Are The Jacksonville Jaguars The Best Team In The AFC?

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a statement as a legitimate AFC contender after a gritty win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Jacksonville is 3-1 for the third time in the last 11 seasons and sits atop the AFC South.

The Jaguars have won 11 of their last 12 regular-season games, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence has now beaten every AFC team. So the question must be asked: Is Jacksonville the best team in the AFC?

Jacksonville’s Dominance Gets Lost In The AFC

Looking at the Week 4 results, plenty of storylines emerged from the AFC. Deshaun Watson and the resurgent Cleveland Browns improved to 3-1. The New England Patriots and Drake Maye got a bounce-back win over the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills. The Kansas City Chiefs remained unbeaten. Amid the storylines, it is easy to forget Jacksonville has defeated three of the AFC’s best teams: the Browns, Patriots, and Cincinnati Bengals.

Through 16 quarters of football, the Jaguars have played well in all but two quarters, both coming in the second half of their Week 2 loss to the Denver Broncos. Jacksonville made a game-saving tackle in the closing moments to seal Sunday’s win after leading 22-10 in the fourth quarter. The defensive save is a reflection of the growth since the Week 2 loss to Denver when the Jaguars squandered a 10-point lead.

Over four games, Jacksonville has dominated opponents with a plus-51-point differential and an average margin of 12.8 points per game. Sunday’s win, though, showed they can also find ways to win late. “It says a lot about our team,” quarterback Trevor Lawrence said after Sunday’s win. “We lost a game like this in Denver. It’s a good bounce back for us. We’re going to have to win games like this throughout the season where you don’t play your best, and it’s not pretty, but you find a way to win.”

Liam Coen Has Unlocked Trevor Lawrence

The NFL is filled with premier head coach and quarterback duos. They include names like Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow, Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, and Mike Macdonald and Sam Darnold. Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence, though, continue to go under the radar.

Lawrence’s growth and understanding of Coen’s offense have been the flip of the Jaguars. Since Coen’s message to Lawrence to “let it rip” following the Week 10 defeat last season, Lawrence has played as well as many expected to see coming out of Clemson when he was the No. 1 overall pick in 2021.

Across the last 13 games, Jacksonville has averaged 30.5 points per game. Lawrence has passed for 3,059 yards, 30 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 64.3% of his passes with a 105.9 passer rating. This season, the Jaguars are averaging 26 points and 316.5 total yards per game.

Jaguars Defense Is Flying Under The Radar

Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has Jacksonville’s defense playing as one of the top units in the NFL.  The Jaguars have consistently made offenses struggle this season, allowing just nine points in the first half of games. Jacksonville is a physical bunch that hangs its hat on stopping the run, getting after the quarterback, and forcing turnovers.

The Jaguars held the Bengals to 23 rushing yards, Jacksonville’s fewest allowed since 2016. The Jaguars have not allowed a 75-yard rusher in the last 21 games and have held opponents to 20 points or fewer in 10 straight games, tying a franchise record.

Jacksonville is No. 1 in turnover differential at plus-six,  forcing eight turnovers while just committing two. The Jaguars are also No. 2 in scoring defense, allowing 13.3 points per game and second against the run, giving up 74.3 rushing yards per game.

In Week 1, Jacksonville held quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Browns offense to a season-low 272 total yards, 10 points, and two turnovers. In Week 3, Drake Maye and New England fell victim as well, failing to score a touchdown, committing three turnovers, and scoring just six points.  

“It’s an identity piece, a pillar of our defense,” Coen said when asked about his defense’s takeaways. “Something they practice over and over again on a daily basis. The amount of detail [Anthony Campanile] coaches it with and the defensive coaches, the players take it personally and seriously and know it’s an edge for us.”

“It’s our style of play. The way [Anthony Campanile] has us playing, we play very physical. The way our coverage and rush match up together, it forces quarterbacks to make decisions they don’t want to make,” safety Antonio Johnson said.

What’s your take? Post it in our free sports community at stadiumrant.app, or download Stadium Rant on the App Store.

End Of My Jacksonville Jaguars Rant

Jacksonville may be the most complete team in the NFL. In a league where many teams have units that are better than the others, the Jaguars are the opposite. The offense complements the defense, and the defense complements the offense.

Jacksonville’s special teams unit is outstanding as well. It features kicker Cam Little, who already holds NFL records for the longest indoor and outdoor field goals, and one of the league’s best punters, Logan Cooke. The Jaguars have all three phases you need to win in the NFL. Though the season is still in its early stages, Jacksonville may be the most complete team in the NFL.