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Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL last season, and they are hoping turn things around heading into 2024.
The Jaguars have gotten a look at their schedule for next season, and it isn't exactly forgiving, to say the least. Still, for a Jacksonville squad that was expected to be a contender in the AFC in 2023, perhaps this is exactly what the Jags need.
Last year, the Jaguars got off to an 8-3 start and looked like a sure-fire playoff team. Heck, they even looked like they could make a playoff run. But then, Jacksonville proceeded to lose five of its last six games to finish the season 9-8. The Jags ended up missing the playoffs entirely.
The Jaguars' poor 2023 was largely due to a regression from Lawrence, who appeared poised to take the next step into superstardom after a brilliant 2022. Of course, it wasn't all Lawrence's fault, as Jacksonville's defense ranked just 22nd in the NFL in yards allowed.
But now that Lawrence is heading into his fourth season, he needs to show he was truly worthy of being labeled one of the top prospects in years when the Jags selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Jaguars need to start demonstrating that their red-hot second half of 2022 wasn't a fluke, as well.
Jacksonville won the AFC South two years ago, and now, the Jags are looking up at the Houston Texans in the division.
The Jags are certainly talented enough to reclaim their spot, but they will have to watch out for this potential pitfall on their 2024 schedule first.
The Jaguars are staring 0-4 right in the face
Let me preface this by saying that I am not saying the Jaguars are going to start the season 0-4, but the possibility is there.
Why?
Well, because three of Jacksonville's first four games on its 2024 schedule are on the road, and all four of those contests are against teams that made the playoffs last winter. The Jags will face the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and then the Texans to start their campaign. Their one home game during that stretch will be against the Browns, who finished with the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense in 2023.
That is not exactly a pleasant stretch, especially for a team that was last seen coughing up the bit in the back half of last season.
After that, the Jaguars will play four straight home games. Those matchups won't be lollipops and rainbows, either. They will have the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers. Obviously, the Patriots should be a relatively easy win (if not, Jacksonville has bigger problems), but those other three affairs will be tough.
But at least those games are all at EverBank Stadium.
If the Jags can get out of their first four games with a record of 2-2, they should be satisfied, because it would at least set them up rather nicely for that next stretch on their schedule. But let's be honest: based on how the Jaguars played late in 2023, there is a real possibility that Jacksonville could be 1-3…or worse.
Jacksonville didn't really improve a whole lot this offseason, if at all. It lost wide receiver Calvin Ridley and replaced him with Gabe Davis and LSU standout Brian Thomas Jr. Davis is a nice No. 2 option, and Thomas could be a star, but Ridley racked up over 1,000 yards in 2023. His production will be missed, and it leaves Christian Kirk—who is really a high-end No. 2—as Lawrence's No. 1 receiver by default.
The Jags were able to re-sign elite edge rusher Josh Allen, and they added a couple of big names in defensive lineman Arik Armstead and safety Darnell Savage. However, both Armstead and Savage are past their primes, and Jacksonville still needs help at cornerback.
Basically, the Jaguars aren't talented enough where we can look at their schedule and say, “Eh, it'll be fine.”
The Jaguars' season could—and probably will—ultimately depend on what they do over their first four weeks of their schedule.
