It’s Christmas Eve, but the Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t taking a day off ahead of the team’s Week 17 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Jaguars have an opportunity to win the AFC South with a win over the Colts, and if the Houston Texans lose to the Los Angeles Chargers.
They clinched a playoff birth after defeating the No. 1-seed Denver Broncos 34-20 before the Indianapolis Colts dropped their matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
But the Jaguars aren’t celebrating too early. To them, it’s just another week, and they are squarely focused on winning the next game.
“We haven’t talked about those kinds of goals, it’s more so just trying to compete like champions every week, every day and go through the process and see what happens,” Coen said Wednesday, Christmas Eve.
“I’m sure people are excited to know there’s more football ahead of us, but we’re really just trying to stick within this day and be where we’re at, be where our feet are, and go compete against good Colts team this week.”
Still, with the holidays here, Coen has adjusted his and the team’s schedule so that players, coaches, and staff can take some time with their families.
Liam Coen is familiar with Christmas in Florida, slightly modifies team schedule
Coen’s Dad, Tim, moved to Rotonda West in Florida while Coen was still in college at the University of Massachusetts, so he’s used to temperatures in the 70s in late December.
“So I’ve done Florida (Christmas) for a long time. Different than the northeast,” Coen said with a laugh. “But, no, I love it.”
Coen will spend time with his family tonight, “hopefully” making it home in time for dinner, and he’s made adjustments to the team’s schedule to give the staff and players Christmas morning time with their families.
“Then, come in around, I think 11 or so, 12 [noon], and do a smaller portion,” Coen said, explaining that it was easier to adjust the schedule this way, coming back from Denver rather than pushing everything back a day and not doing anything tomorrow.
“That would have been very challenging on our staff and players. So that’s what we’re doing,” he said.
Liam Coen shares thoughts on team sending 1 player to 2026 Pro Bowl
The Jaguars are sending just long snapper Ross Matiscik to the 2026 Pro Bowl as a starter, with a few others waiting in the wings as alternates.
At 11-4, the Jaguars have had several players play beyond expectations and are among the top players at their respective positions.
One glaring snub was defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, especially when you consider who got in over him.
This season, Hines-Allen has just seven sacks through 15 games, but is one of the best players at getting pressure on the quarterback.
As pointed out by ESPN’s Ben Solak, Watt gets the nod for the Pro Bowl because of his name and lifetime achievements, not because of his play this season.
According to ESPN, Watt has a 9.8% pressure rate this season, fourth among edge rushers on his own team. Meanwhile, Hines-Allen has a pressure rate of 15% and wasn’t even listed as one of the team’s four alternates (KR Parker Washington, OLB Devin Lloyd, QB Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne).
Still, it’s not anything Coen is worried about, understanding that’s not something the team has control over.
“Look, we can’t control those decisions, and we have a lot of players that are very prideful, and have done some really cool things, right? And to be 11-4, and have one [go to the Pro Bowl], that speaks volumes,” 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.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Here’s how the Jaguars, Coen will adjust schedule, celebrate Christmas
Reporting by Demetrius Harvey, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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