The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2-8 following the loss to the Minnesota Vikings and at risk of being eliminated from playoff contention if they lose one more game. That said, they still have a chance, albeit an extremely slim one, to get in. There's just one catch. The Jags will have to lean on Mac Jones to pull it off. While he doesn't inspire confidence based on how he played in his first start, the team will probably have no choice but to rally behind him if Trevor Lawrence isn't good to go.
At first sight, leaning on Jones might not be ideal. However, Jacksonville will need to get behind him, if Lawrence's shoulder injury forces him to miss extended playing time. On the bright side, everyone will benefit from the Alabama product bouncing back from his dreadful performance against the Vikes and leading the Jags to the playoffs.
Jones went 14-of-15 for 115 yards with two interceptions in Week 10. However you look at it, he left much to be desired, but he showed throughout his collegiate career and early in his stint with the New England Patriots that he can overcome adversity.
For the sake of the argument, let's say Jones does rebound and help the Jags pull off an upset against the Detroit Lions in Week 10. They'll then get their BYE. They can use the time off to regroup and build the offense around the 2021 first-round pick and start a playoff run. This will be doable (but extremely challenging) when you take into account that the Houston Texans are 6-4 and have lost three of their last four games.
Add the fact that Joe Flacco failed to give the Indianapolis Colts the spart they expected, and the Jags could suddenly make things interesting in the AFC South Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence could fully recover and head coach Doug Pederson could oversee the team without having to worry about his job status.
For his part, Jones would be able to rebuild his stock after a rough two-season stretch with the Patriots. Although he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, he struggled the past two years, which is why New England traded him to the Jags to begin with. The Jacksonville native is slated to hit the open market in 2025. If he plays well, the demand for his services will go up in free agency.
Simply put, everyone wins. Then again, and as promising as that scenario would be, the Jaguars would have to clear several hurdles to make it happen.
The Jaguars and Mac Jones have an uphill battle to make the playoffs
On paper, picturing the Jacksonville Jaguars making a playoff push isn't farfetched. The issue is that they have several things going against them. For starters, losing to the Detroit Lions would end the potential run before it even started, and that's the most likely scenario.
Heading into the game, Jacksonville is a 13-point underdog. The game will be held at home field and the Lions just prove that they're tough as nails and can win games even when things don't look great when they beat the Houston Texans in Week 10.
But even if the Jags beat the Lions, history isn't in their favor. Granted, they made the playoffs after starting 3-7 but they had one more win at the same point of the season. Another comparable example is the 2020 Washington Football Team. They became the first team in the NFL since 1966 to qualify for the postseason after starting 2-7 and did it on the strength of a 7-9 record because the rest of the NFC East collapsed.
There's no guarantee the Texans will continue on a nosedive and even if the Jags beat Detroit, they would have to basically run the table. When you put everything together, their odds don't look so great.
Heck, the 2022 Jaguars became the media darling precisely because it's nearly impossible to make the playoffs after a 3-6 start. Before they did it, only four 3-6 teams in NFL history had pulled off the feat. That's how rare the feat is. Currently, ESPN has Jacksonville with a 1.5 percent chance of getting into the postseason. Sure, 1.5 percent is better than zero, but not by a lot.
Crazier things have happened, but everything would have to fall in place for the Jaguars for them to defy the odds. Based on how things have played out for them in 2024, you're better off not getting your hopes too high.