Jaguars open season at home, get one primetime game in 2020

Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One primetime game, no Monday Night Football and plenty of 1 p.m. kickoffs are on the agenda for the Jaguars in 2020.

The long-anticipated NFL schedule was released on Thursday night and the Jaguars got about what you’d expect for a franchise coming off of a 6-10 season.

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They were left off of the Monday night lineup again, but did land one primetime showcase, a Week 3 game on Thursday night at TIAA Bank Field against the Miami Dolphins.

The remainder of the schedule includes one 4:05 p.m. kickoff on the West Coast and 14 games scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m.

Such is the lot for a team coming off back-to-back losing seasons.

The Jaguars bye falls on Week 7.

Without a trip to London, the Jaguars don’t have a long stretch without a home game as they have in recent years. In fact, after trips to Cincinnati and Houston in Weeks 4 and 5 (Oct. 4 and 11), the Jaguars will not play back-to-back road games the rest of the year.

Jaguars preseason schedule

DateOpponentTimeNotable
Aug. 13-17at Carolina PanthersTBDNo Cam Newton this year
Aug. 22 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers8 p.m.Tom Brady’s new team
Aug. 27-30Washington RedskinsTBDNFC’s worst odds to make Super Bowl
Sept. 3-4 Atlanta FalconsTBDDante Fowler signed with Falcons

The lone instance of consecutive home games comes Nov. 22 and Nov. 29 when the Jaguars host the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns in back-to-back games at TIAA Bank Field.

After opening the season at home against the Colts, the Jaguars will finish the season at Indianapolis on Jan. 3.

After playing four division opponents in the first eight games, the Jaguars face just two AFC South teams in the final eight weeks of the season (Dec. 13 at home against the Tennessee Titans and the season finale at the Colts).

The Jaguars will face all four teams that drafted quarterbacks in the first round, Cincinnati (Joe Burrow), Miami (Tua Tagovailoa), Los Angeles Chargers (Justin Herbert), and Green Bay (Jordan Love).

The Jaguars will play their first two preseason games on the road at the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before hosting the Washington Redskins and Atlanta Falcons in the third and fourth preseason games. The Buccaneers’ game is an 8 p.m. kickoff on Aug. 22. Tampa Bay signed Tom Brady in the offseason.

Jaguars regular season schedule

WeekDateOpponentTimeTVNotable
1Sept. 13 Indianapolis Colts1 p.m.CBSSeason opener against nemesis Philip Rivers
2Sept. 20 at Tennessee Titans1 p.m.CBSJags have lost 6 straight in Nashville
3Sept. 24 Miami Dolphins (Thurs.)8:20 p.m.NFLNMinshew vs. Tua?
4Oct. 4 at Cincinnati Bengals1 p.m.CBSJags could face No. 1 pick Joe Burrow
5Oct. 11 at Houston Texans1 p.m.CBSNo DeAndre Hopkins this year
6Oct. 18 Detroit Lions1 p.m.FOX1st meeting since 2016
7Oct. 25Bye Week
8Nov. 1 at Los Angeles Chargers4:05 p.m.CBSChargers drafted Justin Herbert in April
9Nov. 8 Houston Texans1 p.m.CBS4th AFC South game in first 8 games
10Nov. 15 at Green Bay Packers1 p.m.FOXJags first visit to Lambeau Field since 2012
11Nov. 22 Pittsburgh Steelers1 p.m.CBS4th meeting since 2017
12Nov. 29 Cleveland Browns1 p.m.CBSBrowns signed former Titans tackle Jack Conklin as free agent
13Dec. 6 at Minnesota Vikings1 p.m.CBSJaguars visited Twin Cities in preseason in 2018
14Dec. 13 Tennessee Titans1 p.m.CBSDerrick Henry returns to Duval
15Dec. 20 at Baltimore Ravens1 p.m.CBS3rd straight year Jaguars face league defending league MVP
16Dec. 27 Chicago Bears1 p.m.FOXWill Jags see Nick Foles under center for Bears?
17Jan. 3at Indianapolis Colts1 p.m.CBSFinish regular season after New Year’s for first time since 2016

While it was unlikely to happen, being left off of the Monday Night Football slate continues a trend for the Jaguars. They haven’t played a Monday night game since 2011.


About the Authors:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.