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The Jacksonville Jaguars weirdly feel like they're laying in the weeds in the AFC South. In 2023 the Houston Texans emerged out of nowhere to become the overwhelming favorite in the division. It didn't help that the Jaguars went on a losing streak to end the 2023 season.
But now things are different. Jacksonville had a solid offseason and has reloaded both sides of the ball with young, talented players. The Jaguars enter the season as a Wild Card playoff hopeful, but they could achieve so much more if things go right for them.
The NFL's perception of the AFC South could change if the Jaguars get off to a hot start and beat the Dolphins in Week 1.
Below we will explore four bold predictions related to the Jaguars ahead of their 2024 regular season opener against the Dolphins.
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Travis Etienne Jr. shows why he is a top-tier NFL running back
It is no secret that Travis Etienne Jr. is a major building block for the Jaguars on offense. The former first-round pick joined the team with Trevor Lawrence and both players have been great ever since.
Etienne Jr. has played well enough to have his fifth-year option picked up, which will give him a $6.1 million fully guaranteed salary in 2025.
Etienne Jr. is a dangerous weapon both as a runner and a receiver. One of his underrated abilities is his endurance. This has allowed him to handle some absurd snap counts and workloads in the early years of his NFL career. The Jaguars need him to have that endurance, as the team has no proven backup plan at the position.
My prediction: Travis Etienne Jr. proves his worth to the Jaguars once again. He will accumulate more than 150 all-purpose yards against the Dolphins, including at least one touchdown.
Brian Thomas Jr. emerges as Jacksonville's WR1 with strong rookie debut vs. Dolphins
The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
This drat pick was pretty revealing, as the Jaguars passed up on multiple cornerbacks that they desperately could have used to pick Thomas Jr.
The LSU product got lost in the shuffle of this year's draft class as he had to share the spotlight with Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, and former teammate Malik Nabers.
I believe that the Jaguars have big plans for the rookie right away. The only question is how much can Thomas Jr. have on his plate in his first ever NFL game.
My prediction: Brian Thomas Jr. has an impressive first game as a rookie, leading the Jaguars in targets and scoring his first NFL touchdown. The Jaguars will waste no time in establishing Thomas Jr. as their alpha WR1 with Gabe Davis, Christian Kirk, and Evan Engram serving as solid complementary pieces.
Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker make life difficult for Tua Tagovailoa
Hines-Allen and Walker might be the most underrated pair of edge rushers in the NFL.
It is odd that this pair aren't respected as a seriously dangerous duo. Both of them are top 10 picks in the first round of their respective drafts.
The 2023 season did a lot to put Hines-Allen and Walker on the map. Adding a strong 2024 campaign could cement them as an elite pass rushing couple. Hines-Allen logged 17.5(!) sacks in 2023 and Walker contributed 10 of his own. These are truly eye-popping stats, but they may have gotten lost in the shuffle as Jacksonville floundered down the stretch.
2024 is a new season, and these guys have a chance to start the new year out with a bang.
My prediction: Hines-Allen and Walker combine for three sacks on Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1 against the Dolphins.
The Jaguars lose a close game to the Dolphins, but show flashes of being a better team
If all of the above predictions come true, you'd imagine that Jacksonville has a solid chance of winning this game. However, I'm not convinced that it would be enough.
Even if Tagovailoa is consistently under pressure, the Dolphins would still have an elite running game that I'm not sure the Jaguars can counter. The Dolphins can attack the Jaguars' defense with more than just conventional runs. Miami has a short passing game and can use screen passes that are an extension of the running game.
Switching over to Miami's defense against Jacksonville's offense, I think those units are pretty evenly matched. The Dolphins have the ability to line up Jalen Ramsey on any Jaguars receiver they'd like, which could destroy Jacksonville's gameplan if done correctly.
My prediction: the Jaguars are not able to beat the Dolphins, but they do show some flashes of how they can become a better team.
It is hard to pick against the Jaguars in this spot, but Miami's offense is so fast and will likely introduce some new wrinkles that nobody has seen yet.
