RSS Jags Team Notes

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Winners & Losers from Week 17: Jaguars Complete Sweep of Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars just keep winning.

Sunday’s 23-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts was in no one’s book a pretty or convincing win, but a win nonetheless that moved Jacksonville to 12-4 this season and completed the sweep over the Colts.

Trevor Lawrence rushed in two scores and the defense grabbed two picks – get some Al’s. The win was never in question as the Jags rattled off their seventh consecutive victory to maintain their position atop the AFC South and in striking distance for the AFC’s top overall seed.

There was plenty to like about the victory and also a few things that might have raised concerns, but nothing from Sunday should derail what the Jags have built to this point. Just one more regular season game now stands in the way of this team and its quest for the Super Bowl.

WINNERS

Continuing to Win

It isn’t easy to win in the NFL. Sometimes your day at the office is far tougher than it normally is. The Jags saw that Sunday.

Yes, Philip Rivers is the quarterback for the Colts, and the Colts are not an extremely healthy team currently. But they are still a decent enough team with plenty of good players. The Jags won a tough road game, which should be considered a huge overall victory outside of the scoring being within six points.

Jacksonville has won four road games in a row during its winning streak. That is the type of thing you can carry with you into the playoffs. This squad knows they will have their backs against the wall a lot of times while on the road, but instead of running from that, has embraced it. And it works.

We single out individual players or coaches a lot because it’s easier to pinpoint someone having a 100-yard day or two touchdowns than it is to applaud the franchise as a whole. The Jaguars are doing a great job winning football games as a whole, though. Sometimes they are just uglier than usual.

Buster Brown

The somewhat sudden news drop of Jourdan Lewis going down for the year meant it was going to be time for the Jaguars’ corners to really step up.

As has been the calling card for his entire tenure in Jacksonville, Montaric “Buster” Brown has been the replacement corner when the usual starter gets hurt. He has done that for much of this season and helped keep the secondary afloat Sunday in Lewis’ absence. He got targeted a good bit, but held his own overall.

Brown had two pass breakups, which were really just two dropped picks he could have had. He was credited with a third during the game, but he didn’t actually touch a ball that was dropped. Brown also finished second on the year in total tackles with six.

By game’s end, Brown was the highest-rated Jaguar according to PFF with a noisy 88.2 grade.

Something that also might fly under the radar was a likely touchdown-saving tackle on special teams after a 55-yard kickoff return.

Brown and counterpart Jarrian Jones played well on Sunday. Michael Pittman Jr. had just two catches and tight end Tyler Warren led the Colts in receiving. It was a good day in the office for Brown and the boys.

Buster Brown has got to be the most targeted CB of this game pic.twitter.com/ko30FVncsU

— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) December 28, 2025

Parker Washington

Water was carried and wood was chopped yet again for Parker Washington.

For the first time this season, Washington rattled off two consecutive 100-yard games for the Jags after his eight catch, 115-yard day against the Colts.

Washington is WR1 in Jacksonville as the dude is consistently making the extra effort, taking big hits and just all around performing acrobatic feats on the field all the time. He has steadily improved each and every game this season and clearly has the trust of Lawrence plus the coaches. Washington may run around and reverse field a lot, but nine times out of 10, it actually works.

At 760 yards so far this year, Washington could get close to his first-ever 1,000-yard receiving season if the Jags continue to push deeper into the playoffs.

Back to those PFF numbers, Washington was the fourth-highest rated Jag with a 75.6 grade. Washington is making the big plays which in turn has made this offense a whole lot better. It looks to be extremely tough to guard the Jags with the weapons they have at receiver right now.

Trevor Lawrence hits Parker Washington, and Washington keeps rolling after the catch to set up first and goal!

: FOX pic.twitter.com/9kiCZpNjMB

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 28, 2025

LOSERS

Play Calling

Yes, it’s tough to win in the NFL. Sometimes that toughness is because of yourself.

I don’t think anyone would say that Sunday’s game was Liam Coen’s best as a playcaller or coach. Some of the play calling seemed either disjointed or forced. A lot of the times the Jags on offense just never seemed smooth.

The big messed-up play people will point to was the hook and ladder – made 10 times worse by the fact it was executed to perfection later in the day during primetime games. That specific play was there, but Travis Etienne couldn’t get to his spot fast enough and the timing might have just been overall disrupted beyond repair.

Some of the late runs seemed a little whacky at times, but if the playcalling is one of the worst aspects of your game in a win, then you have good issues.

Maybe Coen and Grant Udinski just wanted some different plays on tape to keep teams honest before the playoffs. Maybe they were testing stuff out knowing they were never truly in danger.

Either way, some of that play calling made the win feel a little puke-inducing throughout the day.

Trickery backfires for Jacksonville!

The Jaguars lose the ball and the Colts recover the fumble! pic.twitter.com/ySgo9we1OZ

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 28, 2025

The Philip Rivers Experiment

So that went about the way everyone thought it would, right?

The Colts tried to bring back the ghost of Philip Rivers and it bombed like we all knew it would. That was a weird choice. An understandable choice I suppose, but a weird one all the same. Did you also know that Rivers has lots of children though? Did you know he is a high school football coach? How about that he is 45? Have you seen his family in their box recently?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/gener...-from-week-17-jaguars-complete-sweep-of-colts

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars, Titans Week 18 Kickoff Date/Time Announced

The NFL announced on Sunday night that Jacksonville’s 2025 Week 18 regular season finale against the Tennessee Titans will kick off at 1 p.m. EST. The game’s start time was originally labeled as “TBD” to allow flexibility in late-season scheduling for the league.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Tennessee Titans in their final regular season home game on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 1 p.m., the NFL announced last night.

— JaguarsPR (@JaguarsPR) December 29, 2025

Following the Jaguars’ 23-17 road victory over the Indianapolis Colts, the Jaguars can claim the AFC South division title, allowing the team to host a home playoff game for the first time since the 2022 season.

Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli released the following statement on Sunday’s matchup:

“We’ve consistently spoken about the importance of meaningful, late-season games, and we have our next test against the Titans on Sunday. Since this game will impact the AFC South, our playoff positioning, and our ability to host games during the upcoming NFL playoffs, I am confident our fans will ‘meet the moment’ and make their collective presence felt, as only they can.”

Via the team:

Fans have the chance to see the Jaguars reach seven home wins, and secure Jacksonville’s first 13-win season since the team went 14-2 in 1999.

Limited seats remain for the regular-season finale, which will be televised locally on FOX 30. Jaguars fans can visit www.jaguars.com/tickets or call the Jaguars ticket office at (904) 633-2000 to reserve their seats.

In this final season of a full-capacity stadium before the 2026 stadium renovations ramp up with a limited capacity, Sunday’s AFC South clinching opportunity (and any additional home postseason games) would be Jacksonville fans’ final opportunity to see a full EverBank Stadium until the 2028 “Stadium of the Future” opening.

Be there or be square, Duval. Let’s lock down The Bank.

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...rs-titans-week-18-kickoff-date-time-announced

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars Reacts Survey: Which AFC playoff team scares you most?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Jaguars fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Jaguars fans — are you confident the team is headed in the right direction?

And as we look ahead to the 2025-26 postseason, which AFC playoff team would you least want to face?

(The Ravens or Steelers will also make the playoffs, depending on the outcome of their Week 18 matchup, but neither is much of a threat.)

We’ve already seen the Jaguars defeat the Broncos, Texans, and Chargers this season, so the Patriots or the Bills might be the scariest potential matchup just because we haven’t seen them face the Jags.

New England clinched the AFC East last week, and while they certainly haven’t faced a tough schedule this season, the road to the Super Bowl could end up going through Foxborough. And Drake Maye is the betting favorite to win MVP for a reason.

That said, there’s no scarier quarterback in the 2025-26 AFC playoff field than Josh Allen. He’s had a pretty up-and-down season, and Buffalo has actually turned into a run-heavy offense due in part to a lack of receiver talent, but Allen could go supernova in any given game.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...guars-reacts-survey-afc-playoff-matchups-2025

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Parker Washington is the epicenter of the Jaguars’ red-hot passing game

Throughout the 2025 NFL season, SB Nation’s Doug Farrar writes about the game’s Secret Superstars — those players whose performances might slip under the radar for whatever reasons. In this installment, we focus on Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Parker Washington, who has stepped into Liam Coen’s passing game at the perfect time after nearly three years of anonymity. Now, everyone involved knows exactly who he is.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are 12-4, they’re currently the AFC’s three-seed, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence has never looked better under first-year head coach Liam Coen. This has been especially true over the last few games — since Week 13, Lawrence has completed 99 of 162 passes for 1,345 yards, 12 touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 109.7, which ranks third over that time behind only Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers and Drake Maye of the New England Patriots.

What’s interesting about the Jags’ new and pronounced passing game is that the two guys who were expected to lead it as targets have been missing in action in different ways. Travis Hunter was just starting to get the hang of the Coen offense before he was lost for the rest of the season to a knee injury in late October. And Brian Thomas Jr., one of the most productive rookie receivers in 2024, hasn’t come close to his inaugural numbers in 2025.

The November 4 trade for Jakobi Myers has been a blessing, and the team pounced all over that with a three-year, $60 million contract extension in mid-December. Myers has been the team’s leading receiver since Week 10 — 37 catches on 53 targets for 439 yards and three touchdowns — but the guy who’s closing in on Myers is one Parker Washington, Jacksonville’s sixth-round pick out of Penn State in the 2023 draft. Washington was a blip on the radar at most in his first two NFL seasons, but the connection with Lawrence in Coen’s offense is now clear.

It’s been especially clear over the last two games, and what Washington did to the Denver Broncos’ top-ranked defense in Jacksonville’s 34-20 Week 16 win. Washington caught six passes on 10 targets for 145 yards and a touchdown. 90 of those yards came after the catch, and 77 came after first contact.

.@Jaguars receiver Parker Washington hit Denver's defense from everywhere in the formation, and it was a mismatch very few people expected. pic.twitter.com/qzfgMKO8sl

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 29, 2025

These are important metrics in any Liam Coen offense, because the passing game is set up for such things. The 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Coen as their offensive coordinator, ranked fourth in the NFL with 2,552 yards after the catch, and they ranked first with 1,024 yards after contact. The 2025 Jaguars have been a bit more vertical, with 1,546 yards after the catch and 692 after contact, but you can see why Washington has become a Coen favorite.

“He’s so explosive, and he’s so strong.” Coen said of Washington after the Broncos game. “His lower half is very explosive, he works extremely hard in the offseason to prepare, he works extremely hard during the season to prepare, to get his body right. We weren’t sure who [Broncos CB Pat] Surtain [II] would match, whether it would be ‘B.T.’ [Brian Thomas Jr.], or Jakob, and a lot of things were kind of set up for Parker to have a day and to be one of the number one targets of today, so that didn’t just happen. We prepared that way all week, [we] wanted to get him involved early, and he had a look in his eye from a very early start that he was going to have a big day.”

