JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars are headed to the NFL playoffs. With Sunday’s 45-7 win over the Houston Texans there will be playoff football on the First Coast for the first time since 2007.
In the day’s leading up to Sunday’s game, Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone refused to talk about the playoffs. Now that the team is in they’re happy for the accomplishment but not satisfied.
“Coach Marrone’s message after the game was the reason we are at this point is because we have been able to take it one game at a time,” said Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny, who is headed to the playoffs for the first time in his 11-year NFL career. “Obviously, we are going to enjoy this victory. When we get back to work on Wednesday, the entire focus is on the San Francisco 49ers and playing that game and that game alone. We will be locked in and ready to play.”
Clinching a spot in the playoffs is only step one. At 10-4 the Jaguars control their own destiny. If they win their two remaining games, at San Francisco and Tennessee, the Jaguars will win the AFC South for the first time in franchise history. Winning the division would also secure a home playoff game in the Wild-Card round.
“Being my first year here and seeing all the criticism this organization has went through these past 10 years and to be able to turn it around like that, it’s an unbelievable accomplishment,” said Jaguars safety Barry Church. “That’s why I came here. I saw the potential that we had. A lot of people thought I was crazy when I said we have a playoff-caliber team, but the proof is in the pudding. Now, we’ve just got to go out there and clinch this division and hopefully get a couple playoff games here at the ‘Bank.”
In addition to the AFC South crown the Jaguars are also still in the running for the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Should they pass New England (current No. 2 seed) the Jaguars would have a first round bye.
The perceived weakness for the Jaguars was inconsistent play out of quarterback Blake Bortles. That hasn’t been the case over the past three games. In the last three weeks (all wins), Bortles has 903 passing yards and completed 71 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
“Dude (Blake Bortles) is balling and guys are taking the opportunity and ceasing it,” said Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey. “Everybody is just in their groove, like I said last week. It’s just working for us right now. We got that swag right now.”
What makes this playoff berth even sweeter? A year ago this week the Jaguars fired head coach Gus Bradley. Truly what a difference a year makes.