Why the Jaguars Have to Maintain Their Edge Moving Forward

We've all heard of Super Bowl hangover. The Philadelphia Eagles finally reached the pinnacle last season with Head Coach Nick Sirianni, and he felt comfortable enough to elevate his buddy Kevin Patullo to offensive coordinator to replace Kellen Moore. It resulted in a talent-laden attack that was stuck in the mud all season, culminating in a first-round exit.

For a historically less successful team like the Jacksonville Jaguars, it might not take a Lombardi for its players to take their foot off the gas. In their first year under Head Coach Liam Coen, they rattled off an eight-game win streak, took the AFC South crown, and returned to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Now, they have to find a way to get over the next hump. Maintaining their edge will be key.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL playoffs, Buffalo Bills, Wild Card, Head Coach Liam Coen, Sean McDermott — Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, left, greets Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott after the game of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jaguars have to keep finding their motivation

Disrespect was a key theme for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2025 NFL season. They weren't viewed as serious threats until halfway through their eight-game win streak. Head Coach Liam Coen used that as fuel for his players to ensure that they brought their best effort week in and week out. And when they needed it, Coen brought a little extra material to the bulletin board, as he did against the Denver Broncos, when he made sure his players knew that Sean Payton called them a small-market team.

ESPN's Peter Schrager asked Coen about his penchant for digging up those opportunities for motivation, a la Michael Jordan. Coen was candid about the desire to bring out an edge in his team, as well as the extra drama it brings for the audience:

"I think it’s just about finding an edge, right? And that’s the word. That term edge has been something that we used a lot here. It was actually part of my training camp team meeting with the team was challenging ourselves — players, coaches, staff members, everybody here in this building — to find their edge. What’s gonna separate you from your teammates in making this team from your position group and earning a starting spot, or where you are on the depth chart, and ultimately, from our peers? Like what’s gonna separate us? And everybody’s individual edge, ultimately finding that, molding that, like harnessing that, and using that will become our team identity."

"It’s football. Like, this is entertainment as well, and like, you have to continue to find an edge for 17 weeks to get yourself in a place to go and compete at the level that these guys have to go compete at, to go win the kind of games that you have to go win on the road in this league. Sometimes you need a little extra motivation."

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