The Jacksonville Jaguars exceeded expectations last year, going 13-4 and seizing the AFC South title. Rightly, they've set a higher bar for next season, and anything short of a trip to the playoffs could be seen as a disappointment. The good news is that the Jags will benefit from the continuity that head coach Liam Coen provides at the helm. Couple that with the fact that they have a talented core in place, and nobody will bat an eye if they pick up where they left off.
Of course, Jacksonville will have to do it all over again and prove that last year's success wasn't a fluke. Fortunately, the Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots can help in that regard early in the season.
A rumor points to the Jaguars playing the Patriots in Week 3
Twitter user NerdingonNFL posted that the Jaguars will tentatively play New England in Week 3. Keep in mind that this is just a rumor, but they have a good track record when it comes to schedule leaks.
Heck, Nerdingon was the first to break that Jacksonville would face the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans in back-to-back weeks in London, and he got it right. This is to say that you can be confident about the Patriots leak.
Anyway, the Pats would be the perfect test for the Jags to prove that they're not a one-year wonder and can instead be a perennial playoff team. Granted, they got crushed by the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, but getting there is no walk in the park.
Heck, the Jags couldn't even make it out of the wild-card round. It's also worth noting that some talking heads suggested that New England benefited from a favorable schedule last year. However, that argument rings hollow for a couple reasons.
For starters, it doesn't matter if you get a light slate of opponents if you don't take advantage of it. Second, once you get to the playoffs, it doesn't matter how you got there, and the Patriots proved they belonged when they trounced the Houston Texans, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Denver Broncos on their path to Championship Sunday.
Of course, what happened in 2025 doesn't have a bearing on next season, but you can expect New England to be one of the top teams in the AFC, and one of the biggest tests the Jags will face next season.
The Jaguars have the firepower to repel the Patriots
One thing working in the Jaguars favor is that they'll face the Patriots at EverBank Stadium, so they'll have a slight edge by virtue of being the home team. But it doesn't matter where they play, Jacksonville will need to contain Drake Maye.
Although Matthew Stafford was the league MVP in 2025, Maye was within striking distance throughout the year and ultimately finished second. It's hard to see him regressing next season, so the Jacksonville defense will have to find a way to contain him. In particular, the pass rush duo of Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen will need to bring the heat. If they do, the Jags will have a shot.
On offense, Trevon Lawrence must take advantage of his wide array of weapons and score early and often. By building an early lead, Walker and Hines-Allen will get more pass-rush opportunities.
It sounds easy on paper, but the Jaguars do have what it takes to neutralize the Patriots. It will be up to them to execute and make a statement early in the season.
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