The Jacksonville Jaguars have already shown they can make life miserable for the Los Angeles Chargers, and that’s a big reason they deserve a harder look than the AFC hierarchy usually gives them.
National outlets tend to slot the Chargers ahead of the Jaguars, but Jacksonville has done more than enough to challenge that idea. The Jaguars beat the Chargers in a blowout last November, and Trevor Lawrence has been the one quarterback consistently getting the better of Justin Herbert. Herbert is 0-3 against the Jaguars, with those three losses coming as two regular-season beatdowns and one of the wildest playoff comebacks in recent memory.
That doesn’t mean Herbert lacks the talent to threaten Jacksonville if these teams meet again in the postseason. He absolutely can. But the pattern has been the same: Lawrence and the Jaguars keep finding a way to outplay Herbert and the Chargers, and there’s little reason to assume that changes now that Lawrence is expected to have perhaps the best season of his career in 2026.
If these teams do cross paths in the AFC playoffs, the Jaguars also appear to have a clear advantage in the secondary. Jacksonville’s defensive backs handled the Chargers well in 2025, and that was before future No. 1 cornerback Travis Hunter was even on the field.
Ladd McConkey is a solid receiver and Quentin Johnston has had his moments, but Hunter changes the math. He has the ability to take either target out of the game, and the depth behind him in Jacksonville’s cornerback room looks stronger than the Chargers’ depth at wide receiver.
The Jaguars’ pass rush against Los Angeles last season was another major problem. According to NFL's NextGenStats, "the Jaguars pass rush posted a season-high 50.0% pressure rate (16 pressures, 3 sacks) against a depleted Chargers offensive line.
Josh Hines-Allen led the team with 7 pressures (more than double the next closest pass rusher)." In other words, Herbert had almost no time to breathe.
Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker were able to get after him repeatedly, and the Jaguars’ front looked like it could rotate fresh bodies and keep the heat coming all game long.
That could look different this year if the Chargers’ offensive line is closer to full strength. Still, Jacksonville has already shown it can wreck Herbert’s rhythm, and it would not be a shock to see that happen again in a playoff matchup.
On the other side of the ball, Liam Coen is another reason to lean Jacksonville. He has gotten the best out of the Chargers over the last two seasons, first with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then in his first year with the Jaguars.
Coen is one of the league’s top offensive minds, and there’s a strong case that he’ll have one of football’s best skill groups at his disposal this season. Until Los Angeles proves it can slow him down, the Jaguars have the edge.
The Chargers did make two notable coordinator hires this offseason. The addition of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has been widely praised, but the more important move may be on defense, where Jesse Minter is out and Chris O'Leary is in. O'Leary was the Chargers’ safeties coach in 2024 before taking over as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Western Michigan last season.
That kind of inexperience makes it tough to simply assume the Chargers are better than the Jaguars, especially with one side of the ball still a question mark. Jacksonville had a similar situation last year with first-year coordinator Anthony Campanile.
He had no NFL coordinator experience and was a relatively new name at the position, but the hire worked out well. O'Leary could do the same for Los Angeles, but for now, the safer move is to wait and see.
In Other News...
Jaguars Early Roster Prediction Puts Two Familiar Veterans On The Bubble
An early look at the Jaguars 53-man roster picture has already put a couple of familiar veterans in an uncomfortable spot. ESPNs Michael DiRocco left tight end Hunter Long and offensive lineman Chuma Edoga off his projection, a sign that both players are facing real competition as Jacksonville sorts through a deeper, younger group around them.
Longs path looks crowded by Brenton Strange and a wave of newcomers at tight end, while Edoga is battling a numbers game on the offensive line after the Jaguars added more talent up front. If those roster decisions hold, Jacksonville would also gain some salary cap flexibility, which only adds another layer to two spots that already look far from secure. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars 53-Man Projection Puts One Familiar Name In Real Danger
John Shipleys latest 53-man projection offers a reminder that the Jaguars roster math is getting tighter as camp moves along, especially in the middle and back end of the depth chart. The exercise touches plenty of spots that still feel unsettled, from quarterback depth behind Trevor Lawrence to the running back mix and the tight end room, where competition has already started to sort out who fits and who does not.
One of the more notable takeaways is how little margin there appears to be for recent additions and draft picks once the final cuts arrive. Jacksonville has usually found room for its rookies, but this projection leaves a seventh-round selection on the outside looking in, and it also puts a familiar name in a precarious spot on the offensive line. Those are the kinds of decisions that can reshape the last few weeks of camp, because the Jaguars still have a few position battles that could swing the entire makeup of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Linked To Veteran Help As Camp Pressure Builds
Jacksonvilles offseason has stayed unusually quiet since the draft, but with training camp getting closer, the conversation around the roster is starting to shift toward veteran help. The biggest question remains up front, where the Jaguars could still use more interior pass-rush support after a spring that brought only limited post-draft movement and left Ruke Orhorhoro as the most notable addition.
If the team does decide to dip into free agency, a few familiar names fit the bill. Haason Reddick would bring edge pressure at a lower cost, Bobby Okereke would give the Jaguars another experienced linebacker next to Foyesade Oluokun, and Denico Autry stands out as the most intriguing option if Jacksonville wants more disruption inside. No move has happened yet, but the fact that those names are even in the conversation says plenty about where the pressure points still are. [Read more 🡒]