On Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars faced off against a bad, injured New York Jets team, and did exactly what they were supposed to do. They won 48-20, playing one of their best games of the season, as they moved to 10-4. With the win, Jacksonville strengthened its hold on the top spot in the AFC South, giving the team a good chance to make the postseason.
With three weeks left in the season, including two more AFC South games (one against the Indianapolis Colts), the Jags’ fight is far from over, but they should most definitely be excited about how things currently stand, though. With this in mind, here’s a look at the current AFC playoff picture.
Current AFC playoff picture after Jaguars win over Jets
1. Denver Broncos (12-2)
2. New England Patriots (11-3)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
6. Buffalo Bills (10-4)
7. Houston Texans (9-5)
8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)
9. Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
10. Miami Dolphins (6-7)
As the AFC South leader, the Jaguars are currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC. With the New England Patriots losing on Sunday, they are only one game ahead of Jacksonville in the seeding. There are three weeks left in the regular season, so the Jags have a legitimate chance to catch up with them. The No. 1 seed is also still in reach, but the Denver Broncos would have to completely collapse down the stretch of the season for Jacksonville to have a chance at claiming the top spot.
The priority for the Jaguars right now is winning the AFC South. That goal got more attainable on Sunday with Jacksonville winning, and the Indianapolis Colts losing to the Seattle Seahawks. Indy is now third in the division at 8-6, with the red-hot Houston Texans sitting at No. 2 with a 9-5 record. Jacksonville already split the season series with Houston, but the Jaguars will play the Colts in Week 17.
Before the team gets to that game, Jacksonville has an important meeting with the Denver Broncos next week. Denver is 12-2, as previously stated, the current top seed in the playoff picture. A win next Sunday would do a lot for the Jaguars. It would show the quality of the team, move the franchise one step closer to a division title, and also give Jacksonville a chance to move up in playoff seeding.