3 Observations on Jaguars' Back-to-Back London Slate vs. Falcons, Bills

The Jacksonville Jaguars are officially heading toward uncharted waters,

The NFL officially announced five international games on Wednesday, with two of those games placing the Jaguars in London: a Week 4 "home" game vs. the Atlanta Falcons, and then a Week 5 "road" game vs. the Buffalo Bills, where the Bills will be the designated home team.

What had been rumored and speculated for much of the 2023 offseason is now a reality: 11% of the Jaguars' regular season games will be played in London.

So, what does the news mean for the Jaguars' 2023 season and beyond? We break it down below.

Don't expect for this move to be popular, even if it is just a one-time consideration

The primary selling point for the Jaguars when it comes to two London games has been the fact that it doesn't take an extra home game away from Jacksonville. The Jaguars already lose one home game a year to London, but this set-up ensures that the second London game is merely another road trip, with the Jaguars set to play overseas instead of in Buffalo. With that said, don't expect for this to be a popular move in terms of reactions from those who make the trip.

Jaguars players have never been shy in the locker room when it comes to talking about the hardships of the London game each year. The travel, wear and tear on their bodies, time away from families, and change in routines are all major factors that have led many players and coaches in recent years to develop an unenthusiastic view of the annual game.

As one Jaguars player, who was granted anonymity, told Jaguar Report on Wednesday, "London is the toughest trip every single year." So while this very well could be a one-time scenario, it could be hard to believe that the Jaguars' locker room will be happy about spending two weeks in London instead of just a handful of days.

Right or wrong, the flames have been stoked for Jaguars' relocation rumors once again

One thing the Jaguars have been able to be proud about in recent years has been the declining national view that they are primed to relocate. Well, right or wrong, that has more or less gone flying out the window at a breakneck speed on Wednesday, with the "Jaguars will move to London" takes now moving forward full-steam ahead. Many people are ignoring the fact that the Jaguars are only losing one home game, but it makes sense for others to wonder exactly why a team would play in London in back-to-back weeks when no other team seemingly has ever had interest in doing so.

The Commissioner has said there could be a four-team division in Europe. With the Jaguars doubling their London games in 2023, they continue to be the most likely team to make the move. https://t.co/jxZx3icAfT
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 10, 2023

In terms of the public arena, the stokes have once again been flamed for the Jaguars as a relocation target. This doesn't actually mean anything in terms of what will happen to the Jaguars; no team is going to relocate just because Mike Florio and ESPN talking heads think it makes sense.

But after years of letting the relocation talk die down, the conversation is back to the public forum -- and it is happening in a year where the Jaguars actually have high expectations on the field.

Jaguars drew the best opponents they could for oversea duels

In terms of the actual on-field product, the Jaguars should be thrilled with the two teams they drew and the order in which they will play them. The Jaguars have played a variety of teams in London over the years, with some years even consisting of them losing a home divisional game to the international series. This year, they are lucky enough to not lose an AFC South game.

In terms of the Falcons game, the Jaguars couldn't be playing Atlanta at a better part of the season. The Falcons will be led by a second-year quarterback who will be in his eighth NFL starts, along with a first-year defensive coordinator and a defense with plenty of new faces. The Falcons will be a team in transition that should be better later in the year than earlier, so the Jaguars getting them in Week 4 is a big plus.

As for the Bills, the Jaguars could for the first time have an advantage in London. Being there for a full week and already having their bodies acclimated should serve the Jaguars well vs. a Bills team that is making the trip that week. The Jaguars will be battle-tested after Week 4 and get to avoid a tough road game in Buffalo, which is a win on all fronts.

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