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Moeller: With Denver Win, Jaguars' Playoff Outlook Reaches A New Level

  For Jaguars’ fans, it is about where they will be seeded. It’s no longer about making the playoffs. With their dominant win in Denver Sunday, the Jags put any thoughts about making the playoffs behind them.  Their win was one of the biggest in franchise history, and it silenced any critics - including me and maybe you - who thought they wouldn’t win in Denver and find themselves in a battle with Houston for the division title.  With the Colts ‘ loss last night, the Jags clinched their first playoff spot since 2022, and they can capture the AFC South title by beating the Colts and the Titans in the final two weeks. Also in their favor is Houston’s game in Los Angeles against the Chargers Saturday, which is huge for both teams. If Houston loses Saturday, the Jags will walk into Indianapolis Sunday with the division title in their pocket and an opening home game in their pocket. Jacksonville, who currently has the third seed, can gain the top seed if they win out, and the ...

Moeller: Can Jaguars Continue to Play Their Best Football?

  Are the Jaguars ready to play their best football in the next three weeks? Most of the indications are trending upward playing in Denver late Sunday afternoon. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is coming off one of his best performances in his five -year career with a five-touchdown outburst against the Jets, gaining AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Lawrence has been laser-focused over the last three weeks, throwing nine touchdowns without an interception and a quarterback rating over 111 in each of them. He also has run f0r 92 yards, 51 of them last week.  More importantly, Lawrence appears in sympatico with offensive-minded head coach Liam Coen, an aspect that Lawrence couldn’t connect with the previous regime.  Along with Lawrence’s passing game, Coen has jumped started the running game behind Travis Etienne, who should break the 1,000-yard season mark Sunday.  Watching him this season, it’s easy to see the different wrinkles in the offense, and how Lawrence h...

Moeller: With Record Performance, Lawrence Ready To Fulfill Generational Promise

  At halftime, the song “ Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” was blaring on the loud speaker at EverBank Stadium.  It should have been “Trevor Lawrence Is Coming to Town.” The fifth-year quarterback, initially viewed as a generational talent, apparently has finally arrived.  Over the last month, Lawrence arguably has been one of the league’s best. And, for the Jaguars, he has placed them among the elite with an overall 10-4 record and the third seed in the AFC playoff race. Lawrence put on a clinic Sunday afternoon at the Bank in the Jaguars’ convincing 48-20 victory over the Jets in a game that was not even as close as the 28-point deficit. Lawrence sliced and diced a shoddy Jets’ defense, completing 20 of 32 attempts for 330 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes. Lawrence wasn’t sacked and hit only twice in spite of not having left tackle Walker Little. Backup Cole Van Lanan helped the offensive line to not miss a beat.   This arguably was Lawrence’s fines...

Moeller: Jaguars' Latest Victory Should Gain Them More Respect

  Jaguars’ edge rusher and team leader Josh Hines-Allen could have stated the perceived state of the team . "League-wise, I think to them, we're still the Jags," said Allen. "They're just waiting for us to slip up.” Even with the Jags apparently in command at halftime with a 28-10, you still had the feeling whether you were at EverBank Stadium or you watched at home.  When the Colts kicked a field goal on the opening drive of the second drive and  the Jaguars had a bad three-and-out, your stomach started churning. The thought of the blown 19-point lead against the Texans four weeks ago still was stuck in many of our heads.  Don't worry. These Jaguars apparently have chased away their demons and haunts from their pretender past  As late Mets’ reliever Tug McGraw said in their run to the World Series, “You gotta believe. “ They have won four straight and still atop the AFC South and have the current third playoff seed.   With the Jags ahead 28-13 near mi...

NFL Notebook: Buffalo Overcomes 10-Point Fourth-Quarter Deficit Against Cincinnati

 NEW YORK –––– A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the on Sunday, December 7, the 14th week of the 2025 season. With two games remaining in Week 14, there have been 18 combined punt return and kickoff return touchdowns this season – including three today – the most through Week 14 in the last 10 seasons (2016-25) and the most since 2015 (20). Seattle wide receiver Rashid Shaheed recorded a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown (the longest return in the NFL this season), Denver wide receiver Marvin Mims recorded a 48-yard punt return touchdown (the first of his career) and New York Jets wide receiver Isaiah Williams recorded a 78-yard punt return (his second this season) in Week 14. Williams is the second player (Chimere Dike, two in 2025) in the last five seasons (2021-25) to record multiple punt return touchdowns in a player’s first two career seasons. With two games remaining in Week 14, 2025 has seen the most kick return yards (42,070) and the second-hig...