Washington must have had the same look in his eye before the Jaguars’ 23-17 Sunday win over the Indianapolis Colts. This time around, he bagged eight catches on 10 targets for 115 yards, with 39 of those yards coming after the catch. This time around, Washington was more responsible for catching stuff on angular in-and out-breaking routes against Lou Anarumo’s varied coverages.

Parker Washington showing off his route nuance, speed after catch, and willingness to get grimy after contact and with the contested catch. The Colts didn't have a lot of answers for any of it. pic.twitter.com/DZe4VZWMRG

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 29, 2025

“Yeah, he’s so reliable as a competitor,” Coen said of Washington after this particular series of successes. “You know where he’s going to be. You know what he’s going to do. You know the way he’s going to prepare throughout the week. Trevor trusts him. There’s a trust level there. There’s a continuity there. They’ve been playing together for a number of years now. Third downs, whether it’s running away, zone, he’s just had a – he has a good football feel, and he’s been able to make people miss and have a lot of run after catch, which really helps your offense.”

The Jaguars will have some interesting receiver decisions to make in 2026. Washington will be in the last year of his rookie contract, making the princely sum of $1.145 million. At this rate, the team may work to get him a new deal before he goes and outprices himself. Getting Thomas working as he should in the passing game should be a high priority sooner than later, and there’s a legitimate argument to be made that Hunter’s otherworldly skills would benefit most from a more full-time move to cornerback. Myers, once an unexpected star, will likely be the alpha in the room. But equally out of nowhere, Parker Washington has made it clear that he’s a perfect fit in his new offense, and everybody’s in agreement there.

Not bad for a guy who was barely known outside of Duval and College Station a few weeks ago.

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...ington-passing-game-trevor-lawrence-liam-coen

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Are the Jaguars Getting the National Respect They Deserve?

Liam Coen is the only first-time head coach in NFL history to win 12 or more games after taking over a team that had four or fewer wins the previous season. Jacksonville has won seven straight games with the league’s best point differential in that span (+119). They’re a win against the 3-13 Titans away from winning the AFC South and clinching a top-three AFC playoff seed.

For the last time this season, we rounded up the latest NFL power rankings to see if the Jaguars are getting the national respect they deserve.

Pro Football Talk: 3 (last week: 2)​

From Mike Florio:

Hopefully, they didn’t peak too soon.

CBS Sports: 3 (3)​

From Pete Prisco:

They are a real threat in the AFC playoffs. They aren’t great in any one area, but they don’t have weaknesses like some of the teams.

NFL.com: 3 (5)​

From Eric Edholm:

The Jaguars were pretty shaky early against the Colts, fortunate to only be trailing 10-7 at the half. Then the offense got going, the defense clamped down and the better team won — it was the Jags’ seventh straight victory in a breakthrough season few saw coming. What they’ve done since their Week 8 bye has been nothing short of admirable, and they’re as legitimate a contender as just about anyone in the AFC field right now. But there is one area they absolutely can improve in prior to the postseason: the red zone. Their 60% TD rate down there ranks them in the upper half of the league, and their 39 TDs are impressive, but Sunday brought two more RZ turnovers, raising their season total to six. Coughing it up twice in the money zone against Indianapolis is one thing; doing so in a playoff game would be another entirely.

The Athletic: 3 (5)​

From Josh Kendall and Chad Graff:

Head coach check-in: Worth the trouble

Remember all the fuss in January when Liam Coen sort of snuck out of Tampa Bay under the cover of night? Nobody in Jacksonville does. The Jaguars matched the franchise’s highest win total since 1999, making Coen the only first-year coach in league history to inherit a four-win team and win 12 or more games the next season. Jacksonville has won seven in a row and hosts Tennessee to end the season.

USA Today: 4 (3)​

From Nate Davis:

Why aren’t they No. 1 … even though they might wind up there in the overall AFC standings? Their seven-game winning streak, most of those victories of the decisive variety, is currently second only to Houston’s. The Jags are committed to the run, take the ball away and can rush the passer. But as well as QB Trevor Lawrence has played since Thanksgiving, he also remains an unproven commodity − at the professional level anyway − when it comes to January football.

The Ringer: 4 (4)​

From Diante Lee:

I abandoned all of my stock in Trevor Lawrence in 2024, so I won’t come crawling all the way back to the bandwagon just because times are good now. But what we’ve seen lately from Lawrence is exactly what I hoped he could do in a competent passing game. Lawrence’s confidence is at an all-time high, he’s moving around better than ever, and his receivers have consistently made plays after the catch.

Because I’ve been down this road before with Lawrence and the Jags, I am preparing myself for heartbreak in the playoffs. Until then, I’m having a hell of a good time watching from afar.

Bleacher Report: 4 (6)​

From Maurice Moton:

As weeks pass, the Jacksonville Jaguars are gaining respect, and yet, they deserve more of it. They’re a win away from claiming the AFC South title after a 4-13 campaign last year.

Offensive-minded head coach Liam Coen has Trevor Lawrence playing his best football. In Week 17, Lawrence threw his first interception in five games, but he led Jacksonville to a victory with two rushing scores.

Also, the Jaguars defense has tightened up over the past month, allowing fewer than 21 points in five consecutive outings.

Fox Sports: 5 (5)​

From Ralph Vacchiano:

I abandoned all of my stock in Trevor Lawrence in 2024, so I won’t come crawling all the way back to the bandwagon just because times are good now. But what we’ve seen lately from Lawrence is exactly what I hoped he could do in a competent passing game. Lawrence’s confidence is at an all-time high, he’s moving around better than ever, and his receivers have consistently made plays after the catch.

Because I’ve been down this road before with Lawrence and the Jags, I am preparing myself for heartbreak in the playoffs. Until then, I’m having a hell of a good time watching from afar.

ESPN: 6 (5)​

From Mike DiRocco:

What we learned this season: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is finally the player the Jaguars thought they were getting with the 2021 No. 1 pick.

Lawrence had played very good football in spurts, but never before at the level that coach Liam Coen has unlocked this season. Since Week 11, Lawrence ranks fourth in QBR (76.8), passing yards (1,754) and yards per attempt (8.2) — and he’s tied for the NFL lead with 16 TD passes. The Jags are 7-0 in that stretch. Blitzing Lawrence used to be the way to go, but over the past three games, he’s completing at least 70% of his passes against the blitz, with eight TDs and only one interception.

Yahoo Sports: 6 (8)​

From Frank Schwab:

The Jaguars weren’t just going to walk to an AFC South title, and they were in trouble when the Colts took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter. But this Jaguars team is ascending for a reason. The defense pitched a fourth-quarter shutout and the Jags came back to win. Now all they need is a home win over the Titans in Week 18 to go 13-4 and clinch a division title. What a first season for head coach Liam Coen. And there’s no reason the Jaguars can’t make a deep playoff run. They’re playing as well as anyone.

Sports Illustrated: 7 (7)​

From Conor Orr:

A fun bit of oddity from Action News Jacksonville [shoutout Daniel Griffis!]: The Jaguars’ quarterback leads the team in rushing touchdowns and its running back leads the team in receiving touchdowns. It’s certainly not the way any of us drew it up, but who is standing in front of this train right now?

The Jaguars’ average rank this week is 4.5 (last week: 5.1).

A final look at #Jaguars 2025 composite power rankings

Are they getting the respect they deserve? pic.twitter.com/HzsyULaN6O

— Duval 22 (@duval22dotcom) December 31, 2025

Where would you rank the team, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...80922/jaguars-nfl-power-rankings-week-18-2025

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars history in the making

We are headed into Week 18, and our Jacksonville Jaguars are officially in the playoffs and currently leading the AFC South. I do not want to taint the vibes by talking about the Tennessee Titans (fuck ’em), so let’s take a look at some of the franchise records that have been accomplished by the 12-4 Jaguars thus far this season.

Regarding the defense, Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are now up to ten games in which they have both recorded sacks. They are now tied for fourth place in franchise history for the most by a pass rush duo. The defense’s 103 passes defensed this season has set a new franchise high. Antonio Johnson’s interception not only sealed the win on Sunday, but it also brought the defense to 21 interceptions for the season and tied the franchise record.

Running back Travis Etienne currently has 1075 rushing yards for the 2025 season, marking the third time in his NFL career that he has recorded over 1,000 yards. Etienne ranks second in franchise history; Jaguars legend Fred Taylor leads the pack with seven seasons. In addition to franchise history, Travis Etienne now joins Derrick Henry, Najee Harris, and James Cook III as the fourth AFC running back since 2022 to have three 1,000-yard seasons.

After Sunday’s win against the Colts, Parker Washington joined Brian Thomas Jr. as the only Jaguars to have consecutive 100+ receiving yard games since 2018. Brian Thomas Jr. first achieved this record during weeks 15 and 16 during the 2024 season.

Trevor Lawrence now ranks second in franchise history for touchdowns scored in a single season. Lawrence currently has 26 passing and nine rushing touchdowns so far this season. Liam Coen is the first first-year head coach in NFL history to win 12+ games after taking over a team with four or fewer wins the previous season.

The Jaguars won six out of eight away games (.750) this season, marking their best record on the road since 2005 (6-2, .750). In addition to this, the 2025 season marks the first time since 2005 to achieve 12 wins, and the third overall in team history. The team has scored 433 points so far this season, surpassing the franchise’s previous record of 417 points (2017 season) scored during the first 16 games.

Perhaps after the season ends in February, I’ll make a comprehensive list of all the records and history made during the 2025 season. Please let us know in the comments or on social media how you feel about these broken records. Fuck the Titans. Not following us on social media? You can find us on X/Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacksonville-jaguars-history/80991/jaguars-history-in-the-making

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars vs Titans key matchups: BTJ to get right against injury-hit secondary?

The Jacksonville Jaguars welcome the Tennessee Titans to EverBank Stadium on Sunday in what is their final game of the 2025 regular season. With playoff seedings at stake, here are some key battles to keep an eye out for:

Jonah Monheim vs Jeffery Simmons​

#Titans DI Jeffery Simmons was our highest-graded pass rusher in Week 17 at 92.4 and one of five players who had a pass rush win rate of 30.0% or higher

He’s been elite this year and should be a lock for an All-Pro spot #TitanUp pic.twitter.com/La4BIKb21N

— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) December 30, 2025

Jacksonville has some health concerns heading into Week 18. Center Robert Hainsey, key to the turnaround of the offensive line, was unable to suit up against the Indianapolis Colts, meaning the Jaguars had to turn to seventh-round rookie Jonah Monheim for the second time this season. If the Jags had already sealed the division title and the home playoff game that comes with it, I imagine we would have seen any starters with nagging injuries put on ice against the Titans. So deciding whether to roll with Hainsey to seal the deal or keep him fresh for the postseason is a tough decision for Liam Coen.

