Jacksonville Jaguars given favorable chance of reaching Super Bowl in 2024

Reaching the Super Bowl is a tough task. The closest the Jacksonville Jaguars have gotten is the Conference championship but they’re far from the only NFL team that has failed to get to the top. Clubs such as the Detroit Lions or the Cleveland Browns have never made it either.

Heck, the Dallas Cowboys’ last appearance was the use of dial-up internet was still widespread and Windows 95 was the best operating system in the market. That’s how hard it is to reach the Super Bowl. On the bright side, Jacksonville is in a favorable position to make an appearance in 2024, according to Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports.

Benjamin drew up a list of teams that made the playoffs in 2022 and ranked them according to their chances of playing on Championship Sunday next year. The Jags got third place, behind the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. Benjamin argues that they have the quarterback and head coach in place to return to the playoffs.

"Yes, we’re serious. they may have scraped their way to an ugly AFC South title, but Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence exceeded expectations of their pairing by season’s end, most notably, with the 27-point comeback against the Chargers in their playoff debut.Lawrence is just now emerging as a potential top-10 gunslinger. Pederson has proven to be a culture-builder in multiple places. Their young defensive front showed out early in the postseason. And here’s the kicker: more reinforcements should be on the way, including former All-Pro wideout Calvin Ridley. In that division, why can’t they make a deeper run?"

The Jaguars have many things going in their favor to make the Super Bowl

Benjamin brings up an important point. The AFC South is currently in a state of flux and the Jags currently seem to be the best of the bunch, which should help them return to the playoffs next season. The Tennessee Titans had a six-game losing skid to finish the 2022 season and have several roster holes. The Indianapolis Colts might be in even worse shape. They can’t seem to stop the revolving door at the quarterback position and are still searching for a head coach.

Last but not least, the Houston Texans are about to hire their fourth head coach in as many years. San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryan is the frontrunner to get the job but it might take him and general manager Nick Caserio a couple of years to right the ship and replenish a roster that is devoid of playmakers.

On the other hand, the Jaguars will enter the offseason without having to find a head coach or a quarterback. Doug Pederson’s leadership and vision played a big role in the team making the playoffs and winning the division. Similarly, Trevor Lawrence’s huge leap in play was a big reason Jacksonville won several games in 2022 that would have lost in previous years.

Playing in the same system and having the same coach for the second straight year should also help Lawrence be even better in 2023. Moreover, the Jags won’t solely depend on him to win games. They have added several key contributors over the last two years, so he doesn’t have the weight on the team on his shoulders.

This doesn’t mean the Jaguars will make the Super Bowl next year but having stability at key positions and the right pieces in place does increase their chances.