Jacksonville Jaguars vs. NY Jets: 5 Christmas predictions for Week 16

Every NFL team goes through a lot every season but this is especially true for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. They hired Urban Meyer thinking he would help them turn things around but ended up leaving the team in arguably worst shape than it was before he arrived. You can make the case the only club that has had it worse than the Jags are the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Silver and Black had to fire Jon Gruden after a series of email messages were leaked to the public. Also, their number one wide receiver, Henry Ruggs III, ended the life of a woman and her dog in a car accident he was responsible for.

However, football doesn’t stop and both teams had to move on and keep playing. The difference is that the Raiders have a shot to qualify for the playoffs while the Jags are in contention for the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Losing to the New York Jets in Week 16 would considerably increase the Jags’ chances of clinching the top selection but they aren’t going into the game thinking they will lose. Even though the Jaguars will be without wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., outside linebacker Josh Allen and right guard Ben Bartch, they will show up at MetLife Stadium expecting to win. Here are five predictions for the game.

1. The Jaguars will sack Jets quarterback Zach Wilson four times.

Josh Allen is the Jags’ best edge rusher but the rest of the front seven will pick up the slack. The defense will bring pressure from all over the field. Duwayne Smoot also has played well in the last three weeks, logging nine total pressures and two sacks. He should have no trouble bringing down Zach Wilson.

Also, defensive coordinator Joe Cullen has blitzed linebacker Damien Wilson more often in recent weeks and he’s registered five pressures in the past two games. Even without Allen, the Jaguars are going to find a way to bring the heat in Week 16.