If Monheim starts, he’s got a hell of a job on his hands. It seems churlish to mention the Jaguars’ injuries compared to those on Tennessee’s defense, who have had to rob every other franchise’s practice squad just to be able to have 53 bodies on their roster. But defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is still there, and the two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler will be intent on signing off 2025 with a big performance. Despite the Titans’ tough year, Simmons has still dominated, racking up 65 tackles, 20 quarterback hits and 10 sacks through 14 games. Monheim has been better than you’d expect for a rookie taken with the 221st pick, but Simmons is a problem even Hainsey would have a tough time dealing with on Sunday.

Brian Thomas Jr. vs Kaiir Elam​

Since returning from injury, Brian Thomas Jr.’s AVG depth of target has gone from 13.0 to 20.0.

BTJ is averaging 20.1 YPR the last 3 weeks.
pic.twitter.com/kOE1uFLzA4

— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) December 19, 2025

Speaking of the aforementioned injuries on the Titans’ defense; the secondary that Jacksonville will face this weekend looks totally different from the one they faced just five weeks ago. Having already seen three starters depart or sent to IR earlier in the season, the back end of this unit has seen further attrition, with no less than five contributors getting injured in the last month. It’s caused interim head coach Mike McCoy and general manager Mike Borgonzi to be creative, looking for available experience around the league.

Having been waived by the Dallas Cowboys, Kaiir Elam was a convenient body available. Taken in the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, Elam has never lived up to expectations. And it’s a damning indictment of Tennessee’s depth that it looks like he’ll be CB1 against the Jags on Sunday, an opportunity for him to audition for a team to give him another shot in a pro career in danger of fading away.

Another man with something to prove is Brian Thomas, although the desperation for the second-year wideout to find his rookie form is far from the situation Elam finds himself in. 658 yards and two touchdowns for the year isn’t catastrophic, but it is a significant step back from the numbers he posted en route to being named to the All-Rookie team and the Pro Bowl. Now would be a timely opportunity for Thomas to find some form as the Jaguars head into the playoffs, and he’ll be relishing taking on Elam and the rest of this patched-up defense.

Devin Lloyd vs Tony Pollard​

Tony Pollard has a lot to play for: pic.twitter.com/gG40zAWp3I

— Sal Bets (@salbets_) December 29, 2025

The Titans might be the whipping boys of the AFC South, but they have begun to click on offense in recent weeks. A lot of that is down to the development of Cam Ward under center and his ability to create off platform. But Tony Pollard has also enjoyed a renaissance, rushing for 450 yards in his past four games. With Tennessee going 2-2 during that stretch and threatening to lose the number one pick in next year’s draft, Jacksonville should be very wary of looking ahead too much – there is a division crown to be won on Sunday.

Despite playing second fiddle to Zeke Elliott for much of his time in Dallas, Pollard has been one of the more consistent running backs in the NFL, hitting 1,000 yards in the last four seasons. He’s a ball carrier that likes to bring it on every play and wear down front sevens with his persistent physicality between the tackles.

That’s where Devin Lloyd comes in, who has enjoyed a strong season under first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. Lloyd has thrived as the Mike linebacker, particularly in pass coverage, but has also been sturdy against the run too. 76 tackles is a solid return on the season so far, and he’ll be tasked with keeping Pollard quiet, who can also be effective as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Stymie Pollard, and you crank up the pressure on Cam Ward – hopefully allowing this potent Jags secondary to feast.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...btj-to-get-right-against-injury-hit-secondary

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars vs Titans: Week 18 opening odds

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 12: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers pressures Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter of the game at EverBank Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

The Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) will face the Tennessee Titans (3-13) at 1:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, Jan. 4.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Jaguars are 10.5-point favorites and the total is set at 44.5 points.

“We haven’t really talked a ton about goals,” head coach Liam Coen said after Jacksonville’s Week 17 win in Indianapolis. “About the division, playoffs, conference, Super Bowl – like we have not had any of those conversations as a team. Not really on purpose, more so just because you’re really trying to focus on getting better because there’s so much to coach off of every week for us and even through a lot of wins, we’re able to coach off a lot of stuff and keeping the mindset pretty singular on 1-0 each week.”

If the Jaguars do win on Sunday, they’ll capture the AFC South division for the first time since 2022 and just the third time since 1999. Jacksonville currently holds the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture. Meanwhile, Tennessee is projected to land the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

What are your thoughts on the Jaguars’ Week 18 matchup? Let us know in the comments below!

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Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...0830/jaguars-titans-week-18-2025-opening-odds

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

REPORT: Jaguars Extend LT Cole Van-Lanen

The Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly fortified Trevor Lawrence’s blindside for the next three seasons, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Source: Jaguars reached agreement today with OL Cole Van Lanen on a three-year, $51 million extension that includes $32.5 million guaranteed. Deal could be worth up to $55.5 million with incentives. pic.twitter.com/1pvVemY17S

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 3, 2026

Left tackle and part-time swiss-army knife, Cole Van Lanen (27) has appeared in 15 games for the 2025 Jaguars, making nine starts across multiple positions along the offensive line. Van Lanen has logged meaningful snaps at both guard and tackle spots this season. Originally acquired in a 2022 trade with Green Bay for a seventh-round pick by then–general manager Trent Baalke.

Without an extension, Van Lanen was set to become an unrestricted free agent this March. Instead, Jacksonville locked him up early, bumping his annual salary from just over $3 million per year to $17 million. That $17 million average annual value places Van Lanen at 28th among all offensive tackles and 16th among left tackles specifically, almost perfectly league average for the position.

As an update, the team has since confirmed the extension via press release, noting the following:

“Van Lanen has played 49 regular season games (12 starts) and appeared in two postseason contests. In over 800 offensive snaps, he has been called for just five penalties and credited with only four sacks.”

Locked in https://t.co/V6ysbrkJ5T pic.twitter.com/3fIumqwSPV

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 3, 2026

Dominance in Limited Action​

On the field, Van Lanen’s production has seemed to justify the investment. Per Pro Football Focus, he has allowed just nine total pressures and zero sacks on 166 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle this season, surrendering pressure on only 5.4% of his reps. PFF currently grades him as the 15th-ranked offensive tackle overall (left or right) with an 81.0 rating, ranking him 20th in pass protection and 18th in run blocking. ESPN Analytics is even higher on his run game impact, placing him 10th among all offensive tackles in run block win rate.

Cole Van Lanen has played LG/RT/RG/LT for the Jaguars all over the last month. Not sure I have ever seen that. Here he is vs. Jeffrey Simmons pic.twitter.com/ypFzuNH2hp

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) December 1, 2025

As BCC’s Doug Farrar noted in mid-December ago:

Is it a coincidence that Van Lanen’s games at left tackle have aligned with a three-game stretch in which Trevor Lawrence has completed 53 of 89 passes for nine touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 123.0? Well, given that Little had allowed nine sacks and 29 total pressures in 472 pass-blocking reps, and Van Lanen has allowed no sacks and three total pressures in 161 pass-blocking reps at left tackle, it probably helps.

According to ESPN’s Mike DiRocco, the Jaguars reportedly internally discussed using the franchise tag on Van Lanen before ultimately deciding against it, as the projected tag number lands around $27 million per year. Instead, Jacksonville chose to get a long-term deal done ahead of free agency. With extensions now finalized for two players with expiring contracts—wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (three years, $60 million, $40 million guaranteed) and left tackle Cole Van Lanen—the Jaguars have handled key business early. That leaves the franchise tag available for other potential candidates, possibly including running back Travis Etienne. The RB franchise tag is projected at roughly $13.6 million, and considering the team already handed Dyami Brown a one-year, $10 million free-agent deal this offseason, paying a few million more to retain Etienne feels like a relatively easy decision if a long-term agreement can’t be reached.

Was the extension a risk?​

Many fans have, justifiably, questioned whether this extension carries some risk. And depending on your tolerance level, the answer is yes. Three starts in four seasons before 2025 and 12 career starts in five seasons might create some level of uncertainty. Even in 2025, Van Lanen has started just four games at left tackle under this regime before signing the extension, plus five additional starts at other offensive line positions. He’s also faced a relatively limited slate of truly dominant edge rushers, with Denver’s Nik Bonitto standing out as the most notable challenge. That context complicates the evaluation of his body of work. Is Van Lanen excelling because his strengths have matched up well against the opponents he’s faced so far? Or is this performance sustainable against a broader range of elite power rushers? Has he simply not encountered the kind of player who could expose potential weaknesses in his game?

That said, this coaching staff has worked with Van Lanen for an entire offseason and season and clearly believes in him enough to guarantee $32.5 million and keep him under contract through 2026. And while it’s fair to acknowledge the small sample size, teams routinely hand out three and four-year contracts in free agency to players they’ve never coached, practiced with, or evaluated within their own system on tape. Compared to that, this deal may actually be *less* risky than many outside free-agent additions (especially when you remember recent misses like the Dyami Brown signing).

But I do understand those who question the timing of the move. While most fans somewhat expected a Van-Lanen extension soon, some either felt that the contract amount should have been much smaller dor the supporting tape or that the extension should have been completed following the postseason, after the team gathered more games from which to base an evaluation on. However, quality left tackles are rarely available on the market for average money. That is also a major consideration. By signing CVL early, the contract could forever be manageable. Should Van-Lanen’s high level of play continue, the extension would be considered a steal, both now and moving forward.

Average Left Tackle Money​

Financially, the known details of the deal align with the market. Van Lanen’s contract sits at average left tackle money at the time of signing and will naturally slide down the positional rankings as the cap continues to rise. It’s also only a modest increase over Walker Little’s 2024 deal, once accounting for the roughly 8.5 percent salary cap jump in 2025. Put another way: if someone were signed today to Walker Little’s exact 2024 contract, it’d look closer to a three-year, $44 million extension with around $30 million guaranteed.

The Jury Remains Out​

While the verdict of this extension may sit in limbo for some time, let’s remember, just because Van Lanen originally participated on a $3 million salary does not make him a $3 million player. We’ve seen this before. Jordan Lewis outplayed his deal in Dallas and earned market value upon arriving in Jacksonville. Meanwhile, Cowboys fans often cry on social media about how much they should have paid him. Players outperform their contracts all the time, and when they do, teams have to pay up. If Van Lanen is truly the player this staff believes he is, then the risk here is far lower than the four-game audition narrative suggests.

