Jaguars Have Unlikely Competitor for Playoff Bid in 2025 Season

The Jaguars would like to win the AFC South, but they might have it hard enough to try to claim one of the three Wild Card spots for this year's playoffs.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen reacts to not getting a touchdown during the fourth quarter in an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially been bumped out of the 2025 NFL playoff picture. They couldn't improve their standing in Week 8, as they were on a bye, but they definitely had opportunities to separate themselves further from the field before the break.

With the Jags off, the Kansas City Chiefs took advantage with a dominant 28-7 win over the Washington Commanders to move into the AFC's seventh seed over Jacksonville. The good news for the Jaguars is that they have plenty of time and a favorable schedule out of the bye to make up ground. The bad news is they might have more competition than initially expected.

Several of the conference's teams are rising. The Pittsburgh Steelers got off to an encouraging 4-3 start behind a resurgent season from Aaron Rodgers. The Indianapolis Colts have cruised to the top spot in the AFC at 7-1 and have a decent shot of finishing as the one-seed. The Chiefs went from 1-2 to 5-3 in a flash, and they look like a juggernaut once again with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy back in the lineup.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) calls a play during the first quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Can the Jaguars outpace the Ravens?

The Baltimore Ravens looked like the most disastrous team in the NFL this season. They started the year just 1-3 and were brutally ravaged by the injury bug, losing stars like Lamar Jackson, Marlon Humphrey, and Kyle Hamilton for extended periods. Through sheer resiliency and some sneaky practice reporting, they were able to get a crucial win over the Chicago Bears last week to keep their season alive at 2-5.

The Ravens have ruled out Lamar Jackson for Sunday against the Bears. They have also admitted that their injury report yesterday, which said Jackson was a full participant in practice, was inaccurate. https://t.co/1VImNr9IrX

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 25, 2025

Their defense is much healthier now after their Week 7 bye, and Lamar Jackson should be back in their next game. Like the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Ravens also have a cushy second half to their schedule, leading many to believe that they still have a puncher's chance of getting into the playoffs or even winning the AFC North.

ESPN gives them a 46 percent chance of making the playoffs and 44 percent odds to claim their division. On the other hand, they've pegged the Jaguars with just a nine percent shot at surpassing the Indianapolis Colts. Come season's end, Jacksonville and Baltimore could be in direct competition for one of the AFC's three Wild Card spots. ESPN expects the Ravens to have a better chance, listing the Jaguars with just 44 percent odds to make the postseason.

The Jaguars have to ensure that they properly collected themselves in the bye and come out hot after the break if they want to make a playoff run in Liam Coen's first year.

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