It's official, the Seattle Seahawks are the Super Bowl champions after trouncing the Seattle Seahawks 19-0. The Jacksonville Jaguars would've surely loved to be in their place. However, all they can do now is follow the Hawks' blueprint to get to the top. Working in the Jags' favor is that they already share a few similarities.
Both Jacksonville and the Seahawks have an ascending head coach and a franchise quarterback in place. Then again, the Jags were also missing a few pieces last year. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been knocked out of contention in the wild-card round of the playoffs. One thing that might have them advance further in the postseason is a better pass rush.
As Seattle demonstrated on championship Sunday, a front four can control the game. That should incentivize the Jaguars to fortify the defensive trenches in the offseason.
The Seahawks wreaked havoc when they beat the Patriots
Seattle registered 17 total pressures and seven sacks. Similarly, they limited New England to 79 rushing yards. That was possible because they controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the whole game. Then again, they weren't a one-hit wonder.
Throughout the regular season, the Seahawks ranked first in points allowed and sixth in total yards. Similarly, their 47 sacks were tied for the seventh most in the league. Of course, that was possible not only because of Mike Macdonald's coaching but also because general manager Joe Schnider made the necessary upgrades on defense the past two years.
Just last offseason, Seattle signed pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence. His sack totals (six) don't pop off the stat sheet, but he became a key cog on the Seattle defensive front. The 2014 second-round pick joined a group that already included Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy (a first-round pick in 2025), and Uchenna Nwosu.
None of those players are among the most recognized in the NFL, but together, they formed one of the toughest defensive lines. Of course, the Seahawks also have plenty of talent in the back end. Linebacker Ernest Jones, cornerback Devin Witherspoon, and safety Nick Emmanwori. But everything starts at the line scrimmage.
In the end, the Hawks won 29-13. The Patriots couldn't get the run going, and quarterback Drake Maye struggled because the Seahawks wreaked havoc at the line of scrimmage all game long.
The Jaguars must fortify the D-Line like the Seahawks
The Jaguars already have plenty of talent in the back seven. Sure, they need to bring in reinforcements at corner. However, two-way star Travis Hunter, Jourdan Lewis, safety Antonio Johnson, and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun give them a promising group. It is their front four the one that is in need of help.
Travon Walker and Josh HInes-Allen gives the Jags a talented duo of pass rushers, but neither is what you would call elite. They need a No. 3 behind them to round out the rotation. Danny Striggow and B.J. Green showed promise last year and could turn out to be solid contributors. But Jacksonville needs immediate help, someone who can make an impact.
On top of that, the Jaguars need to add reinforcements at defensive tackle. Arik Armstead got off to a hot start to the season but faded down the stretch. Sure, a hand injury slowed him down late in the year, but his dip in performance exposed the team's lack of talent at the position. The front office needs to add more.
DaVon Hamilton excels at stuffing the run but doesn't offer much pass-rush juice. Jacksonville needs someone who can cause chaos in the interior defensive line. That player isn't currently on the roster.
The Jaguars could target someone like John Franklin-Myers in free agency or Lee Hunter in Round 2 of the draft. Either way, general manager James Gladstone must prioritize the position in free agency.
Bolstering the defensive line doesn't guarantee that the Jaguars will reach the Super Bowl. But as the Seahawks proved, their odds will increase considerably.