Following Week 15, there isn't really anything to complain about. The only bold prediction I wanted to get right came true after the Jacksonville Jaguars put on their best show of the season against the struggling New York Jets. After winning 48-20 to earn their tenth victory of the year, it's guaranteed that this will be one of the most special seasons in franchise history.
How did the Jags get to such a great spot? What was the move that got them here? I have no idea; but James Gladstone's commitment to elevating the floor led to one decision that helped Trevor Lawrence produce the first six-touchdown game of his career.
Ironically enough, a well-known rival in the AFC South gave the Jags an unintended assist. However, I'm sure they'd like to spend their resources elsewhere if they could do things over again.
The Jaguars aren't missing Christian Kirk one bit
During the offseason, the Houston Texans traded a 2026 seventh-round pick to acquire wide receiver Christian Kirk from the Jaguars. At the time, it felt like Jacksonville's front office was sending a message to the locker room that nobody's spot was guaranteed moving forward. Now, it feels like the new regime saw Kirk's future before anyone else could spot it. The move was also financially savvy, as the team saved $10.4 million in salary cap space when they shipped the receiver away.
Since joining the Texans, the former Cardinal only has 22 receptions for 204 yards and one TD. The Texas A&M product hasn't helped much in the return game either, as he's only returned two punts for 27 yards.
In Sunday's game alone, Travis Etienne had 73 receiving yards and 3 TDs through the air. These stats are even more impressive once you remember that he's a running back (and a darn good one, too).
Jacksonville's college football aficionados remember when Etienne was catching passes from his favorite quarterback at Clemson. However, the ACC legend claimed that he's never seen Lawrence play this well before. It stings, but this includes seasons where Trevor was relying on Christian to be one of his most reliable targets.
Can Christian Kirk bounce back after leaving the Jaguars?
To be fair to Kirk, he's coming off a serious collarbone injury that ended his 2024 season. Before the injury, he caught at least 55 passes and gained a minimum of 750 yards in each of his first two seasons in Duval County. In 2022, it looked like the player cemented his status as a WR1 in the NFL after hauling in 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and 8 scores.
Once upon a time, 29 years old would be a sobering milestone for an NFL player, but the Seattle Seahawks had a hard time keeping Phillip Rivers down this weekend. The Indianapolis Colts lost to the 'Hawks 18-16, but the 44-year-old high school coach kept things close and even threw his first touchdown pass in over four years.
Rivers' inspiring story shows that things aren't over for Kirk and the Texans. If that isn't enough encouragement, the former second-round pick can also reference Jakobi Myers' resurgence after getting traded to Jax. This season, the former Raider only had 33 receptions for 352 yards in Las Vegas. Since the trade deadline, Meyers has accumulated 27 catches for 355 yards and three trips to the endzone.
With the Texans in the midst of a prolific playoff push, there should be plenty of opportunities for Kirk to contribute if he is ready to do so. Unfortunately, the evidence available shows that he may need more time than the Jaguars were ever willing to provide.