JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The stakes are even higher now: win and advance, or lose and bring one of the best seasons in franchise history to an end. It’s a reality the Jaguars’ coaches and players don’t need reminding of.
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“It’s obviously a playoff feel knowing that you’re one of the teams that’s in the playoffs and a lot of teams are done,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. “But as far as the preparation in the week, it’s the same. We’re preparing the same way. Obviously, the mindset is similar to how we’ve been playing. I feel like we’ve been playing with that playoff kind of mentality and one week at a time and that’s truly what it is now.”
The No. 3 seed Jaguars host the No. 6 seed Bills in the Wild Card Round. It marks Jacksonville’s first postseason appearance since 2022 — a year that produced one of the most memorable moments in franchise history.
That postseason run began with a 31-30 comeback win over the Chargers. Trailing 27-0 in the second quarter, the Jaguars stormed back for the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history, capped by a game-winning field goal as time expired. Lawrence threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns — the most in a single playoff game in team history. The next week, the Jags lost to the Chiefs, 27-20 in the divisional round.
Jaguars postseason history
- 8-8 all-time
- 5-2 in the Wild Card round
- 4-1 at home
The Jaguars and Bills have met twice before in the playoffs, with Jacksonville winning both matchups. In January 2018, the Jaguars defeated Buffalo 10-3 in the Wild Card round at EverBank Stadium. Earlier, in the franchise’s first-ever playoff appearance in December 1996, Jacksonville stunned the Bills 30-27 in Buffalo. Sunday marks the third postseason meeting between the two teams, with a trip one step closer to the Super Bowl on the line.
“We’re in the dance now - we’re in the tournament - so we’ve got to go 1-0 each week, but taking it week in, week out,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said. “I think that our players have done a nice job of rising to the level of competition and playing well in important games. And the no-flinch, no-blink mentality, the mindset to, hey, we’ve got to go take care of ourselves, go play our best football, put our best foot forward and go compete our asses off and see what happens. I think we’ve got enough guys that have played in playoff atmosphere that know what it takes, that know what it’s about, that can help some of these younger guys maybe talk through it.”
News4JAX will bring you complete coverage leading up to kickoff, live streaming on News4JAX+ beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday. Immediately after the game, join us on Channel 4 for full postgame coverage as we follow the Jaguars on their Road to Cali.