Key Players to Watch For Jaguars Postseason Debut vs. Bills

The Jacksonville Jaguars play in the biggest game of the franchise's history when they host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in the first round of the AFC playoffs. It is a historic turnaround for the organization, who were seen as one of the laughingstocks of the NFL before hiring Liam Coen, who turned a 4-13 team into a 13-4 championship contender.

In the biggest game of the season, the Jaguars will need all of the help they can get against one of the AFC's powerhouses of the last six seasons. Josh Allen is no quarterback to joke around about, and he can take over a game quickly. This is why Jacksonville will need these three key players to step up this weekend.

Antonio Johnson, safety

What an incredible season Johnson has had, especially in the second half of the year. After starting the campaign in the rotation at safety, the former Texas A&M standout was thrusted into the lineup as injuries took ahold, and while his first few starts were rocky, he did more than just settle in: he became a terriifc piece of the defense.

Johnson finished the regular season with five interceptions, showcasing his knack for the football, coverage prowess, range, athleticism, and tackling ability. It seems as though Johnson has found himself to be one of the better players at his position in the entire postseason field. He'll be needed against the arm of Allen.

Trevor Lawrence, quarterback

T-La — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) walks on the field before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jacksonville Jaguars On SI beat reporter John Shipley wrote an excellent column on what Sunday's home playoff game means for Lawrence, and simply put, it can either erase the bad memories of 2021-2024 or continue to add fuel to the fire, depending on the result. He is right: this weekend is the most important game of Lawrence's career...until the next one, assuming the Jaguars advance in the playoffs.

Travis Etienne, running back

Etienne Jags — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs while throwing an arm up on Tennessee Titans cornerback Micah Robinson (21) during the fourth quarter in an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7 [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills have had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, and it has cost them a couple of games that were the deciding factor between winning the AFC East and playing on the road in the playoffs. They will have to deal with a run game that had better success last week against the Titans and has shown to be a quality unit throughout the campaign.

If there is a week pending, free agent Travis Etienne needs to make his case to the Jaguars and the rest of the league about his value and importance. This is the one. Should Jacksonville score the victory at home, Etienne and the rest of the rushing attack could be a key reason.

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