Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars took care of business when they beat the Denver Broncos in Week 16, they wouldn't know if they clinched a playoff berth until the Indianapolis Colts played the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
If Indy lost, the Jags would have to wait until next week to qualify. However, the Niners won, and Jacksonville is officially playoff-bound for the first time since 2022.
Liam Coen's first season with the Jaguars culminate with a playoff spot
What Liam Coen has accomplished in his first year coaching the Jaguars is nothing short of remarkable. Back when they hired him to replace Doug Pederson, not only did he have his work cut out, but the bar had been set pretty low. A six or seven-win season would've been considered a success after finishing 4-13 in 2024.
However, Liam Coen had already tied the 2024 win totals by Week 5. The Ws kept coming. Then, for the first time since 2017, the Jags had won 10 games. And after defeating the Broncos, they got to 11. With two games to go, Jacksonville has a realistic chance to finish 13-4. If that's the team's final record, it would have been the most successful season since 1999. That year, the Jags went 14-2.
Simply put, hiring Coen has been a resounding success, as he's overseen a full turnaround in less than a year after nearly staying with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Related: Liam Coen's latest remarks should have the NFL fearing the Jags
The Jaguars still have work to do
As rewarding as it is to make the playoffs, the Jaguars still have work to do. After all, they can still achieve two more feats: First, the AFC South is still wide open, or as close as it can be. The Tennessee Titans have been eliminated from playoff contention, so they won't make a bid for the division. Similarly, the Indianapolis Colts are a long shot after the loss to the 49ers. That said, the Houston Texans are riding a seven-game winning streak and are just one game behind Jacksonville.
If the Jags lost to either the Colts or Tennessee, they would allow Houston to make a run for the division. So even though they've already qualified for the postseason, they must win their last two if they want to ensure they win the division for the first time since 2022.
On top of that, Jacksonville still has a chance, albeit a slim one, to get the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Seizing it would allow them to get a precious BYE to start the playoff tournament. Of course, they would need help for the New England Patriots or the Denver Broncos to lose one or two games the remainder of the season, but it's still double, if unlikely.
All things considered, the Jaguars probably won't get the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC have a realistic opporunity to win the division. Expect them to keep winning games to make a run for it.