Moeller: Jaguars-Colts Should Be A Playoff-Intense Matchup

  There should be a sense of playoff intensity at EverBank Stadium Sunday afternoon. It can be as electric as the legendary against the Chargers in 2022 when the last official playoff game was in town. The actual playoffs are weeks away, but the Jaguars should treat their matchup against the Colts as one. This should be the biggest game in Jacksonville in the past three years. After the Colts’ home loss against the Texans last Sunday, the 8-4 Jaguars find themselves staring down at an AFC South title. Beat the Colts Sunday, and a favorable schedule is down the road over their last four games.  They took care of business in Tennessee last week in as complete a victory as one could have.  Yet, there are still some glaring issues that have to be addressed Sunday. The Jags were penalized 13 times, and they led the league in penalties with 104. Against an explosive team like Indianapolis, they can’t afford too many untimely ones. Jacksonville’s running game looked strong on th...

Moeller: Lawrence and Jaguars Need To Put Ugly Wins Behind Them

  Jacksonville squeaked by Arizona last Sunday in an ugly, overtime win. Now, it’s a must win in Tennessee this Sunday. Against Arizona, it was the type of game that the Jaguars would typically lose in the past few years. But they pulled it out with Cam Little’s 52-yard field goal.  In Las Vegas a few weeks ago, the Jags had another ugly, overtime game, keeping the Raiders in the game until the very end.   A failed two-point conversion for the win from Raiders’ quarterback Geno Smith, who missed a wide open receiver in the back of the end zone, sent them home with a reprieve from Sin City. It was another game they could have easily lost, and let slip away. Maybe that’s saying something for this Jaguars’ team. They may just have the mogo to be a playoff team and get back to the level where they were in 2022. The Jags have found some much-needed resiliency and grit. Still, you don't want to be continuously tempting fate. If they are to get back to where they once were...

Moeller: For the Jaguars, It's All About Consistency

  Consistency. Where you’re 6-4 after 10 games, you’re there, but you’re not quite there. With seven games to play beginning in Arizona Sunday, the Jags seemingly have all the pieces in play. But it’s about being consistent. It has been an  overriding theme for the Jaguars’ season, even with their recent 35-6 lopsided victory over the Chargers in which they flexed their muscles on both sides of the ball. Against Los Angeles, the Jags played well overall on both sides of the ball. Yet, there were still some lingering effects that have plagued them. Trevor Lawrence threw another bad first-half interception, but he rebounded with a pedestrian 14 of 22 for 153 yards. Lawrence still needs to improve on his 59.8 completion percentage, which ranks him 33rd among 37 quarterbacks who have started this season through 10 games. He has thrown an interception in his last three games , and in four of his last six.  Lawrence also has an unimpressive 11 to 8 touchdown to interception rat...

Moeller: Dolphins' Latest Win Could Be The Start Of A Happy Holiday

  Yes, Dolphins’ fans, there may just be a Santa Claus. Or, at least, it may feel like it. It certainly may feel like they got a Christmas gift in Miami after the Dolphins dominated the Bills, 30-13, last week. The win marked Miami’s first over their AFC East division rival in seven games.  All signs had been pointing to the Dolphins navigating through some rough waters ahead over the next two months. It’s true, the Dolphins can win in a convincing fashion. Does it mean anything long term? At the moment, it doesn’t. This is about celebrating the moment. There haven't been many this season, and there may not be many left. A few weeks ago, they had the same kind of moment when they shockingly dominated the Falcons. The script temporarily changed for the Fins, but the overall story still remained the same. Tua Tagovailoa completed 15 of 21 passes for 173 with a pair of picks, raising his league-leading total to 12 interceptions this season. However, his wasn’t sacked by the Bills...