The NFL draft and free agency are in the books. The offseason is complete. In the immortal words of Gus Bradley, it’s built.” With the season set to kick off on Sunday, let’s break down how the Jacksonville Jaguars will perform in 2025.
Here’s how I forecast Liam Coen’s inaugural season to go in Jacksonville.
️ Week 1 vs. Carolina Panthers (Home)
While I expect that Carolina may be somewhat improved under Dave Caneles in 2025, I predict a strong opening day showing from Coen’s roster to kick off his tenure. While Carolina will be a reasonably stout test for the offensive line (against Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown), Coen’s offense will no doubt find space to maneuver against this Panther’s defense. Starting off strong.
️ Week 2 at Cincinnati Bengals
Jacksonville’s first tough matchup of the season will come on the road against the Bengals in what I expect to be a lower-scoring affair. Joe Burrow historically has played down to the level of his competition early into the season, so this is in no way an impossible game for Jacksonville to steal. However, the offensive firepower of Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins, plus the end of Trey Hendrickson’s holdout spell trouble from my perspective. The Jaguars will have a prime opportunity to earn this one on the field, turning doubters into early believers.
️ Week 3 vs. Houston Texans (Home)
Houston will likely be playing without their starting running back Joe Mixon, wide receiver Tank Dell, and possibly Christian Kirk for their week three matchup. With Houston’s already questionable offseason decisions at offensive line, this is another prime opportunity for Jacksonville to steal a game at home. However, this victory is an all-important season opener into AFC South play. Fortune favors the healthy. Jags win.
Prediction: Win (2–1; 1-0 in the AFC South)
Week 4 at San Francisco 49ers
In what I expect to be a higher-scoring affair, the Jaguars may have a tough time heading from the East to the West Coast in this one. Even with their offseason losses on defense, it’s hard to vote against Kyle Shannahan as long as Christian McCaffrey is injury-free. With Brandon Aiyuk also on the PUP List, however, the Jaguars could have a puncher’s chance in California.
️ Week 5 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Monday Night Football at Home)
The Jaguars, in primetime?! This team will have to prove that the long-suffering curse has been lifted before I believe it blindly. I see this one being an ugly, low scoring game resulting in another Kansas City victory. That’s the script until it’s proven otherwise.
️ Week 6 vs. Seattle Seahawks (Home)
It seems that most in Duval County have marked this matchup as an automatic win, due to Seattle’s historic struggles traveling coast to coast. While I may personally still be unsure on Klint Kubiak as an OC, Sam Darnold plus a few weapons in Cooper Kupp, Jaxon Smith-Nijigba, and Kenneth Walker III makes this matchup more of a pick-em in my book. This may end up as a higher scoring game, but I truly would not be shocked if Jacksonville were to miss out on this prime opportunity to be .500. I predict that Jacksonville loses this one that they should win, while working through being consistent early on.
️ Week 7 vs. Los Angeles Rams (London)
Family reunion in the UK! James Gladstone and General Manager Liam Coen face off against their former franchise. The students face the teachers in McVay and Sneed. While Jacksonville is in the early phases of building their own “LA East,“ the already built version will be on display.
With the easier portion of their schedule to come, the Jaguars take their mid-season break to regroup and prepare for the list of away games to come. Jacksonville fans and media will without a doubt take the 2-5 bye week record in stride.
️ Week 9 at Las Vegas Raiders
With both teams coming off from their bye weeks, I see this Jaguars offense firing on all cylinders in this one. Maxx Crosby, Geno Smith, Brock Bowers, and Ashton Jeanty will undoubtedly make their plays too. But limited playmakers in the Vegas secondary and receiving core will leave the Raiders looking for answers in this one. I think the Jags score 30 or more, flying home with a win.
️ Week 10 at Houston Texans
For the first time since 2017, the Jaguars will sweep the Texans. Houston will make this one closer than their week three matchup, now with a healthier roster. However, it’s not enough as Jacksonville pulls away to 2 and 0 in AFC South play, with both victories coming from the reigning AFC South Champions.
