Herm Edwards warns AFC teams that the Jaguars are quickly becoming dangerous

By now, it's impossible to deny that the Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the top teams in the NFL. Rightly, analysts across the league are getting behind them and recognizing that they could make noise once they're in the playoffs.

Fresh off a win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Jags are now 12-4. Former Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets head coach Herm Edwards is most definitely impressed with their recent success and argues that Jacksonville is well-equipped to make a deep playoff run.

Herm Edwards believes the Jaguars can make noise in the playoffs

Following the Colts game, Herm Edwards stated on SportsCenter that Liam Coen has done a great job in his first season in Duval, noting that he's been able to get the most out of Trevor Lawrence.

"Well, we always say coaching matters. With the coaching changes, this is his third head coach, I do believe. And all of a sudden, this has been a great relationship between quarterback and head coach," Edwards told ESPN colleague Arda Ocal (6:28 mark). "He's always had talent, but the last couple seasons, you look at this team and go, what's wrong with these guys right now, all of a sudden, they've won with 13 games. All of a sudden, they're a team now that's ascending, and every time they win a game, they became more confident; they're going to be a hard out in the playoffs."

Edwards continued, "This quarterback can throw it anywhere on the field. They have a good running attack. The defense is playing complementary football with their offense. When you have confidence going into the playoffs, it's hard to beat, and this team hadn't seen the playoffs in a while, so they're hungry to get into the playoffs."

Later, Edwards points out that Lawrence doesn't have to be perfect every week because the Jacksonville defense is stepping up as well.

"And what, what helps him is this, when you have a defense that can go out and get some stops for you, you don't feel like I got to score 30 points every week, right? And that's going to happen. That's why right now, this time of the season, two things travel well and help you get in the playoffs: Run game, and good defense. The weather changes, both teams play outdoors. That travels. You could run the ball, you got a shot," Edward said.

Against Indianapolis, the Jags gave up just 17th points. Heading into the finale, they rank ninth in points surrendered and 12th in total yards, so they're most definitely equipped to bail Lawrence and the offense out in case they need to.

Related: Parker Washington reveals what's fueling his breakout season with the Jags

Liam Coen has overseen a historic turnaround with the Jaguars

As Herm Edwards pointed out, coaching matters. With nearly the same nucleus from last year, Liam Coen has overseen one of the biggest turnarounds in league history, taking Jacksonville from 4-13 in 2024 to 12-4. No other rookie head coach has accomplished that in his first season at the helm.

Sure, Coen has made a few mistakes this season, but that's to be expected from a first-time head coach. Moreover, he's humbled enough to recognize when he missed the mark and is willing to adjust. That one is the main reason he's managed to steer the ship in the right direction and has a compelling case to earn the NFL Coach of the Year award.

But as impressive as Liam Coen has been, he's just getting started. In light of their recent success, expectations around the Jaguars have been adjusted. The question has gone from whether they're playoff-bound to how far they can go.