Jaguars' Week 9 primetime game oddly flexed despite encouraging win against Patriots
The Jacksonville Jaguars showed signs of life when they defeated the New England Patriots in Week 7. However, it wasn't enough to keep their primetime slate in Week 9.
The NFL announced that the Jags won't no longer play on Sunday Night Football in Week 9. Instead, they'll face the Philadelphia Eagles at 4:05 p.m. ET. In their place, the Indianapolis Colts will play the Minnesota Vikings in primetime. The team announced that the game will be broadcast nationally on CBS and locally on WJAX CBS 47.
Schedule change: We will now face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 4:05 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) October 21, 2024
The game will be broadcast nationally by CBS and locally on WJAX-CBS47.
This isn't particularly surprising when you take into account that neither the Jags nor the Philadelphia Eagles are doing particularly well. That said, it was odd to see the Colts and Minnesota take their place. Then again, the league didn't have many options.
Other games that were eligible for Sunday Night were Lions-Packers and Dolphins-Bills. Fox was going to protect the former and CBS was going to do the same for the latter. That left the Vikings-Colts game as the best option.
Now that the Jags have been flexed, they no longer have any primetimes for 2024. They played on Monday Night Football back in Week 3 and were embarrassed. Maybe the league didn't want a similar outcome.
Surprisingly, Jacksonville didn't get their yearly contest on Thursday Night Football in 2024, ending a streak of six consecutive appearances dating back to 2018. Last year, the Jags were rewarded with three primetimes after making the playoffs in 2022: Thursday Night against the New Orleans Saints, Monday Night against the Cincinnati Bengals, and Sunday Night against the Baltimore Ravens. They went 1-2 in those contests.
The Jaguars were deservingly flexed out of Sunday Night vs. the Eagles
The Jacksonville Jaguars have nobody but themselves for being flexed out of Sunday Night. They were seen as a team with potential before the start of the season but have been underwhelming so far.
Despite having a realistic shot to beat the Miami Dolphins and the Cleveland Browns in Weeks 1 and 2, they lost both contests. They then got pummeled by the Buffalo Bills and dropped a winnable game against the Houston Texans the following week. That's not the kind of performance you want from a team that spared no expense in the offseason to retain their building blocks and acquire immediate help in free agency. And that's what's frustrating.
In spite of rewarding their own players and bringing in proven veterans in free agency, the Jaguars have been one of their most disappointing teams in 2024. Heck, their underwhelming season overshadows the news that the NFL approved the renovations to EverBank Stadium. Put it this way, why should fans spend their money on a losing product?
That sounds harsh, but that's the current state of the Jaguars. Their fans will continue to support them, but they'll be less inclined to show up at the bank only to see them lose. Having said that, not everything is gloom and doom. They showed signs of life against New England. Trevor Lawrence is once again playing at a high level and Brian Thomas Jr. has proven to be a steal.
Add the ascension of running back Tank Bigsby and the consistent play of the offensive line, and the Jacksonville Jaguars could make noise in the upcoming weeks. Unfortunately, they won't get to do it on Sunday Night Football.
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