Looking Ahead To Week 14 And The Rest Of The Season

Jaguars Are Down But Not Out Heading Into December

A playoff run has been reasonably considered all but probable since the Jaguars 17-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but they were able to get off to a nearly perfect start coming out of the bye. The Jaguars were able to start chipping away at the Titans' stranglehold over the division and come closer to controlling their own destiny. Tennessee now holds a three game advantage over the Jaguars with both divisional matchups remaining. Essentially, the Jaguars would need to sweep the Titans and gain one game on them to surpass them in the division after Week 18. There's no doubt that's a tall task, but for the first time in several years we're playing relevant football late in the season.

Over the entire slate of Week 12 games, there were arguably only two that concluded in a non-favorable way for the Jaguars. Since the Jets and Chargers were able to win, the Jaguars are still several games away from being able to steal a seventh seed in the playoffs. The Jaguars are currently 11th in the conference just behind the Indianapolis Colts. As of now, the Bills, Bengals, and Jets hold the final spots in that order which could mean Jacksonville's matchup against New York could be vital to a playoff run.

Jaguars Will Face Some Tough Matchups In December

As great as we may feel as fans right now, the month of December could very easily turn into a disaster based on the upcoming games. The Jaguars schedule includes at Detroit Lions, at Tennessee Titans, vs. Dallas Cowboys, and at New York Jets. Next week will feature a battle of the two top draft picks and a game the Lions have certainly circled on their calendar. Immediately after that the Jaguars will travel to Nashville where they haven't won since 2013, host a Cowboys team that's on fire with Micah Parsons leading the charge, and face the New York Jets in a rivalry rematch once again in New York. With every one of these teams currently in the playoff picture or in the hunt, there's no doubt that the Jacksonville Jaguars will be put to the test the rest of the season.

Right now I can imagine the Jaguars winning any one of these games and they must take them one at a time, but I expect some bumps in the road and for Jacksonville to ultimately be eliminated around Christmas. Unfortunately there were just way too many close losses early in the season and it would require a near perfect run to reach the playoffs. That said, fans should not rule out the possibility of the playoffs and enjoy being in the hunt as long as it lasts!

Jaguars Need To Finish Strong And Set Up For 2023 Success

There are very few reasons for fans to believe that the Jaguars will be anything but improved next season. The likely notable losses will include Jawaan Taylor, Rayshawn Jenkins, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Shaquill Griffin. The Jaguars already have replacements for some of these players and will be in position to upgrade at key spots. Calvin Ridley will be a massive addition to the offense and the Jaguars will likely be in position to take a big impact player in the first round of the draft. With a roster that will likely improve, team chemistry, and a better understanding of the offense and defense we can fairly expect for the Jaguars to make a playoff appearance in 2023.

However, this season is obviously not over and nothing is ruled out of the books yet. In my opinion, the Jaguars need to set the floor heading into next season as high as they can. There's a big difference between them finishing 5-12 this season and going 8-9. Winning now will go a long way to wipe away the tank culture that was established in 2020. Teams are ultimately faced with two choices most of the time, establish a culture of losing to have a shot at a generational talent or maintain a good culture and potentially find yourself out of reach at a great quarterback. The Jaguars are nearing the end of dealing with consequences of Option A. Let us know your final record prediction and your expectations for the team through the last stretch and make sure to stay tuned in for 'All Things Duval!' Thanks for reading, feel free to give your thoughts in the comments and any suggestions for content you want to see. Make sure to be respectful towards other fans and represent the Jaguars fan base the way it deserves.