Analyst's puzzling schedule prediction will make Jaguars fans roll their eyes

• The Jaguars lost in Week 1, but that doesn't mean they're dreadful.
New Orleans Saints v Jacksonville Jaguars
New Orleans Saints v Jacksonville Jaguars / Harry Aaron/GettyImages
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The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. They deserve all the flak they get their way for letting the game slip out of their hands. That said, they have enough talent to bounce back and make noise in 2024. That's why it was puzzling to hear Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated say that the Jags won't be many games this season.

Breer had an exchange with colleague Conno Orr. They discussed, in the form of a game, how many contests Jacksonville had a chance a legitimate chance of winning in 2024. It's fair to say that neither Orr nor Breer are high on them.

"Let's play a game real quick with the Jaguars," Orr said. "Say stop when I hit a game that you think there's no chance that they lose this game or absolutely going to lose this game. Next week against Cleveland, the week after that, at Buffalo, the week after that, at Houston, the week after that, against the Colts, the week after that, against the Bears. The week after that, New England in London."

Breer stopped at the Patriots but pointed out that he wasn't sure the Jaguars could win based on how New England played in the season opener.

Orr continued, "And then the week after that, Green Bay, Jordan Love will be back by the end of October. The week after that, Philadelphia, the week after that, Minnesota, the week after that, Detroit, Albert, the week after that, Houston, the week after that, at Tennessee. Titans didn't look too bad I mean they looked alright the week after that, the New York Jets."

Breer believes Tennessee is a guaranteed win for the Jaguars but other than that. Even then he doesn't sound so sure, "I guess you have to say Tennessee." Orr then says he sees "two wins on that schedule right now that are for sure." Here's the full exchange:

There's no doubt the Jaguars need to prove they're deserving a playoff spot but saying they'll only win two games is baffling. In Breer's defense, they collapsed at the end of 2023 and didn't dispel any doubts about their ability to finish games in the opener. On the other hand, it's been only one week and the prediction sounds like an overreaction more than anything else.

The Jaguars have the pieces to make noise, they just have to finish games

Early in Week 1, it looked like the Jaguars were going to cruise to a win. Up 17-7, they were with scoring distance. Unfortunately, it all came to a halt when running back Travis Etienne fumbled near the Miami Dolphins' end zone.

The Phins went on to score 13 unanswered points while the Jacksonville offense stalled. But as frustrating as the loss was, there was plenty to like in their performance. Trevor Lawrence, for one, showed the capability to make throws other quarterbacks wish they could make.

Heck, even Etienne and the running game — an area where the Jags struggled last year — were having a productive day before the fumble.

The defense, on the other hand, played well, with Travon Walker registering two sacks. Most of the yardage they gave up came on two throws. Overall, Ryan Nielsen's unit held their own, limiting the Dolphins to just 20 points. That should've been enough to get the "W." If they had gotten a bit of help from the offense, they would've pulled it off.

Of course, the Jags have their work cut out. They must do a better job of protecting No. 16. Similarly, they must cut down on drops (they had three crucial ones in Week 1), and tighten their coverage.

This is to say that the Jacksonville Jaguars are simply too talented not to start racking up wins in 2024. If Albert Breer doesn't believe it, that's his choice, but he shouldn't act surprised once they do.

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