Additionally, there’s the lingering decision of what becomes of now, backup left tackle Walker Little. Little has started at right guard in week 17 against the Indianapolis Colts, with Patrick Mekari nursing a back injury that will also hold him out of week 18. The option to trade Walker away in the offseason or before the 2026 trade deadline is an obvious possibility. In the scenario of an outright release, Little’s dead money reflects $18.2 million prior to June 1st. If designated as a post-June 1st release, the 2026 dead cap is only $13.5 million, with a 2027 dead cap of $4.6 million. If traded, however, Jacksonville would take on a $7.2 million 2026 dead cap (pre-June 1st) and $2.5 million 2026 and $4.6 million dead cap for 2027.

Jacksonville has a few remaining priority free agents, who may jump to the top of the list as the next extension candidates following Van-Lanen’s deal:

• LB Devin Lloyd
• RB Travis Etienne
• LB Dennis Gardeck
• CB Montaric Brown

What are your thoughts on the reported extension, solidifying Lawrence’s blindside, BigCatCountry? Too early or smart timing for a buy-low opportunity? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...81039/report-jaguars-extend-lt-cole-van-lanen

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Hang the Banner: Jaguars AFC South Champs Again After Week 18 Win

The Jacksonville Jaguars are officially AFC South Champions again, for the third time in franchise history (2017 and 2022) after securing their 13th win of the 2025 season on Sunday. This was Jacksonville’s first 13-win season since 1999, with the party at The Bank having the feel of a Homecoming game. The team set multiple milestones on the way to a 41-7 domination of the lowly Tennessee Titans.

With next week’s home Wild Card Round game on deck, here’s everything you need to know from Jacksonville’s Week 18 season finale.

pic.twitter.com/uofB9KZsL0

— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) January 4, 2026

Live blog:

Catch up on all the big plays and best moments from tonight’s game in our live blog!

Pregame Notes:

Recently signed CB Keith Taylor, TE Hunter Long, DL Emmanuel Ogbah, DT Maason Smith, and TE Patrick Herbert were all healthy scratches for Sunday. OL Patrick Mekari did not practice all week after missing Week 17 with a back injury. OL Walker Little started in his absence for a second consecutive game. For Tennessee, S Amani Hooker, former Jaguar OLB Arden Key, G Drew Moss, G Garrett Dellinger, OT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, and TE Gunnar Helm were all held out for the Titans.

The following Jacksonville players left Sunday’s game due to injury:

• WR Brian Thomas Jr (concussion) – cleared and returned to the matchup
• CB Greg Newsome (shoulder)
• LT Cole Van-Lanen (knee)

Game Recap

The Jaguars’ offense started their first series in a rocky way, going backwards on the opening two snaps, with QB Trevor Lawrence taking a first down sack from Justin Simmons (beating Ezra Cleveland and a LeQuint Allen chip).

The Titans sack Trevor Lawrence on the first play of the game
pic.twitter.com/f6wJm8lDA5

— Titans Nation (@TitansNationCP) January 4, 2026

That opening snap was followed up by a 10-yard holding penalty on recently extended LT Cole Van-Lanen on second down. The offense, unable to convert the third-and-long, punted to Tennessee, who immediately drove 58 yards in five plays, with QB Cam Ward going 3 for 3 for 52 yards and a 7-yard touchdown rush on the drive. However, Ward immediately left the game with an injury to his throwing shoulder. (Jaguars 0, Titans 7)

.@Cameron7Ward finds the end zone himself

: #TENvsJAX on @NFLonFOX & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/UpOVzQHhnI

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) January 4, 2026

The Jacksonville offense bounced back on the next drive with a 6-play, 67-yard, 4:07 touchdown drive with Lawrence going 5 of 5 for 60 yards on the series. The drive featured explosive plays of 23 and 22 yards by Brian Thomas Jr and Parker Washington, who capped the series with his second contested catch of the drive, with a touchdown to tie the affair. (Jaguars 7, Titans 7)

What's smoother, the TD or the golf swing?@CPW11_ | #TENvsJAX on FOXpic.twitter.com/QashD4JFsb

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 4, 2026

With Cam Ward in the locker room, former Jaguar Brandon Allen took over at quarterback for Tennessee. Both offenses struggled to get anything going, both punting the ball away to wrap up the first quarter. The Jaguars’ offense got going 82 yards on 5 plays courtesy of Brenton Strange pulling in 4 catches for 33 yards on the drive, including a 7-yard touchdown catch. Trevor Lawrence was again 5 for 5, this time for 50 yards and a touchdown. (Jaguars 14, Titans 7)

Brenton Strange is the open man for a Jaguars touchdown

TENvsJAX on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/kXIA2NWIA5

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026

The defense didn’t rest, quickly extending the Jacksonville lead as S Antonio Johnson brought in his fifth interception of the season (and his third in the past four games) – this one a 59-yard pick-six! Johnson’s five interceptions are tied with LB Devin Lloyd for second in the NFL – one behind the league leader. (Jaguars 21, Titans 7)

Prowlers and pick sixes >>>@Antonio_johns0n | #TENvsJAX on FOXpic.twitter.com/Ij8Q4MLPEQ

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 4, 2026

Following the interception, the Jaguars’ defense forced a subsequent three-and-out, with the offense immediately shutting the door on any slim dreams of a comeback, driving 86 yards in nine plays with explosive plays from Parker Washington and TE Johnny Mudnt of 29 and 16 yards. (Jaguars 28, Titans 7)

Trevor Lawrence… Where do we even begin?#TENvsJAX on FOXpic.twitter.com/Ujeacixzq8

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 4, 2026

After Tennessee, oddly, unsuccessfully chose to attempt to convert a fourth and eight from the 49-yard line, Cam Little drilled his second kick of the season of 67-plus yards to close out the half. (Jaguars 31, Titans 7)

Halftime Stats:

• Score: Jaguars 31, Titans 7
• First downs: Jaguars 14, Titans 6
• Time of possession: Jaguars 15:20, Titans 14:40
• Sacks (defense): Jaguars 0, Titans 2 for 16 yards
• Turnovers forced: Jaguars 1, Titans 0
• Rushing yards: Jaguars 23, Titans 39
• Yards per rush: Jaguars 3.8, Titans 3.9
• Passing yards: Jaguars 165, Titans 91
• Redzone: Jaguars 2 for 2 (100%), Titans 1 for 1 (100%)
• Penalties: Jaguars 1 for 10 yards, Titans 5 for 52 yards
• Points off turnovers: Jaguars 7, Titans 0

At the half, Lawrence was 16/19 for 181 yards, 3 touchdowns, no turnovers, and a 145.9 passer rating. Travis Etienne’s stat sheet at the half was 5 rushes for 11 yards (2.2 YPC), while Bhayshul Tuten had one carry for 12 yards.

halftime qb update pic.twitter.com/wXw4CL60Qs

— Gus Logue (@gus_logue) January 4, 2026

Up 24 at the half, the team chose to allow the starters to remain in the game, with Lawrence leading Jacksonville on a 10-play, 41-yard drive, capped by a 52-yard Little field goal. (Jaguars 34, Titans 7)

Lawrence remained in the matchup, up 27 points, into the fourth quarter, while Lawrence attempted to achieve the third 4,000-yard season of his five-year career. He reached this milestone on a 23-yard Parker Washington fourth quarter catch and immediately left the field.

Trevor Lawrence has thrown for over 4,000 passing yards this season! pic.twitter.com/9zcZcBdChZ

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 4, 2026

QB Nick Mullens finished out the drive and the matchup, with RB Bhayshul Tuten’s 5-yard touchdown rush capping the drive’s scoring. (Jaguars 41, Titans 7)

Tuten for another Jaguars TD

TENvsJAX on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/ilyNaSdims

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026

Best highlight:

Here for the field goal, stat for the Cam Little, Dewey Wingard celebration.

Cam Little bends in a 67-yard FG, the 2nd-longest in NFL history!

TENvsJAX on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/QCB5u4u70O

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026

Key stats (traditional):

• QB Trevor Lawrence: 22/30 for 255 yards, 3 touchdowns, zero turnovers (131.9 passer rating), and two rushes for 11 yards
• RB Travis Etienne: 14 carries for 32 yards (2.3 YPC)
• WR Parker Washington: 5 catches on 9 targets for 87 yards (17.4 YPR), and 1 TD
• TE Brenton Strange: 6 catches on 6 targets for 52 yards (8.7 YPR), and 1 TD
• S Antonio Johnson: 3 tackles (all solo), 1 pass defensed, 1 interception for a touchdown
• DL Dawaune Smoot: 5 tackles (1 solo), 1 sack, 1 TFL
• Foye Oluokun: 8 tackles (3 solo), 1 pass defensed

View the full box score here

Game balls:

• Special Teams: K Cam Little: 2 for 2 with a long of 67 yards; 5/5 on extra points
• Defense: S Antonio Johnson: 3 tackles (all solo), 1 pass defensed, 1 interception for a touchdown
• Offense: QB Trevor Lawrence: 22/30 for 255 yards, 3 touchdowns, zero turnovers (131.9 passer rating), and two rushes for 11 yards

Post-game notables:

1. Jags start off slow

The Jaguars have struggled to put points on the scoreboard on opening drives since their bye week, with the team punting or turning the ball over on five of their last six games, including Sunday. The only successful opening drive came in week 15 against the New York Jets. On Sunday, Jacksonville again struggled to move the ball on the opening drive, going backward on its first two snaps. Similar to their Week 13 matchup against Tennessee, Jacksonville struggled on the opening drive only to open things up on their second series, never looking back.

2. Turnovers have been their business (and business is good)

In 2024, the Jaguars had a league-low nine defensive turnovers. This season, Anthony Campanile’s unit jumped from 32nd to second with a 344% increase in turnover production. The Jacksonville defense tied for the NFL lead in interceptions, with 22, which is also a franchise single-season record. Additionally, the team is second in the NFL in total turnovers, one behind the Chicago Bears, who have yet to play this week.

3. A milestone day in Duval

Multiple milestones were hit on Sunday by Jacksonville:

• Sunday was the seventh time this season the Jaguars have scored 30 or more points, which is the most in a single season in franchise history, per ESPN Research. The 2017 Jaguars achieved this feat six times.
• A new franchise record for touchdowns scored in a season (53)
• A new franchise record for interceptions secured (22)
• Cam Little hit the second-longest field goal in NFL history – second to the NFL record holder, kicker Cam Little (68 yards). Per ESPN Analytics, Little is now the first player in NFL history with multiple field goals of 65+ yards in a career — both of which have been this season.
• Little also set the franchise record for the most points scored in a season in franchise history with 140, passing K Mike Hollis.
• Trevor Lawrence became the new franchise record holder for the most touchdowns in a single season (38), surpassing Blake Bortles

What are your thoughts from today’s game, Jaguars fans? Who surprised you most with their play tonight? Are you shocked at Jacksonville achieving 13 victories on the year? Let us know in the comments!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/game-day-threads/81093/hang-the-banner-jaguars-afc-south-champs-again

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Winners & Losers from Week 18: Jaguars Decimate the Titans to Earn Sunday Playoff Game

In a year’s time, the Jacksonville Jaguars went from 13 losses to 13 wins and a division title. Even better still, the Jags are just four games away from the team’s first Super Bowl victory.

