The Jacksonville Jaguars needed a decisive win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14, with the AFC South playoff picture so close. Heading into the game, both division rivals were tied at 8-4, with the Houston Texans close behind.
Not only did the Jaguars walk away with the win, but they also absolutely annihilated the Colts. They have consistently been underestimated by the league, and that should come to an end after such a dominant victory.
Jacksonville can't force the league to take them seriously, but they can keep rolling each week, steaming ahead towards a spot in the postseason. Haters will continue coming up with reasons why this win doesn't really count — the refs made bad calls, Daniel Jones was out, blah blah blah — but Jags fans won't be able to hear it over the sound of all this winning.
Related: 4 critical observation from the Jags' decisive win over the Colts
Jacksonville’s AFC playoff outlook has never looked this good
All season, Jacksonville has shown playoff potential, never falling below second place in the AFC South standings. Initially, the Colts looked like they would run away with the division but began a late-season collapse, just as the Jaguars started to surge. Now, they're 9-4 and hold the third seed in the conference.
Yet at this point, fans surely have good reason to believe their team will do more than merely make it to the playoffs. The Jaguars don't always have pretty wins, but they have built a reputation for themselves as a gritty, resilient team that gets the job done. At this point, it wouldn't be unreasonable for fans to hope not only for the playoffs but for the team's first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
If there was ever a case for such a seemingly outlandish prediction, it would be Week 14's game. Despite having the same record and being on a win streak, analysts still predicted Jacksonville would lose to Indianapolis. That Jacksonville didn't just win, but humiliated the Colts — who most analysts would have said were the better team — says a lot. After all, this is Jacksonville's identity.
The Jaguars are the team that gets the win, even when it doesn't look good. Their path to the playoffs may not have been pretty, but that grittiness is becoming who the Jaguars are. They thrive on being underdogs, and even in the playoffs, there's a good chance they'll continue to be underestimated. Fans, though, are only going to be more fired up than ever after such an exciting win.