in this scenario, but I'm starting get my head around the concept that you decline that penalty. Give me time. I'm old and stuck in my old ways.
Brian from Round Rock, TX
So, are they breaking out new uniforms with the new stadium because they know the new stadium will be a disappointment? That's the only way it makes sense.
Debuting new uniforms with a new stadium – if indeed that happens – would make complete sense. Why would you do one in one season and the other in the other? How in the world would that make sense? And why would a new stadium be a disappointment? That makes no sense. Insider tip: Not everything sucks. Believing it does is sort of boring.
Motler from C-ville, VA
We traveled to Indy for game and had the opportunity to meet James Gladstone. He was so gracious with his time and came off as such a genuine guy. When he walked away, the feeling I was left with was that he made us feel seen. He got to hear about how we have been fans for 20-plus years and how we invest in this team with our time and money and how excited we are to have him and this new regime running things. No question, just wanted to shout out Gladstone and the way this regime is handling things in terms of access for us fans and putting a product on the field that we are proud of. Go Jags!
Gladstone is good people. He's not alone as "good people" in this organization right now. It's a good time around these parts.
Gibran from Aledo
Hey, John!! You are right. Winning is fun! From someone who has been a fan from Day 1, I have always just wanted the Jags to be competitive win or lose. So those long stretches of not really being competitive has been tough. Down to the questions … some have emailed about the concerns of being able to retain the core/great players we have and I agree with that concern, but how concerning is it to also retain the great coaches as well? It seems like teams that do as well as the Jags have done with this turnaround, other teams are going to try and poach your offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator and then others as well.
Good teams lose core players and coaches. The Jaguars won't lose quarterback Trevor Lawrence or Coen. They're the core of the core. If they stay, the core can be reworked around them.
Gary from St. Augustine, FL
Even if the Jaguars win the division, you'll still suck.
One week at a time, one game at a time.
