The Jacksonville Jaguars have earned a week off, although their 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium means they probably would have preferred to head into the bye with a little more peace of mind. At 4-2, Jacksonville remains firmly in the AFC South picture, but the Texans have just reminded everyone that this division race is unlikely to be a relaxing experience.
With no Jaguars game to watch this weekend, fans can turn their attention to the rest of the NFL and hope a few results
fall Jacksonville’s way. The priorities are straightforward: keep the AFC South rivals in check, avoid giving potential Wild Card competitors unnecessary help, and generally cheer for the NFC when an AFC team is on the other side of the field.
Here is your Week 7 rooting guide, matchup by matchup. You’re welcome, Jaguars fans.
New England Patriots at Chicago Bears (Thursday Night Football)
Root for: Chicago Bears
The Patriots enter Week 7 at 4-2, putting them right in the mix for the AFC East title and a potential Wild Card spot. With Jacksonville holding the same record, there is little reason to help New England improve its position. The Bears are also 4-2, but an NFC victory is the preferable outcome for the Jaguars. Chicago can celebrate all it wants; Jacksonville will happily accept a Patriots loss as a small win of its own.
Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints (Paris, France)
Root for: New Orleans Saints
The Steelers are another 4-2 AFC team that Jacksonville could be competing against for playoff positioning later in the season. Pittsburgh has made a solid start, and the last thing the Jaguars need is for it to keep building momentum. New Orleans has had its own struggles, but this is a straightforward rooting interest: give the Saints a reason to celebrate in Paris and send the Steelers home with a loss. If the French crowd can help deliver a little chaos, all the better.
San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons
Root for: Atlanta Falcons
This one is less about a direct Jacksonville rival and more about taking advantage of an NFC-versus-NFC matchup. San Francisco is unbeaten at 6-0 and looks like one of the NFC’s leading contenders, while Atlanta has had a more difficult start. Neither result directly changes the Jaguars’ AFC standing, so this is a chance to root for the underdog and see whether the Falcons can spoil the 49ers‘ perfect record. Jacksonville fans can enjoy the spectacle without worrying about an AFC rival gaining ground.
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Root for: Cincinnati Bengals
This is one of the trickier games of the weekend because both teams are AFC contenders, and somebody has to take the victory. Baltimore is 4-2, while Cincinnati is also firmly in the playoff conversation. A Bengals win would hand the Ravens a damaging loss and potentially tighten the race among the AFC’s Wild Card hopefuls. Neither team is an ideal winner from Jacksonville’s perspective, but if we have to pick one, let’s see Baltimore stumble. The Jaguars have enough to worry about in their own division without the Ravens making life more difficult elsewhere.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Root for: Carolina Panthers
This one is a little more complicated than simply backing the NFC team, because there could be a Jacksonville angle worth watching if things continue to unravel in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have stumbled to a 1-5 start, putting Todd Bowles under increasing pressure, and if the organization decides to make a change, it could look toward a familiar face from Liam Coen’s coaching tree. Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski has already emerged as a potential candidate for the job, and Tampa Bay could be tempted to try to poach another of Jacksonville’s rising offensive minds. A Panthers win would pile further pressure on the Buccaneers and potentially make that coaching conversation a little more interesting. Jacksonville fans should be rooting for Carolina here, because the last thing the Jaguars need is an NFC South rival getting ideas about raiding their coaching staff.
New York Giants at Houston Texans
Root for: New York Giants
Here is one of the weekend’s biggest games for Jaguars fans, even if the matchup itself might not immediately jump off the page. Houston just beat Jacksonville at Wembley, cutting into the Jaguars’ advantage in the AFC South. The Texans are 2-4, so the Jags still currently enjoy a lead, but their head-to-head victory makes them a more dangerous opponent than their record suggests. A Giants win would stop Houston from building a winning streak and give Jacksonville a little breathing room while it rests. If the Texans could lose every remaining game without affecting Jacksonville’s own schedule, that would be lovely, too.
