The Jacksonville Jaguars entered Week 14 with an 8-4 record. With a win over the Indianapolis Colts, they now have as many wins as they had in 2022, the first year of the Doug Pederson era. What's impressive is that the Jags still have four games remaining this season, so they can keep improving their record.
Circling back to the win over the Colts, the Jaguars got control of the game early on and didn't take their foot off the pedal until the very end. Linebacker Devin Lloyd set the tone with a pick in the first quarter. Then, the offense made the most out of their chances and kept putting points on the scoreboard until the outcome of the game was clear.
Now, the Jags hold the third seed in the AFC and a one-game lead in the division. Of course, they cannot rest on their laurels now, but they should feel great about how the season has turned out so far. With this in mind, here are three observations from the decisive 36-19 win over Indianapolis.
Trevor Lawrence had yet another clean game vs. the Colts
Trevor Lawrence continues to make strides. You could make the case that the Colts were without defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, defensive end Tyquan Lewis, who was ruled out before the game, and cornerback Sauce Gardner, but that shouldn't take anything away from him.
No. 16 connected with his receivers and didn't hesitate to look for Brian Thomas Jr. He went 17-of-30 for 244 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His play in recent weeks has been encouraging amid his slow start to the season.
If Lawrence keeps playing the way he has in recent weeks, the Jaguars could make some serious noise in the postseason.
Devin Lloyd, Brian Thomas Jr., and Travis Etienne came through for the Jaguars
This may or may not have been the most important game in franchise history, but the Jaguars were up to the moment, with their playmakers delivering throughout the game. Three in particular stand out: Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., linebacker Devin Lloyd, and running back Travis Etienne.
Lloyd set the tone with his interception, the fifth one this season, early in the game. On the other hand, Indianapolis had no answer for Etienne, who ran amok and kept boosting his stock ahead of free agency. If that wasn't enough, Brian Thomas Jr. showed glimpses of the electrifying difference-maker he was in his rookie season.
Simply put, the Jaguars rose to the occasion.
The Liam Coen era with the Jaguars is a resounding success
Expectations are usually tempered when there's a new coach in place. That's why nobody batted an eye when most projections had the Jaguars winning six or seven-game years in the first year of the Liam Coen era. However, it's now clear that the Jaguars hit it out of the ballpark when they hired him to succeed Doug Pederson as the head coach.
Right off the bat, Coen has turned Jacksonville into a gritty team that will keep playing until the whistle blows. And while the Jags have dealt with their fair share of adversity throughout the year, they've responded nicely. Similarly, they've taken care of business and won games that they might've otherwise lost with past regimes.
The fact that they soundly defeated the Colts shows that this aren't the same ol' Jaguars.
The Jaguars are proving they're playoff bound
With a win over the Colts, the Jaguars have a 96 percent chance of making the playoffs. Their toughest game left in the schedule is against the Denver Broncos. When you take into account that they're also slated to face the New York Jets, Indianapolis (again), and the Tennessee Titans, they're virtually a lock to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2022.
Heck, depending on how things play out in the upcoming weeks, the Jags may have already clinched a playoff seed when they take on the Titans in the season finale. But wait, there's more:
Jacksonville could make some serious noise in the postseason. The offense is clicking, and the defense is making plays. Of course, they need to work on their flaws (penalties mostly), but they certainly have the talent to advance beyond the Wild Card round.