5 Reasons the Jaguars Will Leap the Patriots in AFC Hierarchy in 2026

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to make noise in the AFC this season, and that will ultimately mean having to pass the New England Patriots.

The Patriots went from worst-to-first last year just like the Jaguars, though they nabbed the No. 2 seed and ultimately represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. The two sides will meet in 2026 with the Jaguars hosting the Patriots at EverBank Stadium in Week 3, and the Jaguars will certainly have the Patriots on their radar come playoff time if all goes right,

So, why should the Jaguars feel confident in how they stack up against the defending AFC champs? We break down a few reasons below.

Trevor Lawrence's Experience Edge Over Drake Maye

Week 3 will be the second time we see Trevor Lawrence and Drake Maye face off; the first time was when Maye was a rookie in 2024. The Jaguars won 32-16 in the Week 7 game in London, and each quarterback shined. Maye was 26-of-37 for 276 yards and two touchdowns, while Lawrence was 15-of-20 for 193 yards and one touchdown. The two quarterbacks are each in a much better spot since then, though, with new head coaches, play-callers, and teams around them.

Jerod Mayo and Doug Pederson were each a head coach the last time these two quaterbacks met, and the hires of Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen have clearly done wonders. Both quarterbacks earned MVP votes last year, and the arrow is firmly pointing up for both young quarterbacks. With that said, Maye's playoff run did show that, for as naturally talented as he is, there are still some growing pains at play.

Lawrence, meanwhile, is entering year six, has 47 more career starts under his belt, and has seemingly matured past the young gunslinger stage. This will once again be a battle of two talented passers, but Lawrence is getting to the point where being the more veteran quarterback can start to be an advantage.

Liam Coen vs. Mike Vrabel

Mike Vrabel earned plenty of accolades and praise for the way he guided the Patriots to their success last year and deservedly so in many ways. With that said, it is hard to argue that Liam Coen did not have the more impressive season as a new head coach considering it was his first-ever season at the helm, he oversaw the stark overhaul of an offense and a franchise quarterback, and he did it against tougher teams.

Vrabel did go further than Coen in the playoffs, but that is about the only area where right now he seems to have much of a clear advantage. Coen seems like the kind of play-caller who could scheme things up against Vrabel's defense, which feels like it would be the ultimate difference-maker in this scenario. Vrabel is a good coach, but what Coen showed in 2025 is that he is arguably already a great one.

Travis Hunter

The Patriots made a big-time move earlier this summer by trading for disgruntled star wide receiver A.J. Brown. Brown is one of the best pass-catching talents of his generation, and he can help change their entire passing game. For teams on the Patriots' schedule like the Jaguars, that means a big challenge for the cornerback room.

Cornerback is exactly where Hunter is set to thrive this season, though. After playing mostly receiver as a rookie, Hunter is set to see an expanded role at the cornerback position this season, and it is clear he has an elite ceiling there after his college career and rookie flashes. Week 3 will be early on in the Hunter experiment for 2026, but Hunter should still be the Jaguars' best and most effective option to slow him down.

There is also the fact that Hunter can still add something to the offense. The Jaguars have plenty of pieces even with Hunter on defense, but this feels like the kind of game where Hunter could make a pivotal big catch, like he did vs. the Kansas City Chiefs or the San Francisco 49ers early last season before his injury sidelined him.

The Jaguars Still Have the Better Weapons

jakobi meyer — Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (3) rushes for yards against Tennessee Titans safety Sanoussi Kane (42) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7, capturing the AFC South title. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We mentioned the Patriots adding to the receiver room with Brown, but they also added Romeo Doubs. At running back, they have the duo of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, which is a more high-profile duo than the Jaguars' duo of Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. With that said, I think there is a good argument the Jaguars still have the better weapons.

The Patriots have a great receiver in Brown and a good one in Doubs, but Pop Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Kayshon Boutte is not better depth than what the Jaguars have with their core receivers. Add in Brenton Strange at tight end and a running back room that is closer to the Patriots than they might get credit for, and the Jaguars should still have a superior supporting cast than the Patriots.

Outside of Brown, there is not a single Patriots receiver who would be the Jaguars' best or second-best receiver. But there is an argument to make for at least four different Jaguars receivers who would be the second-best receiver on the Patriots roster, after only Brown. There is no denying the Patriots have the overall top weapon in the group, but the Jaguars have a talented and deep stable.

The Jaguars' DL vs. Patriots OL

jacksonville jaguar — Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41), left, and defensive end Travon Walker (44) talks during the first day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Patriots' offensive line got completely exposed against the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, something the Jaguars can relate with after their own loss to the Seahawks earlier in the season. The Patriots did add to the unit in the first-round of the draft with Caleb Lomu, but Will Campbell looks questionable right now, and the Jaguars have the defensive end duo who could take advantage of this kind of matchup.

With all of the Jaguars' defensive line starters entering the year healthy and on an upward trajectory, this feels like a potential advantage they can win both in the passing and running game. If Maye is going to lead the Patriots to a win, he will likely be forced to do it while on the move.

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