JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
2022 Record - 9-8
Head Coach - Doug Pederson
Offensive Rank - 10th (357 YPG); Scoring - 10th (23.8 PPG)
Defensive Rank - 24th (353 YPG); Scoring - 12th (20.6 PPG)
Trevor Lawrence is back for his third season and will be the starting quarterback after passing for 4,113 yards with 25 touchdowns and just eight interceptions while also scoring five rushing touchdowns and gaining 291 yards. Travis Etienne is the primary running back and he went for 1,125 yards last season (5.1 YPC average) and five touchdowns. Rookie Tank Bigsby (Auburn) will spell Etienne in the backfield. The wide receivers include Christian Kirk (84 receptions, 1,108 yards, eight TD), Zay Jones (82, 823, five TD), Calvin Ridley and rookie Parker Washington (Penn State). The tight end is Evan Engram, who had 73 catches for 766 yards and four touchdowns. Rookie Brenton Strange (Penn State) is another TE available this season.
On defense, the Jaguars have defensive ends Folorunso Fatukasi and Roy Robertson-Harris along with linebackers Josh Allen (seven QB sacks) and Travon Walker and safeties Rayshawn Jenkins and Andre Cisco. The corners are Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams.
OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The Jaguars are looking to exceed what they did last season when they came out of nowhere to win the AFC South division and then stun the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild card round playoff game, overcoming a 27-0 deficit and winning, 31-30 on a last second field goal. Head Coach Doug Pederson will be in his second season in Jacksonville and he oversaw a big time transition with Lawrence at quarterback, who blossomed into one of the league's top young players in his second season.
This year, the Jaguars won't be sneaking up on anybody after they won their final five games in 2022 and advanced to the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. In 2023, they are expecting more from themselves with a top notch offense that will have the addition of WR Calvin Ridley, who was suspended (gambling) all of last season. The Jags traded with Atlanta to land him and that will give Lawrence another weapon in the passing game. The defense improved steadily last year and has seven rookie draft picks in camp to challenge the veterans on the roster.
As long as Lawrence stays healthy and the offense clicks the way it did a year ago and the defense shows they were no fluke, there is no reason to believe this team will not contend in the AFC once again. The division race will likely come down to the Jags and Tennessee Titans as Houston and Indianapolis are looking like rebuilding teams this year. If the Jaguars want to go further in the post-season, they have to be ready for challenges from Kansas City, Buffalo and Cincinnati for sure. An appearance in the AFC title game is not out of the question.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - at Indianapolis
Week Two - vs. Kansas City
Week Three - vs. Houston
Week Four - vs. Atlanta (London, England)
Week Five - at Buffalo (London, England)
Week Six - vs. Indianapolis
Week Seven - at New Orleans
Week Eight - at Pittsburgh
Week Nine - BYE
Week Ten - vs. San Francisco
Week Eleven - vs. Tennessee
Week Twelve - at Houston
Week Thirteen - vs. Cincinnati
Week Fourteen - at Cleveland
Week Fifteen - vs. Baltimore
Week Sixteen - at Tampa Bay
Week Seventeen - vs. Carolina
Week Eighteen - at Tennessee
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