The Jacksonville Jaguars are 8-3 and very much in the mix for the first seed in the AFC.
With a 24-21 win against the Houston Texans that came down to a 58-yard field goal attempt from Matt Ammendola that clanged off the bottom upright, the AFC South race appeared to come to a close Sunday. With six weeks left, the Jaguars have a two-game lead over the Texans and Indianapolis Colts.
Jacksonville has won seven of its last eight and is proving to be the contender most expected to see before the 2023 season began.
Are the Jaguars all the way there yet, though?
With the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Miami Dolphins all putting together impressive seasons too, where do the Jaguars currently rank among the teams most in contention for a spot in Super Bowl LVIII? Here’s what the experts think of Jacksonville with six weeks left:
USA Today: 8th
Last week: 9th
Renewed signs Calvin Ridley might be a No. 1 receiver (12 catches for 192 yards and 3 TDs over last two weeks) for a Jacksonville squad that’s now decidedly No. 1 in the AFC South. But the next three weeks will show how good the Jags would be in the AFC North with a trio of dates against that rugged division.
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
ESPN: 8th
Last week: 9th
The expected improvement on offense in the second season in coach Doug Pederson’s scheme has not materialized, and two of the biggest issues are the offensive line and third downs. The offensive line has played well in pass protection the past two games — just one sack and four QB hits allowed — but still rank 29th in the NFL in pass block win rate (47.9%), per NFL Next Gen Stats. The Jaguars rank 22nd in third-down conversion rate (36.8%) and have been especially bad on third-and-3 or less (51.2%, 29th). The defense has thrived on forcing turnovers (20) and LB Josh Allen is having the best year of his career (12 sacks). Kicker Brandon McManus, signed during OTAs after he was released by Denver, is 23-for-26 on field goal attempts and perfect on PATs (23 for 23).
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
The Athletic: 8th
Last week: 9th
Jacksonville’s stars are getting hot at the right time. Linebacker Josh Allen had 2 1/2 sacks Sunday and now is second in franchise history with 38 for his career. On the offensive side, Calvin Ridley has 192 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the last two weeks. Jacksonville has won seven of its last eight with the only loss coming to San Francisco.
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
Pro Football Talk: 6th
Last week: 7th
That loss to the 49ers might have helped them more than a win ever could have.
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
CBS Sports: 7th
Last week: 9th
By beating the Texans, they have a firm lock on the division. Trevor Lawrence finally had the big game throwing it, which is a good sign going forward.
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
Yahoo Sports: 8th
Last week: 8th
The Jaguars are nearly a lock to take the division after a big win at the Texans. Last year, Trevor Lawrence was inconsistent early in the season and awesome in the second half. He hasn’t been great this season but two weeks ago he had his best passer rating of 2023, and on Sunday he had his highest passing output with 364 yards. That’s a really good sign for Jacksonville.
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
Touchdown Wire: 6th
Last week: 7th
Trevor Lawrence reminded people that he’s that dude, and the Jaguars look like they might be the best team in the AFC.
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
Jaguars Wire: 6th
Last week: 10th
The Texans are a good football team and, while it came down to a field goal, the Jaguars simply out-played them most of the day on Sunday. Barring a shocking collapse, the AFC South is Jacksonville’s for the taking and the last six weeks of the year will be much more about getting the highest seed possible.
No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles
