3 best-case schedule scenarios for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024

2. The Jaguars get a BYE late in the season

Head coach Doug Pederson has always liked to get the BYE later in the season. This may be a bit odd because the Jaguars have two games in London and once they return to the U.S., they'll play as if they had never traveled abroad. However, they have seemingly perfected the art of playing in London. Heck, they went 2-0 last year when they played outside of U.S. soil.

Moreover, it makes sense to get a BYE later in the season when you think about it. By the second half of the year, players are dinged up, and worn down because of the toll the sport takes on them, so having one week off allows them to heal. Similarly, the coaching staff can readjust and recalibrate their approach.

Back in 2022, it looked like the Jags were out of contention after starting 2-6. However, they rallied behind Trevor Lawrence and went 7-2 the rest of the way. While players deserve praise for putting it all together and stepping up when it matters the most, Pederson should get credit for not throwing in the towel and keeping the team focused.

On the other hand, the Jags got off to a strong start last season, going 6-2 before their BYE. But instead of building off of their early success, they got caught in the hype and managed to win just one way the rest of the year. You could make the case that injuries also played a role but the truth is that they failed in the face of adversity.

After how things played out in 2023, Pederson isn't going to let the Jaguars collapse again in the second half. Having a late-season BYE will help him keep the team afloat.