James Gladstone made it clear at the deadline that the Jacksonville Jaguars are playing for January. The general manager landed Jessie Bates III, Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux in one day and sent a 2027 first-round pick to Philadelphia for Davis.
“We actually value picks,” Gladstone said. “We don’t always use them on the three days that exist in April.”
Liam Coen’s team is 6-2, leads the AFC South by three games and has outscored opponents by 108 points, the best margin in the NFL. Trevor Lawrence owns the league’s best passer rating, and the Jaguars beat Baltimore and Indianapolis by a combined 58 points over their last two games.
The schedule is softer from here, but it’s mostly on the road. By our count, Jacksonville’s final nine opponents are a combined 31-42-2 (.427), based on ESPN’s current standings, compared to 34-36 (.486) for the eight teams it has already played. Six of the nine games are away from EverBank Stadium, and the Jaguars are 2-1 on the road.
Most winnable games left for Jacksonville
1. vs. Tennessee Titans (Week 12, Nov. 29)
Tennessee is 1-7 and just sold Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker at the deadline.
The Titans have the league’s lowest PFF pass-rush grade without Simmons, which is a tough spot against a quarterback playing as well as Lawrence. This is the easiest game left on the schedule.
2. at Tennessee Titans (Week 10, Nov. 15)
The Titans are 0-4 at Nissan Stadium this season.
Jacksonville comes in rested after a Thursday night win in Baltimore, and Tennessee’s defense has allowed 199 points in eight games. The only thing keeping this below the home game is the trip.
3. vs. Washington Commanders (Week 17, date TBD)
Washington is 2-5-1, has a minus-30 point differential and has yet to win on the road.
It’s also one of only three home games left. Jacksonville is 4-1 in games it was designated the home team, including a win over Philadelphia in London.
4. at Indianapolis Colts (Week 18, date TBD)
The Colts are 2-7, have lost five straight and traded Josh Downs and Keenan Allen at the deadline. The Jaguars beat them 42-7 on Nov. 1.
Indianapolis is 1-3 at Lucas Oil Stadium. If the division is already wrapped up, Coen could manage his starters’ snaps.
Toughest games left for the Jaguars
5. at Houston Texans (Week 15, Dec. 20)
Houston is 3-5 and 0-4 at home, but the Texans are one of only two teams to beat Jacksonville this season, 34-31 in London on Oct. 18.
The Texans’ plus-17 point differential is better than their record, and they’ve been a different team on the road. This is the game most likely to tighten the AFC South race.
6. at Dallas Cowboys (Week 16, Dec. 27)
Dallas is 4-5 and 1-3 at home, but the Cowboys have scored 246 points.
A Sunday night game in Arlington the week after the Houston trip is the fifth road game in seven weeks for Jacksonville. That stretch is what makes December harder than the opponents’ records suggest.
7. at New York Giants (Week 11, Nov. 22)
The Giants are 5-2-1, have won two straight and are 3-1 at MetLife Stadium.
New York’s plus-10 point differential says it has won a lot of close games. The Jaguars haven’t played many of those, and their only two losses came by seven and three points.
8. vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Week 14, Dec. 14)
Pittsburgh is 6-2, has won four straight and has a plus-36 point differential.
This Monday night game is the Jaguars’ biggest home test left, and it could have AFC seeding on the line. The Steelers are 2-2 on the road.
9. at Chicago Bears (Week 13, Dec. 6)
Chicago is 7-2, has won four straight and is 4-1 at Soldier Field.
An early-December trip to Chicago against a defense that now includes Jeffery Simmons is the hardest assignment on the schedule. If Jacksonville takes care of the four games at the top of this list, a split of the remaining five would still leave the Jaguars at 12 or 13 wins.
More on the Jacksonville Jaguars
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- James Gladstone Reveals How Jaguars Landed Three Defensive Starters in One Day