Sunday’s 41-7 thrashing of the Tennessee Titans was all about Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence etched his name in Jaguars lore, right beside his first-year coach, Liam Coen. The defense showed up yet again, which helped complement the city of Jacksonville, which showed up for their hometown team. Sunday was about Jacksonville. It was always going to be. It was always the Jags.

And with that victory, there’s at least more Sunday of football to be had in Duval County. This time, it will be against the Buffalo Bills. Before all that, however, let’s do as we always do and assess the many winners from what was an oh-so-fantastic way to cap off a historic regular season.

WINNERS

Jacksonville

What a way to put the city of Jacksonville in the national spotlight, man.

For anyone who has been a Jags fan for some time, you know what it’s like to be the forgettable losers of the NFL. You can’t even say the Jags are lovable losers because who outside of Jacksonville and parts of England and Ireland cares about us? The answer is no one.

Now you have to care. You have to care because this team is good. This team is loaded with talent and whether fans of other teams like it or not, this team is winning on the biggest of stages. No longer can everyone pull what Richard Sherman does and overlook the Jags because traditionally they aren’t great. The Jags are legit and you have to take notice.

The fan base showed up for what was always supposed to be a blowout. In the end, it even was a blowout– the largest such win by the Jags over the Titans ever! What a look this was for Jacksonville to cap off a tremendous year. It’s hard not to watch the media this team puts out, the interviews these guys do, the way these guys play, the way the coaches embrace the city, the way it makes people mad we are good and not smile. This is what it’s all about.

Obviously, this has just been one season. Things can always go sideways in a minute. Teams like New England or Kansas City have had this type of success regularly. For Jacksonville though? This doesn’t come around too often. And I think I speak for every Jags fan out there when I say I’ll be showing my ass around town for the next few days because the Jags are winners.

The 2025 AFC South division title will always belong to Duval County. Not Houston. Not Indianapolis. And certainly not to anyone in Nashville. Right here in Duval. It sure feels nice. Revel in it. You earned it.

The Offense

Now to the more Xs and Os of the day: the Jacksonville Jaguars offense shredded the Titans.

In recent weeks there has been some moaning and groaning that the Jags and Lawrence haven’t played the best defenses and certainly the Titans are no exception to that. The counterpoint to that however is a Pro Bowler literally sacked Lawrence on the Jags first play on offense. You can only do so much as these are still NFL players after all.

Speaking of Lawrence, he planted himself in the Jaguar quarterback pantheon by eclipsing 4,000 yards passing this season and ending with 29 passing touchdowns. He also added nine rushing scores, 13 wins and a grill to his season which gives him basically the best year for a quarterback in Jags history. Not too shabby for a guy who was a “bust” a few months ago.

That same quarterback also completed passes to nine different players to finish with a final stat line of 22-30 for 255 yards and a trio of passing touchdowns. In his last six games, Lawrence has just one pick to 19 total scores.

The plan by offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, who has done a hell of a job, and Coen was to attack the porous and banged-up Titans secondary. It worked all day. The only real flaw by the offense was the two sacks given up or maybe not running the ball enough. But those are minor issues when you look at the offensive production as a whole.

Parker Washington was great as usual again and ended his career year with 847 yards and five scores, going for 87 yards and a score against the Titans.

Brenton Strange looked great, catching all six balls tossed his way for 52 yards and a score. Both Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers did their parts. It’s all clicking heading into the playoffs.

Lawrence is the story of the offense from Sunday and from the season as a whole. He has rewritten his narrative 10 times over with his production during the second half of the 2025-26 season. I, like many, have been critical of the guy. He certainly is a rollercoaster. When things were starting to look worrisome once again earlier this year, it was Lawrence who picked it up and righted the ship. The Prince Who Was Promised is here. He also won against his rival team to clinch the No. 3 AFC playoff seed on his daughter’s birthday no less. He earned some diamonds on his teeth I think.

16 haters down BAD.#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/FNJ0NuoRuQ

— x – Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 4, 2026

The Defense

In the same boat as the offense, the defense had yet another banner day against the Titans.

After the first touchdown drive led by Cam Ward – who exited the game with a shoulder injury – the Jags defense held the Titans scoreless and even scored on an Antonio Johnson pick-six. Johnson is going to be paid in a big way by the way but I digress.

While it was just a one sack day, the Titans literally had nothing on offense to compete with the Jags. That team needed to run the ball and couldn’t muster anything at all, finishing with just 77 yards combined on the ground and just 44 yards from Tony Pollard.

You really can’t ask for much more from the NFL’s best run defense and the NFL’s second-best team in terms of takeaways. It’s now been six games straight that the Jags haven’t allowed a team to score over 20 points on them. That in turn has helped the offense a ton to beat teams by over 19 points during the eight-game win streak into the playoffs.

Jacksonville finished the season leading the league in rush defense for the first time in team history, allowing a franchise-low 85.6 rushing yards per game. The Jaguars are the third team since 2000 to not allow a 75-yard rusher in a single game for an entire season. pic.twitter.com/fgQsfumnji

— JaguarsPR (@JaguarsPR) January 4, 2026

Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has gotten a boatload of praise this year and every bit has been deserved. Those players on defense seemingly would die for our ultra-Italian DC. The same with our head coach.

The Jags last year were dead last in takeaways on defense. This year, teams hardly dare press the ball downfield in fear of one of Jacksonville’s many ballhawks swooping in and making a house call. It’s an understatement to comment on how far this specific unit has come.

Remember last year when Josh Hines-Allen was fat? This year (or more specifically, the second half of the year) the Good Josh Allen has been a terror alongside Travon Walker. DaVon Hamilton might be the best defensive tackle in the game while he is playing against actually one of the best DTs in the game right now in Arik Armstead.

This defense is special. The Bad Josh Allen better come correct or this Jags defense might do to him what vampires did to his wife in Sinners.

Antonio Johnson pick 6 pic.twitter.com/LNDwj1rDm5

— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) January 4, 2026

Johnson’s pick was (surprisingly) the only pick of the day for the Jags which means no usual Al’s Pizza shoutout but we do have an AFC South Champions shoutout from our friends at Al’s. For Jags fans who use code DUUUVALSPIZZA online through Tuesday, Jan. 6, you can get 50% off pizza. Shoutout to the defense for supplying pizzas to the masses all year long.

Special Freaking Teams

This guy Cam Little might have a future in this whole football thing. He might have made a decent choice with his career path.

Though Little may be slight of stature, his leg sure isn’t. Former Jags QB coach and current Titans interim head coach so graciously called a timeout before halftime and having his backup quarterback throw an ill-advised pass which set up Little to try a 67-yarder. Of course, Little nailed the kick and set himself in the NFL record books for second longest kick in history.

The owner of the longest kick in NFL history? Oh, also Little. Trent Baalke is somewhere smiling.

Outside of Little, punt-god Logan Cooke boomed a couple, including a 60-yarder to keep on flipping the field for the Jags. Those two are quite literally as good as it gets which makes it so confusing neither of them got a Pro Bowl nod.

DeeJay Dallas and Washington each did fine jobs in the return category. Dallas is actually fun to watch and seems like he’s extremely close to busting one to the crib. We all know Washington is liable to do that at any moment after he reverses field four or five times.

While the offense and defense have been playing at league-best rates, so too has the special teams unit. It isn’t terribly easy to make heroes out of your kicker, punter and even your long snapper but this organization has done so. It’s just another reason to smile when thinking about this Jags team and its trajectory.

When your offense needs just a first down and change to set up a field goal try, you have something good. The Jags have that with their special teams unit. Get Little a grill too while we’re at it.

Cam Little nails a 67 yd field goal.
Longest outdoors kick in NFL history pic.twitter.com/iOFw6Rko7x

— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) January 4, 2026

LOSERS

Whatever Those First Couple Minutes Were

Ok, even the Jags fan wearing the most rose colored glasses can say that the Jags started slowly against the Titans. The first play on offense was a huge sack on Lawrence and the defense let Ward move all over them for an opening drive touchdown.

Did the Titans do much of anything at all after that? No sir. Is it cause for concern? No, likely not.

That is two weeks in a row in must-win games where the Jags did start slowly. The start against the Colts might’ve been slower than this one, but still slow nonetheless. If there had to be a loser this week, it’d simply be the Jags didn’t come for the throat immediately. It just took about 10 minutes.

Injuries??

Anyone still a little emotional after seeing that hit on Washington?

The literal worst time for injuries for a playoff team would be in a blowout win right before said playoffs. For a little bit, it looked like the Jags had come across maybe the worst injury luck in history in such a game.

Thomas, Greg Newsome, Strange and Washington all suffered sort of “freak” injuries at one point or another during the game. BTJ was evaluated for a concussion and returned, Newsome dealt with another shoulder injury, Strange just looked to be dead tired and Washington looked like he had suffered a nasty concussion before coming back on the field a few plays later. All the aforementioned players returned and finished out the game, but for a few moments it looked like the season was hanging by an increasingly thinner thread with that rash of ailments.

The one injury to really take note of was to starting left tackle Cole Van Lanen who left Sunday’s game late in the fourth quarter. Van Lanen spoke to reporters postgame which is obviously a good sign and has been given no further injury designation. Hopefully it’s nothing, but certainly something to monitor heading into the playoffs. Van Lanen was just handed a big contract and has played a solid part in the recent success for the Jags offense. They will need him as long as the Jags keep playing.

Spoke with Cole Van Lanen in the locker room, who was walking around on his own + given the “good to go” from training staff.

And yes, Cole: the #Jaguars are still playing in the winter pic.twitter.com/IBLH7TbJXf

— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) January 4, 2026

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...77/jaguars-titans-week-18-2025-winners-losers

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars vs Bills: NFL Wild Card Round opening odds

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 12: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers pressures Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter of the game at EverBank Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

The Jacksonville Jaguars (#3 seed) will face the Buffalo Bills (#6 seed) at EverBank Stadium at 1:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, Jan. 11.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Jaguars are 1.5-point underdogs and the total is set at 51.5 points.

Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen have played against each other three times in the five years they’ve both been in the NFL.

• Week 9, 2021: Jaguars 9, Bills 6
• Week 5, 2023: Jaguars 25, Bills 20
• Week 3, 2024: Jaguars 10, Bills 47

Lawrence may have a 2-1 career record over Allen, but it’s fair to say that the latter is the most pivotal player in the playoff picture. Buffalo goes as Allen goes. He can put the team on his back and carry them to the Super Bowl.

If Anthony Campanile’s defense can stop James Cook and the Bills’ run game, Allen will have to make about 100 superhero plays to keep up with Liam Coen’s offense. The Jaguars look like they can score 30+ points against any given defense in any given week. Then again, the playoffs are a different beast…

What are your thoughts on the Jaguars’ Wild Card Round matchup? Let us know in the comments below!

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Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks.../jaguars-bills-wild-card-opening-betting-odds

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 opponents: Home, away matchups confirmed

Hopefully it will be a few weeks before we know how the Jaguars’ 2025 season ends up, and we won’t know the full 2026 schedule for a few months, but we do know which teams the Jaguars will be playing next season.

Just like every other season, the Jags will have home and away matchups with the other AFC South teams — the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Tennessee Titans. They’ll also face the NFC East and AFC North, and their first-place finish in the division landed Jacksonville a very tough trio with the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and Chicago Bears on the schedule next season.

Here’s the full list of the Jags’ opponents for the 2026 season.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 opponents​

• Houston Texans (home/away)
• Indianapolis Colts (home/away)
• Tennessee Titans (home/away)
• Cleveland Browns
• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Washington Commanders
• Baltimore Ravens
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Dallas Cowboys
• New York Giants
• New England Patriots
• Denver Broncos
• Chicago Bears

Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 home game schedule​

• Houston Texans
• Indianapolis Colts
• Tennessee Titans
• Cleveland Browns
• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Washington Commanders
• New England Patriots

Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 away game schedule​

• Baltimore Ravens
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Dallas Cowboys
• Houston Texans
• Indianapolis Colts
• New York Giants
• Tennessee Titans
• Denver Broncos
• Chicago Bears

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...l-opponents-2026-afc-south-home-away-matchups

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars 2026 NFL Draft order: Why Jacksonville has no 1st-round pick

If the Jacksonville Jaguars had a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it would be the 27th overall selection. But the Jags traded that pick to the Cleveland Browns to be able to move up to No. 2 and select one of the most dynamic athletes available, Colorado’s two-way superstar Travis Hunter, in the 2025 draft.

The Jaguars sent the Browns their fifth overall pick in 2025, which Cleveland used to select DT Mason Graham. In addition, the Browns received the Jags’ second-round pick (No. 36), which they used to snag WR Quinshon Judkins. Jacksonville’s first-round pick in 2026 wraps up the deal.

Hunter landed on IR in October with a knee injury, and surgery to repair his LCL ended his rookie season. Before that point, Hunter played in seven games, with 28 catches on 45 targets for 298 yards and one touchdown. On defense, Hunter had 15 total tackles and three pass breakups.

Here’s the latest NFL Draft order after Week 18.

Updated 2026 NFL Draft order​

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts)
16. Baltimore Ravens
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay Packers)
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Buffalo Bills
25. Chicago Bears
26. San Francisco 49ers
27. Houston Texans
28. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars)
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. New England Patriots
31. Denver Broncos
32. Seattle Seahawks

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...rade-travis-hunter-cleveland-brownspick-trade

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars Reacts Survey: Will Jacksonville Beat Buffalo on Sunday?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Jaguars fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Jaguars fans — are you confident the team is headed in the right direction?

And what will be the outcome of Sunday’s game?

There’s definitely a good chance of this matchup being a shootout. Buffalo’s Josh Allen has played in plenty of “the last guy to touch the football will win” playoff games, and that could be the case on Sunday against Jacksonville’s high-octane offense.

Or maybe the Bills will humble the Jaguars and leave us all saying, “This was a special season for Liam Coen’s team but they aren’t quite in the contender stage yet.”

Or maybe the Jaguars will trounce the Bills and leave no question as to who the hottest team in football is right now. Only four more days until we find out!

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...aguars-reacts-survey-bills-wild-card-playoffs

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars vs Bills Matchup History: AFC Wild Card

The AFC South Champions, the Jacksonville Jaguars, are hosting the Buffalo Bills this Sunday for the AFC Wild Card. The Jaguars and the Bills have collectively faced off against each other twenty times, and while the record is currently tied, the two teams have met twice in the AFC Wild Card, and Jacksonville has beaten Buffalo both times.

Series Results

Date	Visitor	Home	Result
09/23/2024	Jacksonville Jaguars – 10	Buffalo Bills – 47	L
10/08/2023	Jacksonville Jaguars – 25	Buffalo Bills – 20	W
11/07/2021	Buffalo Bills – 6	Jacksonville Jaguars – 9	W
11/25/2018	Jacksonville Jaguars – 21	Buffalo Bills – 24	L
01/07/2018	Buffalo Bills – 3	Jacksonville Jaguars – 10	W
11/27/2016	Jacksonville Jaguars – 21	Buffalo Bills – 28	L
10/25/2015	Buffalo Bills – 31	Jacksonville Jaguars – 34	W
12/15/2013	Buffalo Bills – 27	Jacksonville Jaguars – 20	L
12/02/2012	Jacksonville Jaguars – 18	Buffalo Bills – 34	L
10/10/2010	Jacksonville Jaguars – 36	Buffalo Bills – 26	W
11/22/2009	Buffalo Bills – 15	Jacksonville Jaguars – 18	W
09/14/2008	Buffalo Bills – 20	Jacksonville Jaguars – 16	L
11/25/2007	Buffalo Bills – 14	Jacksonville Jaguars – 36	W
11/26/2006	Jacksonville Jaguars – 24	Buffalo Bills – 27	L
09/12/2004	Jacksonville Jaguars – 13	Buffalo Bills – 10	W
09/14/2003	Buffalo Bills – 38	Jacksonville Jaguars – 17	L
10/18/2001	Buffalo Bills – 13	Jacksonville Jaguars – 10	L
10/18/1998	Jacksonville Jaguars – 16	Buffalo Bills – 17	L
12/14/1997	Jacksonville Jaguars – 20	Buffalo Bills – 14	W
12/28/1996	Jacksonville Jaguars – 30	Buffalo Bills – 27	W

AFC Wild Card at Rich Stadium on December 28, 1996
Final score: Jaguars 30 – Bills 27
Attendance: 70,213

Jacksonville recorded 18 first downs, 409 total net yards, and 33:06 time of possession, compared to Buffalo’s 19 first downs, 308 total net yards, and 26:54 time of possession. Clyde Simmons, Natrone Means, and Jimmy Smith scored touchdowns. Mark Brunell completed 18 out of 33 attempted passes for 239 yards and was sacked twice for a loss of 14 yards. Natrone Means led the team with 175 rushing yards, and Keenan McCardell led with 76 receiving yards. Mike Hollis made three out of the four attempted field goals. Clyde Simmons registered two sacks and an interception that resulted in a touchdown. Simmons and Tony Brackens collectively sacked Jim Kelly and Todd Collins three times for a loss of 30 yards.

AFC Wild Card EverBank Field on January 7, 2018
Final score: Jaguars 10 – Bills 3
Attendance: 69,442

The Jaguars recorded 15 first downs, 230 total net yards, and 27:23 time of possession, compared to the Bills’ 20 first downs, 263 total net yards, and 32:37 time of possession. Ben Koyack scored the only touchdown. Blake Bortles completed 12 out of 23 attempted passes for 87 yards, was sacked twice for a loss of 12 yards, and led the team with 88 rushing yards. Dede Westbrook led with 48 receiving yards. Josh Lambo made the attempted field goal. Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Colvin had interceptions. Myles Jack and Malik Jackson both recorded sacks on Tyrod Taylor for a loss of 15 yards.

Players who have played for JAX and BUF

Player	Pos	Years in JAX	Years in BUF
Ankou, Eli	DT	2017-2018	2021-2024
Asper, Mark	OG	2012	2013
Ayodele, Akin	LB	2002-2005	2010
Banyard, Joe	RB	2015-2016	2017
Barkley, Matt	QB	2023	2018-2020
Borders, Breon	DB	2018-2019	2017
Brooks, Bucky	DB	1996-1997	1994
Brown, John	WR	2021	2019-2020; 2022
Brown, Preston	LB	2019	2014-2017
Brown, Sergio	DB	2015	2016
Darby, Ronald	DB	2024	2015-2016
Dareus, Marcell	DT	2017-2019	2011-2017
Davis, Gabriel	WR	2024	2020-2023; 2025
Davis, Ryan	DE	2012-2015	2017
Douzable, Leger	DE	2010-2011	2016
Dumas, Mike	DB	1995	1994
Edwards, Trent	QB	2010	2007-2010
Elliott, Kevin	WR	2012	2012-2013
Favors, Greg	LB	2004-2005	2002
Florence, Drayton	DB	2008	2009-2011
Fournette, Leonard	RB	2017-2019	2023
Giles-Harris, Joe	LB	2019-2020; 2024	2021-2022
Goganious, Keith	LB	1995	1992-1994
Hauschka, Stephen	K	2020	2017-2019
Heath, T.J.	DB	2011	2012
Hollis, Mike	K	1995-2001	2002
Ivory, Chris	RB	2016-2017	2018
Johnson, Austin	DT	2025	2024
Johnson, Rob	QB	1995-1997	1998-2001
Jones, Zay	WR	2022-2023	2017-2019
Lewis, Patrick	C	2013	2016
Mabin, Greg	DB	2020	2017
McCray, Lerentee	LB	2017-2021	2016
Miller, John	OG	2022	2015-2018
Morris, Quintin	TE	2025	2022-2024
Morrison, Kirk	LB	2010	2011-2012
Morse, Mitch	C	2024	2019-2023
Myslinski, Tom	OG	1995	1993
Neufeld, Ryan	TE	2000	2003-2007
O’Leary, Nick	TE	2019	2015-2017
Paup, Bryce	DE	1998-1999	1995-1997
Pitts, Lafayette	DB	2017	2017-2018
Posey, Jeff	LB	2001	2003-2005
Posluszny, Paul	LB	2011-2017	2007-2010
Prioleau, Pierson	DB	2008	2001-2004
Reyes, Tutan	OG	2007-2008	2006
Robinson, Eddie	LB	1996-1997	2002
Savage, Darnell	DB	2024-2025	2025
Shaw, Bobby	WR	2002	2003-2004
Shelton, Daimon	RB	1997-2000	2004-2006
Smoot, Dawuane	DE	2017-2023; 2025	2024
Stanford, Julian	LB	2012	2018-2019
Stroud, Marcus	DT	2001-2007	2008-2010
Thomas, Kiwaukee	DB	2000-2004	2006-2007
Warring, Kahale	TE	2021	2021
Washington, Mickey	DB	1995-1996	1993-1994
Wiley, Marcellus	DE	2005-2006	1997-2000
Williams, Thomas	LB	2008	2010
Yeldon, T.J.	RB	2015-2018	2019-2020
Youboty, Ashton	DB	2011	2006-2010
Young, Sam	OT	2013-2015	2011-2013

Please share your favorite moments from the Jaguars vs the Bills series with us in the comments or on social media. Not following us on social media? You can find us on X/Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...aguars-vs-bills-matchup-history-afc-wild-card

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jacksonville Jaguars: Three rookies that could be impactful in the playoffs

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had an interesting year when it comes to their 2o25 rookie class. Their aggressive draft day trade for Travis Hunter dominated the storylines for Jacksonville well into the early part of the season but an injury ended his rookie year after just seven games. Their second pick in the draft was safety Caleb Ransaw who was injured during training camp and missed the entire season, while their next pick, OL Wyatt Milum, missed time with an injury and ultimately played a limited role as primarily an extra lineman all year.

