SI's John Shipley has been covering the Jacksonville Jaguars since 2019. That means he missed the 2017 "Sacksonville" run that featured a defense with virtually zero flaws and a version of Blake Bortles that was never to be seen again. However, in his most recent observation article regarding training camp, Shipley couldn't help but be…optimistic. So, that leads me to ask: Could this season be another special season for the Jacksonville Jaguars?
What Does a Special Season Look Like?
So, let's put this into perspective: The Jaguars (+3000) currently hold the 17th-best odds to win the Super Bowl, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
So, let's go ahead and throw a Super Bowl run as the end-all, be-all for this season into the nearest fire/furnace you may have. But there is reason to believe that a playoff berth, even without a division title, and a playoff win or two could be deemed a special season for this version of the Jaguars.
Why Does This Season Feel Special?
[Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
It feels like the Jaguars are currently being run…properly. It feels like there is an organizational flow, all pointing in the same direction, with everyone on the same page, understanding their role in getting to the next level. It feels like the Jaguars have found that combination of general manager, head coach, quarterback, weapons and defense that will keep you in virtually any game you play.
There's not just one specific way this Jaguars team can beat you. There seem to be multiple avenues this team can explore to end up victorious when the scoreboard reads triple zeros.
Last year, the average passer rating was 91.4; Lawrence had nine games where he was below average, and Jacksonville went 6-3 in those games. Before last season, if Lawrence had a quarterback rating below the league average, he was 3-35, including a period from 2023 to 2024 when they did not win a game (0-13).
Lawrence finally has a team where he doesn't always have to be the prince he was promised to be; he can make mistakes, and the team will still be okay. That freedom was a luxury that Lawrence wasn't afforded at the beginning of his career, but now that he has it, we've seen a better, more productive Trevor Lawrence.
With even more weaponry on both sides of the ball, it seems like it's only going to go up from here.
