Jacksonville is winners of six straight, with its most recent victory coming at the house of the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Not so bad for a small market team.
“We really don’t care about the narrative,” head coach
Liam Coen said after the Week 16 win. “I’m sorry to say that, but it’s only helping us, so I want the narrative [of disrespect] to keep coming.”
As Week 17 approaches, we rounded up the latest NFL power rankings to get a sense of how the Jaguars are viewed nationally.
Pro Football Talk: 2 (last week: 6)
From Mike Florio:
“Smaller markets” have big dreams, too.
CBS Sports: 3 (5)
From Pete Prisco:
They have ripped off six straight victories as Trevor Lawrence has been as good as any passer in the league the last five weeks. Liam Coen is in the Coach of the Year conversation.
USA Today: 3 (8)
From Nate Davis:
They’ve won six in a row, but QB Trevor Lawrence has truly been in the zone over his last four games − with a 120.8 passer rating during that stretch while accounting for 14 TDs. The defense has also added another 10 takeaways in those four recent victories. Any number of teams could emerge from a muddled AFC field − but, after a decisive win in Denver, the Jags are certainly playing as well as anyone in the conference right now.
The Ringer: 4 (9)
With Jacksonville playing against one of the best defenses in the league—and one that looked like a bad matchup for the Jaguars on paper—I was totally prepared them to be humbled in this high-leverage game in Denver.
We saw the exact opposite. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence shook off some early hits and responded by anticipating blitzes, getting the ball out of his hands quickly, and doing his best work on early downs. Jacksonville’s offense has been a machine in the second half of the season, and each week seems to add a new batch of plays that make defenses’ heads spin. I won’t make the mistake of overlooking Jacksonville again.
ESPN: 5 (6)
From Mike DiRocco:
Rookie of the year: Running back Bhayshul Tuten
With cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter out for the year, the Jaguars’ fourth-round pick has made the biggest contribution in 2025. Tuten has rushed for 284 yards (third on the team) and four touchdowns, while catching 10 passes for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns. As the main backup to Travis Etienne Jr., Tuten is also the Jaguars’ leading kick returner (28.4 yards per return on 19 returns). He is likely to miss the rest of the regular season because of a finger injury he suffered in Week 15, but he is expected to return for the playoffs.
NFL.com: 5 (7)
From Eric Edholm:
What a statement performance from the barnburning Jaguars, who keep one-upping themselves en route to a potentially historic season. First, there was the monumental win (at the time) over the Chiefs. Then the stomping of the Chargers at home. But Sunday’s triumph felt different, with Jacksonville going into Denver’s den and really seizing control of the game. Trevor Lawrence turned in one of his best performances, and he’s been on fire lately with 19 TDs (16 passing, three rushing) in the Jags’ six-game win streak, including a whopping 10 in the past two. The defense also served up a reminder against the Broncos that it’s better than people realize, coming up with some big stops and heating up the pass rush late. Who says Jacksonville can’t make a Super Bowl run in Liam Coen’s first year? The AFC is wide open.
Fox Sports: 5 (9)
From Ralph Vacchiano:
Hammering the Broncos in Denver is a program-defining win for Liam Coen. It’s also six in a row for a Jags team that could make a lot of noise in the AFC playoffs.
The Athletic: 5 (9)
From Josh Kendall and Chad Graff:
One concern: Their running game
The defense has been great, Trevor Lawrence is on fire and the passing offense has vastly improved since the Jags acquired Jakobi Meyers before the trade deadline, so this is nitpicking. But the offense ranks 26th in rushing success rate since Week 8. Still, Jacksonville has won six straight and clinched a playoff berth with the Colts’ loss.
Bleacher Report: 6 (9)
From Brent Sobleski:
The Jaguars deserve far more respect after taking control of Sunday’s contest by scoring 17 consecutive second-half points against Denver’s vaunted defense. More importantly, Trevor Lawrence is playing the best ball of his career. His confidence is sky high, and head coach Liam Coen has his quarterback playing fast and loose. Mistakes don’t lead to more mistakes as they have in the past. Instead, certain throws often serve as heat checks, with Lawrence completing more difficult passes than throwing them to the other team. Jacksonville has now won six games in a row. With its latest outcome, no one can still argue the level of competition hasn’t been up to par.
Sports Illustrated: 7 (11)
From Conor Orr:
Congratulations to the Jaguars for clinching a playoff spot following Indianapolis’s loss to San Francisco. This is a pivotal moment for fans who have to shift from guerilla-style, torture-the-writers-of-power-rankings to act-like-you’ve-been-here-before classy. It’s not an easy transition. Many fan bases fail. Study the good ones.
Yahoo Sports: 8 (10)
From Frank Schwab:
Maybe we all should have taken a 35-6 win by Jacksonville against the Chargers in Week 11 a little more seriously. The Jaguars haven’t lost since then, and a 34-20 win at Denver on Sunday should make everyone take notice. Trevor Lawrence legitimized his hot streak by doing it against a very good Broncos defense. If the Jaguars win at the Colts in Week 17 (or if the Texans lose at the Chargers), all that would stand between them and an AFC South title would be a home win over the Titans in the finale. Liam Coen might end up stealing NFL Coach of the Year.
The Jaguars’ average rank this week is 5.1! (last week: 8.3).
Where would you rank the team, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!
