The AFC Wild Card round kicks off this Sunday from EverBank Stadium. The Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Buffalo Bills in the three versus six matchup. Both teams have quarterbacks who have cemented themselves as talented NFL starters, but neither has broken through to the promised land of the Super Bowl. One will advance with something to prove, while the other will go home with a familiar narrative. Team stats provided by Fox Sports and player stats by ESPN.
The Jaguars are coming in hot, just like the fajita, winning eight straight to end the season. The team is also well-rounded, finishing 11th in both offense and defense. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is playing some of his best ball, cracking 4,000 passing yards with 29 touchdowns. He may have been sacked a career-high 41 times, but that didn’t stop him from achieving his career-best quarterback rating of 58.3.
The Bills may not be like the fajita, but they still enter the playoffs feeling good about themselves. Winning five of their last six games, the general NFL fan doesn’t seem as keen on quarterback Josh Allen this season, even though the stat lines are certainly comparable. Despite being hit by a career-high 40 sacks, he still finished with his best passer rating since 2020.
The defense is a tale of two opposites. Pairing the league’s best passing defense with the 28th-ranked run defense puts Buffalo at seventh overall. The Bills have both something to fear and an area to exploit, bringing coaching to the forefront of importance.
It’s a battle between a well-rounded team and one with a higher ceiling, but larger areas of opportunity. The Bills are the betting favorites, but never sleep on a dexterous squad that’s hot at the right time. If the Jaguars can play a clean game and exploit their opponent’s weakness, they’ll be well in this game.
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