Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen understands the importance of this week.
Sunday will mark the first of four division games for the Jaguars, setting the stage for who will win the AFC South.
For Coen, he spoke with the team about the opportunity they’ll have over the next month and a half, but more specifically, taking advantage of the opportunity the team has in front of them.
At 7-4, the Jaguars have the opportunity to control their own destiny. They’ll play the Titans twice, including Sunday, and the Colts twice in addition to the New York Jets and Denver Broncos.
While every game late in the season means something, having every game within the conference and four within the division is exactly what you want to have to close the year.
“That’s huge. We did talk about it a little bit this morning, obviously, for this game and how important games in November and December are specifically, but even more so when it comes to divisional games,” Coen said.
The Jaguars have not played either the Titans or Colts this year, but the players understand the depth of these games and just how anything can happen.
You never know what can happen, quarterback Trevor Lawrence said.
Jaguars are right where they want to be in Week 13
The Jaguars are currently sixth in the AFC playoff standings after defeating the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12.
They’re currently 7-4 with six games remaining on the schedule. The top seed this year, the New England Patriots, are 10-2, while the Colts are one game ahead of Jacksonville at 8-3 in the South.
The Colts are the third seed in the AFC, while the Denver Broncos are second at 9-2.
“You look at our season and [a] bunch of crazy things happen throughout the season, some tough losses, some great wins and you look at where we’re at, and you’re right where you want to be,” Lawrence said Wednesday.
“A lot of division games this year and that’s all you can ask for, just to be able to dictate what you’re able to do as a team. It’s not like you’re hoping for someone else to win or lose. We can control our own destiny, and we just have to take care of business and take it one week at a time like we’ve been doing.”
Liam Coen understands the gravity of Titans week
Coen didn’t have to wait long before getting a debrief on how important the team’s rivalry with the Texans is.
“[EVP of Football Operations] Tony [Boselli], I think mentioned it to me a few times with maybe some of the times he’s gone up there and played or whatever it is, stories of vice versa, those guys coming down here,” Coen explained.
Boselli has a deep history with the Titans and though he did not play in the AFC Championship game in 1999, he was part of a team that lost three times that season — all to Tennessee.
“There’s a rivalry, there’s an in-division game, opponent that both teams have probably won games they shouldn’t, and lost games they shouldn’t. Whatever it is, it’s one of those games that we understand that anything can happen,” said Coen.
“Any given Sunday, anything can happen, but especially in division games where there’s maybe just that little extra want to on both sides.”
The Jaguars are 7-4, but none of that matters. All that matters from here on out is how they finish over their final six games. Chances are, if they have a winning record (4-2 or better), they’ll make the tournament.
“Records don’t mean anything in the NFL right now, mean nothing,” Coen said.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius.
If you’re a subscriber, thank you. If not, please consider becoming a subscriber to support local journalism in Northeast Florida.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars are where they want to be entering final month of season
Reporting by Demetrius Harvey, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
