The Jacksonville Jaguars are currently riding a 16-game losing streak. Could they become just the third team in the NFL to lose 20 straight games?
Last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. At the time, things were looking great. Quarterback Gardner Minshew II was off to a great start after coming off the bench the year before. Heck, both cornerback C.J. Henderson and safety Andrew Wingard snagged an interception each.
Nobody would have blamed you if right after the game, you started printing your 2020 AFC South division champions and bet your saving on Jacksonville advancing to the playoffs. However, there were still 15 games remaining on the schedule and the Jags went on to lose EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. On the bright side, they clinched the first overall pick and had the most cap space in the league. Moreover, the organization gave head coach Doug Marrone the boot and brought in Urban Meyer to oversee the rebuild.
Heading into Week 1, the Jaguars were a 3.0 point favorite to beat the Houston Texans, and rightfully so. They used the top pick in the 2021 draft on quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the team’s brass spent the whole offseason making upgrades to the roster, so how did it go? Houston crushed the Jags in a dominant fashion and looked like the superior team despite the fact that they had less talent on paper and didn’t spend the offseason putting an emphasis on strength and conditioning like their AFC South counterpart.
Although the Jaguars currently hold a 0-1 record in 2021, they have dropped 16 consecutive games dating back to last year. If they keep playing the way they did in the season opener, they could become just the third team in NFL history to lose 20 straight games. Will the Jaguars put an end to the streak?
The Jacksonville Jaguars don’t have a favorable schedule.
You have to be historically bad to lose 20 straight games in the NFL. A 0-16 season (we are looking at you, Cleveland Browns, and Detroit Lions) might stand out more on the record books but not having 20 tries and come empty-handed every time is equally dreadful, and the Jaguars have a realistic shot to join the 1940s Chicago Cardinals and the 1976/77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only teams to achieve the feat.
The Jaguars are currently a 6.0 underdog to beat the Denver Broncos in Week 2. While some suggest they can pull the upset, nobody will bat an eye if they start the season 0-2. Outside linebacker Von Miller played like his dominant self in the season opener, and the Broncos’ defense played at a high level, constantly pressuring quarterback Daniel Jones and neutralizing their run game.
On offense, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater proved Denver’s coaching staff right when they named him the starter over Drew Lock. The 2014 first-round pick went 28-of-36 for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Thus, it’s not surprising that head coach Vic Fangio’s squad is favored to win the game.
How about the Arizona Cardinals?
Week 3 will also offer a tough matchup. Quarterback Kyler Murray played at a high level in Week 1, throwing for four touchdowns and running for another one. EDGE rusher Chandler Jones was as or more dominant than Von Miller, sacking Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill five times. DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk also give Arizona an outstanding wide receiver duo.
The Jaguars don’t currently have the personnel to contain the Cards’ passing game. Also, they showed in Week 1 that will struggle to keep up with opposing teams, so beating Arizona will be a tall order. If the Jags lose to both the Broncos and the Cardinals, they would be two games away from being 0-20.
Things don’t look encouraging for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Before the season started, the Cincinnati Bengals raised a few eyebrows when they took wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase instead of offensive tackle Penei Sewell. The fact that Chase struggled with drops during the offseason didn’t help matters. But in the end, the former LSU Tiger showed up in Week 1, hauling in five receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown.
Despite the fact that second-year quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked five times, he threw two touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings. Also, the Bengals showed they can run the ball, toting the rock 36 times for 149 yards and one touchdown. This may be the “easiest” game on the Jaguars’ schedule but they were favored to beat the Texans and ended up losing. Thus, they can’t afford to picture their Week 4 matchup as “less difficult”.
Could the Jacksonville Jaguars be riding a 19-losing streak in Week 5?
If the Jaguars start the season 0-4, they will have one last chance to avoid becoming the third team in NFL history to lose 20 consecutive games. The problem is that they will be facing the Tennesee Titans and it’s unlikely that their AFC South foes will let them win as a goodwill gesture.
The Titans also lost the season opener but they have significantly higher chances of getting back on track than the Jags. They still have running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a solid wide receiver duo in Julio Jones and A.J. Brown. Last season, Tennessee swept the Jags, and based on how things went in Week 1, it wouldn’t be shocking if it happens again.
On the bright side, Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer has enough time to right the ship. It won’t be easy, as there are many things the coaching staff has to fix. Nevertheless, the prospect of making history for the wrong reasons should motivate the Jaguars to turn things around.