Where Do the Jaguars Stand in AFC Playoff Picture After Week 14?

What room do the Jaguars need to make up in the final four weeks?

Author:
John Shipley
Publish date:
Dec 12, 2023 6:08 PM EST

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't punch their ticket to last year's playoffs until the final week of the season. Now, they are hoping to wrap things up much earlier.

The Jaguars looked like a team with a shot at the No. 1 seed and an early clinching of the AFC South two weeks ago. The Jaguars were 8-3 and fresh off a big road win vs. the Houston Texans.

Now, though, the Jaguars are reeling a bit after back-to-back losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

“I think we are at that point in the year where we have all had conversations, just a group. Some of the leadership guys on the team, there has to be accountability. It’s never pointing the finger. We all have enough today to look back on and say we didn’t play well individually," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said after Sunday's 31-27 loss to the Browns. "Collectively, obviously we didn't. We have to do the simple stuff. We have to do the little things. We have to get on the same page. I’m making some mistakes out there as well, so I’m not just pointing the finger at other people, but there has to be accountability.

"Our guys do a good job in responding. If something needs to be said, I’ll say it to them. Whether that’s on the field. I try to do it in the most respectful way, because I never want to look like I’m pointing the finger, but also there’s stuff that needs to be fixed and same thing for those guys to come and talk to me. If I’m not doing something right, if they think that I’m going to put the ball here and I put the ball there, we have to clean that up. It’s full circle and those guys understand that. That’s something that we’ve created. We are going to have accountability. If you’re not doing your job, whether that’s me, whether that’s (WR) Zay (Jones), (WR) Calvin (Ridley), (WR) Christian (Kirk), (TE) Evan (Engram), anybody. You have to do your job and we understand that and you’re not going to win if you don’t. We know what we have to do and we have to get better, all of us.”

So with that in mind, where do the Jaguars stand in the AFC's playoff picture after Week 14?

The Field

1. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
2. Miami Dolphins (9-4)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5)
5. Cleveland Browns (8-5)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
7. Indianapolis Colts (7-6)

The Jaguars are still in the divisional lead, technically holding a two-game lead over both the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts due to tiebreakers. If the Jaguars were to lose their hold on the south, they would likely fall to the No. 6 seed.

In the Hunt

8. Houston Texans (7-6)
9. Denver Broncos (7-6)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
11. Buffalo Bills (7-6)

It sure feels like this is the rest of the playoff field. With six different teams tied at 7-6, the next month will determine which teams are contenders and which are pretenders. Both the Bengals and Bills are streaking right now, while the Texans may be without quarterback C.J. Stroud.