What Jaguars' Loss to Buffalo Really Means

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars felt like they had everything going their way leading up to Sunday's Wild Card battle against the Buffalo Bills. And for once, it looked like a postseason run was more than a pipedream.

But the Jaguars drew one of the NFL's best players in Buffalo's Josh Allen. And despite playing the Bills nose-to-nose for 60 minutes, one team has to lose. This time, it was the Jaguars.

What the Loss Means

The Jaguars haven't felt a loss with this kind of sting since the 2017 AFC Championship Game. Yes, the Jaguars went further in the 2022-23 playoffs, but that run felt a lot closer "happy to be here" than anything. Even the staunchest Jaguars supporters likely didn't expect them to beat Kansas City in Arrowhead.

This run, though, felt real. This felt like a Jaguars team that could do damage in January. In a wide open AFC South, why not the Jaguars?

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, left listens on the headset as Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen call a play during the first quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why not indeed. The Jaguars were good enough to go the distance, at least in theory. And if they played the Bill 10 times total, chances are they split the series. They were that close on Sunday, and the Bills just made one or two more plays.

But that is what the Jaguars should hold onto to give themselves hope. The fact that the Jaguars squandered a rare opportunity and a special season won't ever change. That pain can't be erased.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

That does mean, though, the Jaguars have fundamentally changed as a franchise. Standards have been set and then raised. And while next year is never promised, the Jaguars seem to have the alignment and roster pieces to make sure the future remains bright.

They have to do their part to ensure a repeat of the Doug Pederson era doesn't happen, but the Jaguars washed away plenty of sins in 2025. Why not fix that part of their past, too?

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks to handoff during the fourth quarter 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

“Yeah, you've got to earn it every year, so I'm not going to say… there's no guaranteed success in this business or in this league. You've got to earn it every week. I'll have to take some time. We're going to have to have a great offseason and get back into it in a few months and prepare the right way, and it's going to be a new team and a new journey that we've got to go on, and we've got to earn it every week," Jaguars quarternack Trevor Lawrence said on Sunday after the game.

"There's no guaranteed success, but I do feel like this is sustainable, the things that we're doing. I know offensively and defensively, both sides of the ball had a hell of a year when it got down to the end, where we finished, and the growth that we had. I know what we're doing offensively. I feel like I've got a complete ownership of it and mastered it as the year went on, have a lot of confidence in that. The players, coaches, like I said. So I do feel like it's sustainable. But you have to earn it every year. It's not just going to happen. I guess that's the best way to put it.”

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks to pass during the first quarter 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

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