While Trevor Lawrence stole the spotlight during the 2026 schedule announcement because of his new look, there's no doubt that the Jacksonville Jaguars should be thrilled about their outlook. Sure, they'll deal with a couple of gauntlets at separate points of the year, but they'll also have a series of favorable matchups.
This has led a prominent Jaguars analyst that will certainly draw attention from around the league.
The Jaguars are projected to win the AFC South and make the playoffs (again)
ESPN drew up a list of takeaways and predictions after the schedule release. Michael DiRocco forecasts the Jaguars getting on a hot streak and winning the AFC South for the second year in a row.
"The Jaguars sweep November," DiRocco wrote. "They play five games that month, beginning with the Colts at home. Then come consecutive road games against the Ravens, Titans, and Giants, followed by a rematch with the Titans in Jacksonville to end the month."
DiRocco continued, "The Jaguars and QB Trevor Lawrence really got rolling in November -- winning the final eight games of the season to win the AFC South -- and they do it again in 2026."
Based on the wording, it seems like DiRocco predicts that the Jags will win eight games in a row to finish 2026, but what stands out is that he projects them to win the AFC South title, which, in turn, would give them a ticket to the playoffs.
In a different column, DiRocco points out that Jacksonville will go into a stretch of road games to allow for uninterrupted work at EverBank Stadium, which is undergoing renovations in 2026.
Circling back to DiRocco's original prediction, it's important to point out that every other ESPN writer came up with the most optimistic outcome for the team they cover. For instance, DJ Bien-Aime projects the Texans to win at least 13 games. If that's the case, the Jags would have to either win as many games and have the tiebreakers or rack up 14 victories. All things considered, both scenarios are possible, albeit a bit challenging.
Why the Jaguars can win the AFC South and win 13+ games in 2026
The Jaguars went 13-4 last year, so they already proved that they can rack up a high number of victories. They should definitely feel good about their odds with Liam Coen as the head coach and Trevor Lawrence coming off a strong end to 2025.
Moreover, the Jaguars will benefit from having continuity at key positions and not having to learn new systems on offense or defense, a luxury they hadn't had in a while. On the other hand, Jacksonville doesn't operate in a vacuum.
The Houston Texans definitely got better and will be a legitimate threat to the Jags if C.J. Stroud bounces back. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans beefed up the defensive trenches and got sophomore signal-caller Cam Ward a new arsenal of weapons, so Jacksonville cannot take them lightly.
The Indianapolis Colts, for their part, are confident Daniel Jones can be back at full strength after a fractured fibula cut his 2025 season short. Couple that with the fact that the Jaguars will face several playoff teams, and getting to 13 wins won't be a walk in the park.
Then again, the Jaguars have the firepower on both offense and defense, along with a feisty head coach to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the NFL. That will most definitely give them a chance to be even better than they were in 2025.
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