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings
Root for: Minnesota Vikings
The Colts are another AFC South rival, which makes this one simple. Indianapolis is 2-4 and has already lost ground in the division, but Jacksonville should not give it an opportunity to recover. Minnesota is unbeaten at 5-0 and has been one of the NFL’s strongest teams, so the Vikings are well positioned to take care of business at home. A Colts loss would keep them well behind the Jaguars and make the division race a little less stressful. The departure of Indy’s GM Chris Ballard this week adds a little intrigue, but is largely irrelevant to Jags fans. There is no need to overthink this one: Skol, Vikings.
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Root for: Miami Dolphins
Neither AFC East team has made a convincing start, but the Jets have two wins compared with Miami’s winless record. That makes New York the more immediate concern if it can start stringing victories together. A Dolphinswin would hand the Jets another loss and help prevent them from becoming a factor in the AFC Wild Card race. Yes, rooting for a winless team might feel strange, but this is a bye week rooting guide, not a popularity contest. If Miami can finally get something going, Jacksonville will gladly take the collateral benefit.
Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans
Root for: Cleveland Browns
This is another non-negotiable one. Tennessee is 1-5, but the Titans are still a divisional rival, and Jacksonville needs to keep them down. Cleveland is 4-2 and could be a threat in the AFC Wild Card race, so this is not an entirely comfortable choice. However, the Browns are the better team to back here because a Titans loss is directly beneficial to Jacksonville’s chances of winning the AFC South. The Jaguars cannot afford to take divisional games for granted, even when their rivals are struggling. And let’s be honest – who doesn’t enjoy the misery emanating from Tennessee right now?
Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals
Root for: Arizona Cardinals
Denver is 4-2 and another potential competitor for an AFC playoff berth, so Jacksonville would benefit from seeing the Broncos lose. Arizona has struggled in the NFC West, but that is not Jacksonville’s problem. The Cardinals have the opportunity to deliver a useful upset, and the Jaguars will be cheering them on from the sofa. If Arizona can pull it off, Jacksonville gets the result it wants without having to do anything more strenuous than open a bag of snacks. Oh, and Larry Fitz gets his jersey retired too – what’s not to love?
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
Root for: Detroit Lions
This is an NFC North battle, so neither result will directly affect Jacksonville’s position in the AFC. Green Bay is 4-2, while Detroit is also in the hunt in the NFC. We will lean toward the Lions, hoping they can knock the Packers down a peg and make the NFC North race more competitive. There is no need for Jaguars fans to become experts in NFC tiebreakers this weekend; the main objective is to get through the schedule with as many favorable AFC results as possible.
Los Angeles Rams at Las Vegas Raiders
Root for: Los Angeles Rams
The Raiders are 3-3 and could still emerge as a factor in the AFC playoff race, making a loss useful for Jacksonville. The Rams have struggled in the NFC West, but they are the preferred team here simply because they play in the other conference. A Los Angeles win would push Las Vegas further down the AFC standings and help keep another potential Wild Card challenger at bay. This is not a game that will define Jacksonville’s season, but a Raiders loss is certainly better than a Raiders win.
Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday Night Football)
Root for: Seattle Seahawks
The Chiefs are unbeaten at 5-0 and currently sit among the AFC’s leading contenders. Kansas City is a team Jacksonville could eventually have to navigate in the playoff picture, and there is no particular reason to help it maintain its perfect record. Seattle is 3-3 and would benefit from a win in the NFC, while a Chiefs defeat would be a welcome development for the AFC race. The Seahawks have the opportunity to make a statement on Sunday night, and Jaguars fans should be hoping they do exactly that. KC are beginning to look like the 2018 version rather than recent iterations; a darkening cloud on the horizon for any potential postseason matchup.
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday Night Football)
Root for: Dallas Cowboys
We finish the week with an NFC East rivalry, and there is a reasonable case for either side. Philadelphia is 2-4 after losing to Jacksonville in London and then falling to Carolina, while Dallas is also 2-4 following its defeat in Green Bay. The Eagles’ struggles are particularly relevant because Jacksonville already has that head-to-head win on its résumé, and a Philadelphia victory would help strengthen the value of it. Nevertheless, we will lean toward Dallas here, hoping the Cowboys can push Philadelphia further down the NFC East standings. It is not the most consequential game for Jacksonville, but there is something satisfying about ending the weekend watching Nick Sirianni’s outrageous levels of self-confidence take a hit.