Prediction: Win (4–5; 2-0 in the AFC South)
️ Week 11 vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Home)
The Jaguars smell blood in the water. With the season seemingly slipping away from them before the bye, now the playoffs and potentially the AFC South division all seem to be within reach. Confidence breeds success, and the Jaguars upset the Chargers at home in a lower scoring matchup.
️ Week 12 at Arizona Cardinals
The music stops as Jacksonville’s second half winning streak ends at three after the bye. The Cardinals are a very dangerous team, especially with Jacksonville traveling out West, coast to coast. I expect a high-scoring game with Jacksonville struggling to contain the scrambles of Kyler Murray and James Conner in the run-pass option game. The Zay Jones and Calais Campbell reunion game doesn’t fall Jacksonville’s’ way.
️ Week 13 at Tennessee Titans
Tennessee looks to be building a capable roster for the future. But this simply isn’t their week. While Cam Ward may eventually be able to lift up a subpar roster, 2025 is not that time. The Jaguars control this one from start to finish.
Prediction: Win (6–6; 3-0 in the AFC South)
️ Week 14 vs. Indianapolis Colts (Home)
Daniel Jones versus Jacksonville in Duval. While Jones did upset Jacksonville in 2022, this isn’t that roster or staff. I expect history not to repeat itself (other than the Colts continuing to lose in Jacksonville).
Prediction: Win (7–6; 4-0 in the AFC South)
️ Week 15 vs. New York Jets (Home)
The Jacksonville faithful begin to have legitimate playoff conversations as Jacksonville wins the matchups they are supposed to, dominating the Jets at EverBank. The Justin Fields/Tyrod Taylor quarterback room continues to limit the Jets in this lower-scoring Jacksonville win.
Prediction: Win (8–6; 4-0 in the AFC South)
️ Week 16 at Denver Broncos
Jacksonville, coming off a highpoint in the season is upset by the physical Broncos defense. Back-to-back matchups against aggressive front sevens with sticky secondaries finally takes its’ toll in Denver. While Jacksonville, in no way, should be automatically counted out, Denver just has “trap-game” written all over it for me.
️ Week 17 at Indianapolis Colts
I expect that the Colts will be out of playoff contention at this time, evaluating 2026 quarterback prospects. Jacksonville understands the assignment, securing the rare victory in Indianapolis, locking in their opportunity to secure the division in week 18.
Prediction: Win (9–7; 5-0 in the AFC South)
️ Week 18 vs. Tennessee Titans (Home)
In a matchup for the soul of the AFC South (and Jacksonville’s playoff chances), the Jaguars avoid the Titan’s attempt to spoil their hopes, in dominant fashion. The Jaguars sweep the Titans for the third time in the past four years and become the first team to go 6-0 in AFC South play since the 2014 Andrew Luck-led Indianapolis Colts.
Final Regular Season Record: 10–7 and 6-0 in AFC South play
So, playoffs? Absolutely. I believe that the 2025 Jacksonville Jaguars will reclaim their AFC South Division crown from a rebuilding Houston Texans offense with major early season questions at offensive line, injuries at running back (Joe Mixon), and receiver (Christian Kirk and Tank Dell), and running a new offensive scheme.
With a weaker 2025 AFC South, the Jaguars are in prime position to secure a division crown with just ten wins. Nine wins could possibly even do the trick, with things going their way. I absolutely expect this team to win a game or two unexpectedly, (IE: the Bengals matchup, who historically start slow) while surprisingly losing against a team who may be unexpectedly good (maybe the Cardinals). But, in whole, I expect the better coached and better assembled rosters to rise to the top more often than not. I believe this roster, while not good enough to consistently challenge those at the top of the NFL world – IE: the Eagles, Lions, Bills etc – it is good enough, and possibly explosive enough to play with most on a week in and week out basis.
But what say you, BigCatCountry? Where would you predict differently? Playoffs, or bust? Let us know in the comments below!