Rich Eisen ponders the possibility of a Jaguars vs. Lions Super Bowl in 2023

The Jacksonville Jaguars have won straight games dating back to Week 4. They have a well-rounded team and find themselves among the best teams in the AFC. This has led Rich Eisen to wonder if a Jags - Detroit Lions Super Bowl matchup is a possibility.

On a recent show, Rich Eisen had praise for Jacksonville following their victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football. He highlighted running back Travis Etienne's streak of three consecutive games with multiple touchdown runs and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun's pick-six. Eisen then points out that Detriot finished 2022 strong and is off to a hot start this season.

"They came out of the gate with a road win for the ages, as opposed to the road when that the Jaguars had," Eisen said. "Then, they didn't lose their next two. They only lost one and have won four in a row since then."

The Lions beat Kansas City in the opener and fell to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. They have won four games in a row since then. Meanwhile, the Jags lost to the Chiefs and the Houston Texans in back-to-back games. They have rebounded though, and have also racked up four consecutive wins. For this reason, Eisen believes there's a chance these two teams could play in the NFL Championship Game.

"But we're living in a world where it's entirely possible before the rest of Week 7 hits the field that the Jaguars and the Lions are going to play in the Super Bowl. We're living in a world where this is a possibility, and it's real. Because I know they don't have the history, the recent history of say the 49ers, and the Chiefs, or the history. And they don't have the fanbase that remembers the days like the Cowboys, and they don't have the Bills or the Bengals' recent history, "Eisen said."

Eisen continued, "They got a history. The Jaguars have a more successful history since coming into being in the mid-90s than the Lions have had since the mid-90s, that's for sure. I get it, I understand, but this is real."

The Lions have made the playoffs three times since 2000 while Jacskonville has qualified four times in the same span. Both teams have a good shot at qualifying for the postseason in 2023 given the relatively weak state of the divisions they reside in.

The Jaguars vs. Lions Super Bowl is possible, not probable

There's no doubt the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions are much better, competitive teams since they hired Doug Pederson and Dan Campbell, respectively. That said, seeing both clubs make the Super Bowl in 2023 is a long shot.

Make no mistake, Jacksonville and the Lions have a strong chance of making the playoffs but both teams face several roadblocks to make reach the championship game. In the Jaguars' case, their offense needs to be much better. Although they've shown the ability to put points on the scoreboard, they go through hot and cold stretches. On top of that, they have yet to prove they can go toe-to-toe with the powerhouses in the division.

It's true that the Jags beat the Bills but they weren't good enough to keep up with Kansas City. They will face off against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10 and that game will be a good barometer of where they stand. If they come on top, they'll show they can make a deep playoff push. If they lose, it will be a sign they may not be ready to go to the AFC Championship, let alone the Super Bowl.

The same is true for the Lions. They already beat the Chiefs but would they be able to keep up with Philly or the 49ers? It's also worth noting that it's just Week 7 and many things can happen between now and the season finale. Can the Jaguars maintain their current pace?

The bottom line is that a Jaguars - Lions Super Bowl is a real possibility but both teams need to keep playing at a high level to be considered legitimate contenders. They have several weeks left to make their case.

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