Are the Jaguars an underrated Playoff Contender?
Photo Credit: Kam Nedd / Jacksonville Jaguars
Following back-to-back wins across the pond in London, the Jacksonville Jaguars have put themselves on top of the AFC South. Currently sitting as the fourth seed in the playoff picture, many may be undermining the potential this group has as a playoff team. Objectively, the Jaguars come out of London looking better than the team that came in only two weeks ago. While business was taken care of against Atlanta, the win against the Bills presented a handful of key moments and highlights resembling that of a playoff-caliber team.
Growth and synergy
Addressing the Bills game specifically, Trevor Lawrence and company have exponentially tuned up their offense compared to the same unit that started 1-2 on the season. Running back Travis Etienne Jr. showed up in London, totaling 184 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns. This recent offensive shift with Etienne as a focused centerpiece gives the Jags a new identity to their offense. Alongside a commendable Trevor Lawrence performance, who completed 25 of 37 passes for 315 yards and a touchdown, this team shows that they can get it done through the ground and the air. Not only was it a solid statistical day for Lawrence, but his ability to spread the ball to all his teammates such as Zay Jones, who caught a touchdown in the first quarter, Christian Kirk (6 for 78), and of course Calvin Ridley (7 for 122) is what you want out of your offense. Additionally, taking five sacks on the day is no laughing matter, as Lawrence persevered and showed toughness.
Looking Ahead
The Jaguars’ supposed toughest leg of the season is coming up, consisting of a three-game stretch against the Colts, Saints and Steelers, with the Colts and Saints matchups four days apart. Despite some of these teams roaming around the bottom of the barrel in terms of quality, it’s important that Jacksonville takes control of the formula that allowed them to shine against the Bills and perfect it. However, I personally see the Jags coming out with a win in all three matchups. On the topic of this article’s title, the Jags may fly under the radar for a few more weeks but if they can convincingly win throughout this upcoming stretch, who’s to say that the Super Bowl’s AFC representative can’t be Jacksonville? Though, that’s probably a very chaotic take at the moment.
