As Week 16 approaches, we rounded up the latest NFL power rankings to get a sense of how the Jaguars are viewed nationally.
Any outside observations are especially interesting after Liam Coen’s comments from the postgame podium in Week 14.
“This was a big game in a lot of ways, and I think our guys have responded in so many ways in these big games, right? You look at Kansas City, San Francisco, some of those moments where I think they ultimately always kind of feel disrespected, and that’s something
that continues to feed our team.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever really get it [respect]. That’s the beauty of it. It ain’t coming. You know that. It’s not. And that’s the beauty of it. And that’s totally fine. It’s one of those things that I think the group right now — Houston was good for us. I do believe that. The end of Houston was good for us. To know that each game is going to be a 60-minute football game and our mindset and mentality has to be that way.”
How much respect did the Jaguars earn for their Week 15 thumping of the Jets? Let’s find out.
CBS Sports: 5 (last week: 6)
They have won five straight games as Trevor Lawrence is playing the best football of his career. They face a big one this week at Denver.
Pro Football Talk: 6 (7)
From Mike Florio:
Beat the Broncos on Sunday, and they’ll get all the respect they can handle. And then some.
ESPN: 6 (8)
From Mike DiRocco:
Extension candidate: Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers
Meyers has been the Jaguars’ leader in catches (27) and receiving yards (355) since the team acquired him via trade from the Raiders on Nov. 4. He’s in the last year of a three-year, $33 million contract, and the Jaguars want him back as he has become quarterback Trevor Lawrence ‘s most trusted receiver, especially in the middle of the field. The 29-year-old had a career-high 1,027 receiving yards with Las Vegas in 2024.
NFL.com: 7 (9)
From Eric Edholm:
The Jaguars have ripped off five straight wins, and they did so emphatically on Sunday by building a 31-10 halftime lead and continuing to pour it on in the second half against the helpless Jets. Trevor Lawrence engineered his finest statistical outing ever, accounting for six touchdowns himself and leading only three empty drives all game. Lawrence got hot in the latter half of the 2022 season to lead the Jags into the playoffs, and he’s on a similar heater now. This coming Sunday’s matchup against an even hotter Broncos team should provide Jacksonville the kind of playoff-caliber matchup it needs, and these two teams could meet again in January, for all we know.
USA Today: 8 (9)
From Nate Davis:
Everyone expected Trevor Lawrence to be a generational performer … it just took until Sunday for him to remind us.
Bleacher Report: 9 (10)
From Gary Davenport:
The Jaguars are playing excellent complimentary football of late, winning six of seven and three straight games by three scores. If the team can play at that level in Week 16 on the road against the AFC’s No. 1 seed, it will establish the Jaguars as a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the AFC—if they aren’t already.
The Ringer: 9 (9)
Jacksonville has flown totally under the radar lately, even as Indianapolis’s season collapsed and Houston found its stride. If you haven’t been watching the Jags, you’re forgiven—but I’d advise you to get familiar over the next week. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been tearing it up lately, and there’s a chance that this offense will give the AFC-leading Broncos fits in Week 16. In a wide-open AFC, a hot team like this one might be a good sleeper pick come playoff time.
Fox Sports: 9 (9)
From Ralph Vacchiano:
It was a total mismatch against the Jets and their undrafted rookie quarterback. So, how good are Liam Coen’s Jags, really? They’ll find out in Denver next Sunday.
The Athletic: 9 (13)
From Josh Kendall and Chad Graff:
MVP: Trevor Lawrence
He didn’t earn this designation until Sunday, and all it took was one of the best games in NFL history. No joke! Lawrence became the first player in NFL history with five passing touchdowns, 50-plus rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in a game. Lawrence, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara are the only players to account for six touchdowns in a game since 1999. Lawrence is only 21st in the league in EPA per dropback (0.02), but the Jaguars held onto first place in the AFC South with the win.
Yahoo Sports: 10 (13)
From Frank Schwab:
The Jaguars get a bit of a move up, and it’s because of Trevor Lawrence. Over Jacksonville’s past three games, he has nine touchdowns and no interceptions. Is it possible that Lawrence is finally clicking with first-year head coach Liam Coen? It looked like it Sunday, when he became the first player in NFL history with five passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and 50-plus rushing yards. If Lawrence can maintain this level, the Jaguars will be a factor in the playoffs.
Sports Illustrated: 11 (10)
From Conor Orr:
Every few weeks, we need Trevor Lawrence to face a JV defense so that he can put on a seven-on-seven clinic and simply showcase his raw arm talent. Watching Jacksonville pick apart the Jets was simply a joy.
The Jaguars’ average rank this week is 8.3 (last week: 9.6). That’s not low enough if you ask me!
Where would you rank the team, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!
