Well, if you want to be optimistic about the strength of the Jacksonville Jaguars' schedule, you should think about the chances of Liam Coen snagging some major accolades first. As the dust begins to settle on the Jaguars' headline-grabbing schedule release video, others around the league have begun predicting where the team, and its opponents, will end up.
Some analysts immediately leapt off the edge and said that the Jaguars would repeat as AFC South Champions and make consecutive postseason appearances for the first time since Wayne Weaver was in office. One would think that pulling off such a feat would lead to all the hardware in existence being shipped over to 1 EverBank Stadium Drive. However, last year's dearth of awards shows that this probably won't be the case.
So, I think we should be looking at Jacksonville's three primetime showings and noticeable lack of true home games in a different light. Instead of predicting the Jags to be world beaters, I propose that we campaign for this gauntlet of a schedule to be Liam Coen's best chance to be the next AP Coach of the Year.
If Liam Coen doesn't win the Coach of the Year Award after this doozy of a calendar, when will he?
Do I think a 10-win season is impossible? No, not really. With the extra regular-season game, the Jaguars can drop seven contests on two different continents and still reach such a goal. However, there are a lot of tossups that are going to require some masterful coaching to get the ball to bounce Jacksonville's way.
Jax routinely splits the regular-season series with the Houston Texans, so that's one loss right there. CJ Stroud is heading into a prove-it year that could leave hundreds of millions of dollars on the table if he doesn't bounce back from his horrendous performances last postseason. Coen and his troops will head to Houston in Week 15, which means that seeding, tiebreakers, and the chance to end a nasty losing streak will be on the line.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been struggling to cobble together an offense for ages, and Mike McCarthy solves that problem and the Steel City's struggles to develop a young QB without investing significant capital. Also, that Week 14 slobberknocker is going to be played on Monday Night Football.
By that point in the season, Pittsburgh will probably be playing for tiebreakers or playoff seeding. Not good on paper, but great for a coach who wants to separate himself from the middle of the pack.
Playing the Denver Broncos in Mile High, the season after they hosted the AFC Championship Game, will be a huge test as well. The Jags aren't some small-market franchise that can fly under the radar anymore, so Coen will need to dial up the craziest run game he can muster so his offense can take it to one of the best defensive lines in the league quickly and early.
John Harbaugh isn't in Purple and Black anymore, but coaching changes have never stopped the Baltimore Ravens' front office from building a dominant and physical roster as quickly as possible. I think Jesse Minter's oft-covered journey to becoming the Ravens' new leader on the grass will inadvertently keep Liam Coen's name on voters' minds. Let's be honest, blowing out a media darling live on Amazon Prime for the world to see will definitely turn some heads.
And, last, but CERTAINLY not least, someone in football heaven (or hell) decided to give the Jacksonville Jaguars a chance to play the Dallas Cowboys IN DALLAS on Sunday Night Football. Did I mention that this game will be in Week 16? If Jacksonville wins by two scores on one of the biggest stages in the entire sport, the Coach of the Year Award night will be Coen's to lose.
So, this schedule is definitely daunting, but Duval County's main attraction could still put on one of the best single-season performances we've ever seen. If they can pull it off, the Jags' second-year HC will be in a very exclusive tier of big names come 2027.
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