Jaguars Mailbag on AFC South Race, Jets Battle

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Throughout the season, we will be taking questions on the biggest questions facing the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Jaguars Mailbag

Q: Jags lost to Houston after dominating them for 3 quarters, then blew out Titans and the Colts. Pretty good sign of where this team stands in this division. Where do you rank Jags in the AFC?

A: To me, we will see if the Jaguars are in the top tier with the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos next week, but I do not think there is much of an argument that they aren't at least close. Jaguars are, at worst, a top-4 AFC team besides those two and the Buffalo Bills. The Houston Texans have the best single unit in the AFC, but I think their offense puts them right outside the Jaguars/Bills tier.

Sep 21, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans shake hands after the game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Q: Do you think Liam and the offensive staff will try to up the playbook for next season? It sounds like midway through the year they abandoned a lot of the tricky stuff, but is that a temporary pause or are we just running a simplified scheme going forward?

A: I don't think this is really the case. I think most teams by the end of the season are not reinventing the wheel and are more or less honing in on what they are best at. I think the Jaguars will still have their fair share of wrinkles over the next month,

Nov 30, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen smiles to the crowd as he walks of the field against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Q: It’s hard to say because the playoffs are going to be full of capable teams anyways, but who would you MOST and LEAST want to face in the wild card round?

A: I think the Jaguars would love to draw a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Jaguars match up well with them and have already shown the ability to beat them on both sides of the ball. The Houston Texans have an elite defense, but I think the Buffalo Bills because of Josh Allen.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen runs with the ball trying to avoid Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai getting the ball close to a first down during first half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 7, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: Armstead only played 23% of defensive snaps against the Colts. Who is usually rotating in for him?

a: Maason Smith for most of the season and then Matt Dickerson in recent weeks. Armstead should be expected to play more this week, I would think.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Q: Baalke gets a lot of hate, and deservedly so, but it seems like Pederson deserves more blame than he got. Mid-to-late round players never took a step under his watch. What are your thoughts on the new regime as actual coaches/teachers?

A: Baalke made mistakes like any general manager, but the more we get removed from that era, the more it looks like coaching was the biggest issue with the Jaguars' on-field product. Players have gotten better under the new regime, and at a much faster clip. The difference, especially on the defensive side of the ball, is palpable.

Nov 16, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen reacts to a play against the Los Angeles Chargers d31 at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Q: Everyone talking about big signings for next year; ETN, Meyers, etc but Van Lanen has been a gem this year at a bargan price and he's a free agent next year. He probably won't be cheap. What do you think the Jags do with him (he perfectly fits the Gladstone Coen mold) and at what price?

A: I would think the Jaguars would love to keep Cole Van Lanen in town, and I expect them to make a push to do so. How much they pay him would tell us if they view him as a full-time starter, but I think his skill set is so valuable to them that he is more or less a lock to stick around.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (70) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Q: If the Jags lose a game and Houston wins out, then they take the division. While wildcard games still are an option, just how devastating would it be to the team's progress if that loss to Houston is what costs them a playoff berth?

A: I don't think it would say anything about the progress of the team if they make the playoffs without winning the AFC South, which is what I expect to happen if they come in second behind the Texans. The chances of them outright missing the playoffs are just very slim.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen greets Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after the game of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: How have the 4-13 in 2024 Jags and Pats turned their fates around where the 5-12 Raiders, 4-13 Raiders, 3-14 Browns and 3-14 Titans all failed to? What have The Pats and Jags got right that the others couldn't?

A: Each of the Jaguars and Patriots have the two best quarterbacks on this list, but they helped each quarterback recover from a losing record the year before by surrounding them with quality help at wide receiver, offensive line, running back, and coaching. Those three teams all failed to do so all season.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is introduced before an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Colts 36-19. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: Jets have been up and down and played some teams tough. What are Jets doing well?

A: The Jets run the ball well and have one of the best special teams units in all of football. Things have been rough for them, but they are a team that will at least fight.

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn watches his team from the sidelines during a week 14 football game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: Is it fair to be genuinely worried about the Texans winning the division? Looking at their remaining schedule, I can’t see them losing another game. If we both end 12-5, they get the tiebreaker, right?

A: I mean, absolutely. The Jaguars control their own destiny and have three very favorable matchups along the way, but the Texans are right in this thing. It is a lesson for the Jaguars moving forward, but it is still up to the Jaguars whether it ultimately matters.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen with quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Q: How does the Jakobi Myers trade affect our conditional picks from Atlanta?

A: Please. It is Christmas.

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