The Jacksonville Jaguars accomplished something last season that makes them memorable, but not in any sort of historic fashion. People watching Jacksonville Jaguars games during the first half of last season would have imagined they were putting together another poor season for the scrap heap of history.
However, people doing a Jaguars schedule analysis will see Jacksonville rallied from a 2-6 start to the season to finish 9-8 and win the AFC South Division. Then, just to show they were serious, in the first round of the playoffs, Jacksonville rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers. Jacksonville also gave Kansas City all it could handle in the AFC Divisional round before bowing out.
Is the late-season surge a sign of things to come? Or as Jacksonville’s team last season on a heater? Here’s a look at what to expect from Jacksonville’s schedule.
London Calling
The Jacksonville Jaguars schedule typically features at least one game in London per season. However, in the 2023 season, the NFL decided to schedule Jacksonville to play games in London in Weeks 4 and 5 against the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills, respectively.
The Jacksonville Jaguars record is 4-5 all-time when playing in London. Being able to spend two weeks in London should be good for the team when it is overseas. The Week 6 home game against Indianapolis Colts may be tough for everyone as they battle the jet lag.
A chance for a fast start
While a Week 2 battle with Kansas City won’t be a game many people are making NFL picks will count on the Jaguars to win, their matches in Weeks 1 and 3 are promising. Doing a Jaguars schedule analysis shows that Jacksonville will open on the road in Indianapolis and will host Houston Texans on Week 3.
Both Houston and Indianapolis will have a lot of new faces so catching both NFL teams before they had an opportunity to gel will be a good place for Jacksonville to get a leg up.
Winning the division did Jacksonville no favors
The cruel part about the Jacksonville Jaguars schedule is the nature of the NFL. Teams that have good seasons are rewarded with more difficult, on paper, schedules the following season. Since Jacksonville won the AFC South, the Jaguars will have to play the other AFC division winners from last season including the Bills, Bengals, and Chiefs. Jacksonville will also have road trips to Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
While the Browns and Steelers both have questions about if their quarterbacks can do the job, Jacksonville will need to put its foot down against fellow AFC contenders to keep up the momentum and find a way back to the postseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars 2023 Odds
Making a Jaguars schedule analysis is difficult on paper because of Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Playing under Doug Pederson allowed him to grow in ways he would never have under Urban Meyer. The question for Pederson is whether will he be able to push Lawrence to continue evolving into a full-time starting quarterback.
NFL odds seem lukewarm on what Jacksonville can accomplish. The Jaguars are -210 to make the playoffs and have an over/under of 9.5. What Jacksonville will need to prove is that the late-season surge from last year wasn’t a flash in the pan.
Jacksonville Jaguars 2023 Prediction
One thing that will help the Jagurs is that their division is a mess quarterback-wise. Tennessee is still leaning on over-the-hill veteran Ryan Tannehill, while Indianapolis and Houston will be working on new quarterbacks.
Beating up on teams that aren’t ready for the big time yet will allow Jacksonville to win the division for a second straight year. While the expectations have increased for the Jaguars, the pressure isn’t on this group to win the Super Bowl just yet.
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