Those three were supposed to make a significant impact in year one but the injury gods weren’t on their side. Luckily for the Jaguars, a few late round picks, and even some undrafted free agents, have picked up the slack for James Gladstone’s first rookie class as the Jacksonville GM. Here are three names that have a chance to make an impact against the Bills and beyond in the playoffs.

Bhayshul Tuten

The Jacksonville rushing attack has been pretty inconsistent this season. They finished the regular season ranked 20th in rushing yards and 27th in yards per rush at just 4.0 per game. That’s all while running the ball at the eighth highest rate in the league.

Starting running back Travis Etienne has had a solid season when you look at the stats but his efficiency numbers fell off a cliff down the stretch. Over the last six games leading up to the playoffs, Etienne has averaged just 3.2 yards per carry as teams have prioritized stopping the run in an attempt to slow down the offense. Obviously that has backfired as it has been a factor in Trevor Lawrence having the hottest streak of his career.

That said, Liam Coen is going to want to make sure the run game gets back on track against statistically the worst rush defense in the league in Buffalo. One way they could do that is by getting rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten more involved. Tuten’s physical style of running is a stark contrast to Etienne’s finesse game and in a game of this magnitude, physicality at the line of scrimmage is going to be necessary. Don’t be surprised if we see packages where both Etienne and Tuten are on the field at the same time in an effort to keep the defense guessing on Sunday.

As an avid fan of 21 personnel with 2 RBs on the field, seeing Liam Coen dial it up with any 2 of Tuten, Etienne and Allen on the field has been sick to watch this season. So much affecting the eyes of the LBs on this one play pic.twitter.com/rZsthY8uNZ

— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) December 15, 2025

Rayuan Lane

There has been a lot of talk about the impact of special teams going into this Jags vs. Bills matchup, particularly in regards to the edge Jacksonville has in the kicking game. However, Buffalo has a special teams x-factor as well by the name of Ray Davis. The team’s third string running back has quietly been the best kick returner in the league in 2025. His 30.4 average on kickoffs was tops in the NFL for players with at least 20 returns and he took one to the house against the Texans in Week 12.

Ray Davis finished the 2025 season as the NFL's leading kick returner, averaging 30.4 yards.@raydavis | #GoBills pic.twitter.com/PkUoH7d8y3

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 5, 2026

The Jacksonville kick coverage unit hasn’t been great this season as it finished the year 27th in opponent drive start position after kickoffs (31.8). Like most playoff games, this is going to be a game where free yards matter a lot so the Jaguars can’t afford to allow a chunk kick return or two against anybody, but that is especially true when you consider you’re giving the reigning MVP a shorter field.

The special teams unit will need to play mistake free in that area and rookie safety Rayuan Lane will go a long way in making sure that happens. The team drafted him the sixth round out of Navy to be a special teams ace and he has already paid dividends as he has had a really nice year in that regard. That said, his impact will be felt whether good or bad in this one.

B.J. Green II

While the two previous names were somewhat expected to fill roles for the Jaguars in 2025, nobody assumed that undrafted free agent B.J. Green II would be playing as prominent a role as he has the second half of his rookie year.

Green had a productive college career at Arizona State and Colorado but his size at just 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds is a tough sell off the edge, which ultimately led to his undrafted status. The Jaguars did like him though and made him a priority signing shortly after the draft. He would then perform well in the preseason and surprisingly made the team’s final 53-man roster but really wouldn’t get a shot to make an impact all the way until Week 11. Since then, B.J. Green has solidified his rotational role thanks to a play speed and aggression that had been missing from the rest of the depth pieces off the edge.

Liam Coen speaking earlier this month on UDFAs BJ Green and Danny Striggow who have been huge for the Jaguars this season:

"Danny, B.J., it's the epitome of what you want your team to be, is guys earning the right through via special teams, playing their asses off on special… pic.twitter.com/gJRAM98eiX

— Nash Henry (@NashJagsNats22) December 29, 2025

Green now goes from being undrafted to trying to sack Josh Allen in a playoff game this Sunday within a nine month span. He may not see the field a ton, but rest assured when he does get his opportunity he is going to showcase that motor that has gotten him to this point.

Drop what rookie you think will make the biggest impact in the playoffs in the comments below!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...okies-that-could-be-impactful-in-the-playoffs

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars vs Bills key matchups: battle of the quarterbacks?

The #3 Jacksonville Jaguars welcome the #6 Buffalo Bills to EverBank Stadium on Sunday for their wildcard round playoff matchup. With the Jags in good form, here are three key battles to keep an eye on:

Antonio Johnson vs Tyrell Shavers​

#Jaguars Antonio Johnson finishes as @PFF’s highest-graded safety with a 87.4 grade.

Johnson’s five interceptions were T-2nd among safeties, while his 55.5 NFL Rating allowed in coverage ranked 8th.
pic.twitter.com/W7bJuipJxI

— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) January 6, 2026

What a first year for defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.

The Jags’ defense has been one of the standout units in the NFL in 2025, particularly against the pass. 22 interceptions on the year ranks second in the league, just one takeaway behind the Chicago Bears. Key to that prowess has been the development of the Jaguars’ secondary and a significant step up in pass coverage from the linebackers, with Devin Lloyd particularly impressing having five picks of his own.

Versatile safety Antonio Johnson joined Lloyd with five interceptions against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, picking off Brandon Allen in the second quarter and taking it back 42 yards for a score. Johnson has had an impressive campaign deputising at various spots in the defense’s back end as the Jags have battled various injuries. All three starting corners (Montaric Brown, Greg Newsome, Jarrian Jones) were limited or missed practice on Wednesday – and whilst all are expected to play this weekend, Johnson will likely have a heavy role.

Johnson thrives as a rangy free safety, able to play sideline to sideline and attack the ball downfield. Potentially Johnson’s biggest concern on Sunday will be in the form of Tyrell Shavers, who has impressed in Buffalo and currently sits ahead of both Keon Coleman and Brandin Cooks as Josh Allen’s deep threat. Shavers leads the Bills with an average of 16.3 yards per reception (minimum 20 catches) – not bad for an undrafted rookie who has worked his way up from the practice squad. We’ve seen how aggressive and vertical Buffalo can get in recent playoff games; removing the splash play would be of huge benefit to the Jags.

Walker Little vs Greg Rousseau​

HUGE play from Greg Rousseau pic.twitter.com/2aUCXJVonW

— Jenna Cottrell (@JennaCottrell) December 21, 2025

There have been plenty of nice surprises in terms of personnel for the Jaguars in 2025, giving confidence that there is finally a front office in place that is coordinated and has a clear identity. One of those has been the ascendancy of Cole Van Lanen, who was here before Gladstone and co. came in but has developed into a high-level left tackle for Jacksonville this season. Van Lanen was rewarded with a 3-year, $51m contract extension last month, a vote of confidence from the coaching staff that they have their blind side protector of the future in the building.

Van Lanen played hurt against the Titans, fighting through a knee injury that is apparently proving difficult to shake off. He was a non-participant in training on Wednesday, leading to concerns for his availability on Sunday.

Should he not be able to go, it’s likely the Jags turn to Walker Little to deputise. Versatile and a good depth option, Little has never quite been able to lock down a starting job, and it’s clear Liam Coen and his offensive staff think they generally have better options to start. Should he get the nod, Little will have a big task ahead of him, protecting Trevor Lawrence from a pass-rushing duo that has decent numbers but seems to find key moments to get to the quarterback.

Greg Rousseau has turned into one of the better pass rushers in the league and leads the Bills with seven sacks. But should he move around the formation, Little will likely encounter his running mate, Joey Bosa, who is also no slouch. Keeping Lawrence upright is critical in this game, and Little will need to be at his best if called upon.

Trevor Lawence vs Josh Allen​

Trevor Lawrence is ONE of FOUR quarterbacks whose EPA gained from Scrambles outweighs the EPA lost from Sacks.

The other three?
– Josh Allen
– Patrick Mahomes
– Baker Mayfield
pic.twitter.com/JPl1QIkaTa

— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) October 10, 2025

We can talk about receivers and safeties, offensive lines and pass rushes until we’re blue in the face. But Sunday’s matchup could very easily just boil down to which of the two quarterbacks has the better day.

If this turns into a shootout, then the casual fan will be in for a treat. Josh Allen has been one of the most exciting and dangerous quarterbacks in the NFL for some time, helping the Bills become playoff-relevant almost every year during the Sean McDermott era. Yet to hoist a Lombardi trophy, it feels like a matter of when, not if, he leads Buffalo to a Super Bowl title.

Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence has exploded down the stretch of the 2025 season, with things finally clicking in Liam Coen’s offense. There have been doubters in Jacksonville that Lawrence may never quite live up to the hype he came with when drafted number one overall back in 2021. A look at his numbers, as well as the huge contract extension he signed in April 2024, might make that seem laughable. But a lack of consistency, and maybe unfairly wins, meant there was a definite gap in people’s minds between Lawrence and his opposite number Allen this weekend.

That gap has now evaporated. Lawrence is playing as well as any quarterback in the playoffs, and there’s some quirky similarities with Allen in the way he’s been pushing the ball downfield and using his legs to move the chains. You couldn’t have always said this, but I’m not sure there’s another signal caller out there that the Jaguars fans would want leading their team in the postseason. If Lawrence can eclipse Allen on Sunday, then Jacksonville can start making plans for the divisional round.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks...bills-key-matchups-battle-of-the-quarterbacks

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars vs Bills: Staff roundtable and game picks for the Wild Card Round

Welcome to Big Cat Country’s staff roundtable!

Today, we’re previewing the Wild Card Round playoff matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium.

Question 1: Who has been your favorite player(s) to watch during Jacksonville’s current eight-game win streak?

Dillon Appleman: Obviously, Trevor’s ascension has been awesome to watch, but I have to give some shine to Jarrian Jones. He’d fallen down the depth chart before the win streak but has since earned more playing time and has been terrific. His energy stands out and he’s become one of the biggest playmakers on this defense. Since his snaps started to increase in Week 9, Jones has seven pass deflections, two interceptions, and six tackles for loss.

Travis Holmes: It’s hard for me to name a player I’m more passionate about than Jarrian Jones here. Jones began the season as a guy who was theoretically set to be in a fight for the outside corner role early in camp, to seemingly be in a (losing) fight for a starting role with Jourdan Lewis, to playing at such a high level currently that I couldn’t envision him not being on the field. He and this Jacksonville secondary are playing at such a level of confidence on the tape that it screams coaching clinic, high-IQ football, and development oozing out of every snap. Jones exemplifies that, along with multiple others, in that DB room.

Gus Logue: It’s hard not to go with Trevor Lawrence. I’ve been writing about the Jaguars since 2019, and I’d say more than half of the feature-length articles I’ve posted have essentially been titled “Lawrence is good, I swear!” Right now, he’s doing everything you could ask for: playmaking from both in and out of the pocket; changing calls and protections at the line of scrimmage; using his legs in high-leverage situations; and taking what the defense is giving him rather than forcing the ball. It took long enough, but the Trevor Lawrence Show has been a thrill to watch over the second half of this season.

Henry Zimmer: My favorite players from this win streak have been the rookie running backs. LeQuint Allen Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten have injected such a fun energy into this offense because neither guy is afraid to bow up to anyone. If you can have two newcomers who have zero fear anytime they step on the field, that not only permeates through the whole locker room but is also a great reflection on what the coaching staff is preaching. Not to mention both have produced when called upon.

Question 2: What’s a matchup you’re looking forward to watching?

Dillon: Josh Allen vs. Josh Hines-Allen. Jags fans will never forget when these two faced off back in 2021 when they were going by the same name. The Jags’ Josh Allen got the best of the matchup as he had a sack, fumble recovery and an interception in that one, which led to Jacksonville faithful giving Hines-Allen the nickname “The Good Josh Allen.” A lot of time has passed since then, as the Bills’ Josh Allen is now the reigning MVP while the Jags’ all-time sack leader has since changed his name to Joshua Hines-Allen, but what’s to say this matchup doesn’t decide who “The Good Josh Allen” is once and for all?

Travis: It’s Trevor Lawrence versus the media narrative, for me. After recently rewatching Jacksonville’s 2024 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills, I couldn’t help but wonder how Lawrence would perform this coming Sunday in what is expected to be a pretty similar defensive scheme, with a significant upgrade at offensive coordinator in Jacksonville. In that matchup against Sean McDermott and Bob Babich’s defense, Lawrence was 21 of 38 for 178 yards, a touchdown, and an interception (65.5 passer rating) and was sacked four times. With the team continuing to be disrespected and ignored by national media at every turn, a quality game from Trevor would go a long way towards shedding the narrative from those who clearly don’t watch the team on a weekly basis. However, a rough game would be Exhibit A for that same group were Lawrence to struggle, whether he won or lost. Sunday, at home, could be a prime-time opportunity to shut up the talking heads while also shifting his recent ascension from a temporary streak conversation to a placement into the new age elite quarterbacks.

Gus: Much has been made this week of Buffalo’s No. 1 run offense against Jacksonville’s No. 1 run defense — and for good reason — but I’m interested in the flip side as well. How will Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten perform against a Bills defense that, by deploying high rates of light boxes and two-high safety structures, invites opposing offenses to run against them? According to SūmerSports, the Jaguars rank 31st in EPA per designed rush and 31st in rushing success rate since the Jakobi Meyers acquisition in Week 10. The ground game has to be more efficient for the Jaguars to make a run (no pun intended) in the playoffs.

Henry: How will the Jags continue to stop the run? James Cook won the NFL’s rushing title with a monstrous 1,621 total rushing yards. Cook, combined with the big body rushing ability of Josh Allen, will certainly be the biggest test for the league’s No. 1 rushing defense. At home, I think I would give the Jags the edge, but the Jags rush defense vs. the Bills rush attack could easily determine this game.

Question 3: Who will be the biggest X-factor?

Dillon: Foye Oluokun. The Bills are the league’s No. 1 rushing team and have a trio of tight ends that they like to use in a multitude of ways. Those two attributes lend themselves to Foye Oluokun needing to play a big role in this one. He’s the team’s best run defender and rarely makes mistakes when filling gaps in that space. He’s also going to be leaned on to help keep Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes from picking up chunk plays at the second level, particularly in the red zone.

Travis: Bills running back James Cook has, rightfully, gotten a lot of attention for leading the NFL in yards this season. But, similar to the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor, the Jaguars aren’t novices in facing league-leading rushers while holding them to ho-hum days. Cook could potentially be the player who creates a matchup nightmare for Jacksonville should he become the first player to rush for over 100 yards against the Jaguars. However, Cook could equally end Sunday as Buffalo’s biggest problem should he be unable to get going or turn the ball over. Since week 10, Cook has fumbled five times, losing three of them. Meanwhile, Buffalo faces a Jaguars defense that’s top 10 in the NFL in fumbles forced (11) and fumbles recovered (9). That sets this week’s stage as a prime opportunity for a week when the first defender wraps up the ball carrier, with the second defender on the scene punching it out for Jacksonville’s defense.

Gus: Quintin Morris, of course. The fourth-year tight end has climbed up Jacksonville’s depth chart to the point that I’d be surprised if he isn’t re-signed in 2026 to continue serving as TE2. Morris scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 18 and could be a difference-maker in Sunday’s game due to Buffalo’s defensive structure. The Bills keep light bodies (defensive backs) on the field as much as possible because their top goal is to prevent explosive passes. However, that strategy often leaves them exposed against 2- or 3-TE sets. Look for the Jaguars to establish the run with Morris on the field early in the game; if that forces the Bills to adjust their personnel, Liam Coen’s entire playbook will open up from there.

Henry: This might be a cop out, but Josh Allen is my X-Factor. Allen is as good as it gets at the quarterback position and he is flanked by pretty good talent on his offense. The Jags defense is solid, but they haven’t seen someone like Allen in a while. If he plays to his regular playoff level, it could be a big issue for the Jags.

Final score prediction?

Dillon: Jaguars 23, Bills 21

Travis: Jaguars 34, Bills 24

Gus: Jaguars 34, Bills 20

Henry: Jaguars 35, Bills 34

What are your Week 17 predictions, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/jacks.../80546/jaguars-bills-nfl-wild-card-game-picks

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Two Jaguars named to 2025 AP All-Pro Team; Cam Little Snubbed

On Saturday, the Associated Press announced the full 2025 AP All-Pro roster, which included just one first-team Jacksonville Jaguars selection: three-time Pro Bowl long snapper Ross Matiscik. 2025 is Matiscik’s third consecutive placement as an All-Pro and his second time being named to the first team (2023).

Oh snap!⁰⁰For the third season in a row, Ross Matiscik is an AP All Pro pic.twitter.com/XRkNVoEcU9

— z – Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 10, 2026

Via the team release:

Matiscik, 29, has played 140 special teams snaps this season and made four tackles, tied for third in the league among long snappers. Since entering the league in 2020, his 22 special teams tackles are tied for the most in the NFL at his position. Matiscik has snapped for P Logan Cooke to achieve a 43.0-yard net punting average in 2025, the fourth best mark in the AFC, and for K Cam Little’s franchise-record 140 points scored, fifth most in the NFL this season. In addition to three All Pro nods, Matiscik has been named to the Pro Bowl games in each of the last three seasons.

Additionally, 2025 Pro Bowl alternate, LB Devin Lloyd was also named Second Team All-Pro by the AP, Lloyd’s first career selection. Via the team:

Lloyd, 27, started 15 games during the 2025 regular season and totaled 74 tackles, 10 quarterback hits, seven passes defensed, six tackles for loss, five interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery, as well as seven special teams tackles. His five interceptions and six takeaways tied for the second and third most in the NFL, respectively. Lloyd is just the second player in the last 20 seasons to have at least 10 quarterback hits and five interceptions in a season and the first since LB Lavonte David in 2013…Lloyd also earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors following Week 4 and AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors for September.

Unlike this year’s Pro Bowl voting, the two linebackers selected above Lloyd as starters reasonably have supported résumés to not consider Lloyd’s second-team placement a true “snub”. Detroit Lions LB Jack Campbell and Miami Dolphins backer Jordyn Brooks were both named this year’s All-Pro starters.

• Campbell averages over 10 tackles per game, to add to his five sacks and three forced fumbles (no interceptions) on the season.
• Jordyn Brooks also averages over 10 tackles per game, with 3 and a half sacks, 1 fumble forced, and no interceptions on the year.
• Lloyd averages 5 tackles per game, with one and a half sacks, no forced fumbles, and five interceptions.

However, the voting evaluation is where things truly get interesting here.

AP All-Pro Votes:​

• LS Ross Matiscik: 18 first team, 66 second team votes (1st)
• K Cam Little: 9 first team, 36 second team votes (3rd)
• LB Devin Lloyd: 19 first team, 70 second team votes (3rd)
• S Antonio Johnson: 2 first team, 13 second team votes (7th)
• Punt Returner Parker Washington: 1 second team vote (8th)
• LB Foye Oluokun: 2 first team, 8 second team votes (9th)
• DE Josh Hines-Allen: 2 second team votes (11th)

For those keeping score, that’s zero combined votes for any Jacksonville offensive players, including Trevor Lawrence, the offensive line, Travis Etienne, or punter Logan Cooke. No Arik Armstead at defensive line, nor RT Anton Harrison. Parker Washington getting the eighth most votes as a punt returner and Antonio Johnson (PFF’s highest graded safety, who’s also tied for the second-most interceptions in the NFL) at seventh? K Cam Little is probably the biggest snub here, landing third in total voting behind Minnesota Vikings K Will Reichard and Dallas Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey.

• Will Reichard: 94.3% FG rate, 100% on XP, a long of 62 yards, and 11 of 13 from 50+ (84.6%)
• Brandon Aubrey: 85.7% FG rate, 97.9% on XP, a long of 64 yards, and 11 of 17 from 50+ (64.7%)
• Cam Little: 88.2% FG rate, 98.0% on XP, an NFL record long of 68 yards (plus an NFL outside record 67-yarder), and 8 of 10 from 50+ (80.0%)

CAM LITTLE JUST KICKED THE LONGEST FG IN NFL HISTORY! 68 YARDS! pic.twitter.com/WGZb6O9xhX

— NFL (@NFL) November 2, 2025

Notably, all six of Aubrey’s misses came from 50+, where Little missed two under 50 yards during his mid-year blip. Your NFL record holder for the longest ever field goal, who made an even longer one in the preseason, missed just four of 34 field goals on the year, is hitting field goals of over 50 yards at an 80 percent rate, and isn’t a first or second team All-Pro, while the guy who has missed more kicks, and has a worse conversion rate, is?

The respect, obviously, isn’t coming.

Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/gener...named-to-2025-all-pro-team-cam-little-snubbed