Jacksonville Jaguars are set up for improved record in 2015

Entering the third year of their rebuild under general manager David Caldwell, the Jacksonville Jaguars finally have some pressure on them to perform and win enough games to be in the playoff discussion. That doesn’t mean the Jaguars absolutely need to make the playoffs for Caldwell and head coach Gus Bradley to be safe, but the team needs to compete and win games against playoff caliber teams.

After the team’s performance in their first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s hard not to look towards the regular season with a ton of confidence. While the defense gave up a touchdown rather easily to the Ben Roethlisberger and the first team offense, it happened with the Jaguars playing zero of their starters along the defensive line. On the flip side, the offense looked terrific, especially second year quarterback Blake Bortles.

My personal prediction earlier in the offseason was 9-7 for the young ballclub, but I’m a self-admitted homer. Luke Dahlgren of FanSided isn’t wearing teal-colored glasses, but he also sees an improved season in store for the Jaguars:

"2015 Record Prediction: 7-9The Colts are clearly the class of the AFC South, but the rest of the division is up for grabs. The Titans seem to be eager to throw Marcus Mariota into the fire early, and the Texans remain stagnant as a .500 club. If Blake Bortles can develop into a major threat as a quarterback, then the Jaguars could become a team pushing on the edge of playoff contention in the AFC. Regardless, their defense and their 25th ranked strength of schedule might not let them fall below 5 wins."

Normally 7-9 isn’t something to get excited about, but getting near .500 is a massive improvement for this team. The Jaguars are the second best team in the AFC South in my opinion, and they have a shot at winning the division if Bortles improves enough. We still have to see it in the regular season, but the Jaguars aren’t destined for another top 5 draft pick.

Next: Jags snag a CB in mock draft

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