The Jaguars may be on a bye in Week 7, but the standings board keeps moving without them. At 4-2, Jacksonville still sits alone in first place in the AFC South, and a few results around the league could make that position look a lot more comfortable by the time the Jaguars return.
The biggest one is obvious: pull for Houston to stumble. The Texans are the only true threat to Jacksonville’s place at the top of the division, and any win they stack up makes the race tighter than the Jaguars would like.
That leaves Jacksonville in the awkward spot of rooting for J.J. McCarthy.
Not ideal, but that’s the assignment.
There’s also the bigger picture in the AFC, where playoff positioning is already starting to matter. The Jaguars are tied at 4-2 with the Broncos, but Denver already owns the tiebreaker after beating Jacksonville in Week 2. That means the Jaguars should be looking for the Broncos to drop a few games, starting with the Cardinals this week, so Jacksonville doesn’t get squeezed later when seedings start to matter more.
The same logic applies at the top of the conference. The Chiefs are the team to chase right now with their undefeated record, and even though the Bills also sit ahead of Jacksonville, they’re on bye. Kansas City gets a prime-time chance to take a hit against the Seahawks, and the Jaguars should be hoping that happens.
Jacksonville should also be keeping one eye on the Browns-Titans game, even if it doesn’t look glamorous on paper. The Browns are sitting at 4-2, but the Jaguars need to root against every AFC team with playoff ambitions, and Cleveland is somehow in that mix. A Titans win would be the kind of small but useful result that can matter later.
And then there’s Indianapolis, where Week 7 could shape Jacksonville’s next divisional test. The Jaguars face the Colts in Week 8, and the way things go against the Vikings could affect what kind of opponent Jacksonville gets.
The Colts have already made a major move by firing Chris Ballard after six games, and a rough loss might push them toward moving some of their difference-makers, beginning with DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor. If that happens, the Jaguars could be looking at a much different Colts team when they meet in Jacksonville.
In Other News...
Colts Facing A Deadline Decision That Could Affect The Jaguars
The Colts uneven start has put them in an awkward spot heading toward the NFL trade deadline, and the ripple effects could reach Jacksonville. Sitting at 2-4, Indianapolis is reportedly weighing whether to stay the course or begin selling off pieces, with ESPNs Jeremy Fowler saying the team may wait another week or two before settling on a direction based on how the next stretch plays out.
For the Jaguars, the uncertainty matters because any move Indianapolis makes could reshape the AFC South landscape in a hurry. The Colts do not have a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, which makes future draft capital especially valuable if they decide to move veteran players, but there still is no final decision on whether they will hold or deal as the deadline approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Face A Bigger Problem Than Anton Harrison's Absence
Anton Harrisons ACL injury is a brutal blow for a Jaguars offensive line that was already bracing for change. Walker Little is set to step in at left tackle for the rest of the season, giving Jacksonville an immediate answer on the field while also forcing the staff to adjust around one of the most important spots in the protection plan.
The bigger issue may be what comes next. Harrisons injury leaves the Jaguars staring at an uncertain long-term picture at left tackle, and it sharpens the need to identify and develop a young offensive tackle before the 2027 offseason arrives. For a team trying to build something sustainable, the depth chart just became a reminder that the future at one of footballs most critical positions still needs to be solved. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face Trade Deadline Pressure To Fix A Costly Pass Rush Problem
The Jaguars do not have much room to wait if they want to patch a pass rush that has already become a concern. With the trade deadline approaching, Jacksonville is dealing with depth issues up front while injuries have also thinned the secondary, making the defense feel even more vulnerable when the pressure does not arrive quickly enough.
One name that naturally fits the conversation is Khalil Mack, the Chargers pass-rusher who could help steady the edge and give Jacksonville a proven answer in a spot of need. The catch is obvious: Mack is expected to draw plenty of interest, which means the Jaguars would need to move fast if they hope to get involved before the market tightens. [Read more 🡒]