Jaguars Have Surprising Opportunity Thanks to AFC South Ineptitude

The Jacksonville Jaguars may actually have a brighter future than many expected.

Sep 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) at the line of scrimmage during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't play on Sunday, which allowed them to completely absorb the aftershocks after their humiliating Week 11 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

The Jaguars had a bye, so while they were certainly busy preparing for the rest of the season, they also got the chance to watch some NFL action.

And what did they see? Their AFC South rivals coming up short.

Both the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts suffered embarrassing defeats, with the Texans falling at home to the Tennessee Titans and the Colts mustering just six points in an 18-point loss to the Lions.

Remember: going into 2024, many considered Houston to be the heir to the Kansas City Chiefs' throne, and Indianapolis was labeled a serious playoff contender due much in part to the seemingly extraordinary talents of Anthony Richardson.

Meanwhile, the Texans are a rather ordinary 7-5, and the Colts are just 5-7.

It turns out that C.J. Stroud is not having the MVP-caliber campaign many anticipated, and there is already discussion that Indianapolis could move on from Richardson. That's how bad the second-year quarterback has been.

So, what does this mean for Jacksonville?

Well, it shows that the Jaguars may actually have an opportunity to right the ship much sooner than you may have initially thought.

Look: I get Jacksonville is 2-9. The Jaguars have been brutal in just about every facet this season, and for as much as we want to pile on Richardson, let's be honest: the jury is still largely out on Trevor Lawrence, who now has to live up to a $275 million contract.

But Jacksonville actually does have some talented pieces on the roster, whether that be running back Tank Bigsby and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. offensively or edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen and cornerback Tyson Campbell on the other side of the ball.

Obviously, the Jaguars have a whole lot of work to do, but with the right moves this offseason (such as hiring the ideal head coach and potentially bringing in a new general manager), Jacksonville could begin getting back on track as soon as 2025.

It's pretty clear that the rest of the division is not entirely up to snuff. Heck, even though the Titans upset the Texans in Week 12, they're still 3-8 and have a multitude of questions up and down the roster.

The Jaguars' situation is not great at the moment, but they definitely have a nice window of opportunity thanks to the ineptitude of those around them.

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