The Jacksonville Jaguars took a step in the right direction when they beat the San Francisco 49ers 26-21 in Week 4. On top of that, they have enough things going in their favor to make you think that they can keep making strikes.
For starters, Jacksonville is fifth in points surrendered and 15th in yards allowed. Similarly, their defense has recorded a league-best 13 takeaways to start the season. On offense, their bigs have done a good job of paving lanes the size of a truck and keeping Trevor Lawrence protected.
On the other hand, the Jaguars must cut down on the penalties. They've committed an NFL-high 38 the past four games. Similarly, Lawrence must make strides in the upcoming weeks, and if that wasn't enough, a tough slate of games against potential playoff teams awaits in October.
This begs the question, how many of their next three games can the Jags win? Glad you asked, here's a prediction for every one of their October matchups.
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Predicting every October game on the Jaguars' 2025 schedule
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Jaguars - Week 5
Date: Monday, October 6
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Venue: EverBank Stadium
Channel: ABC/ESPN
The Kansas City Chiefs got crushed in the Super Bowl, but they're still one of the best teams in the NFL thanks to the presence of Patrick Mahomes. Sure, they're 2-2 record doesn't look particularly great, but they've managed to stay afloat even though they lack playmakers across the roster.
On defense, their front four isn't nearly as dominant as it was a few years ago, but they still rank eighth in passing yards allowed and fifth in passing touchdowns allowed because Chris Jones and George Karlafis are still around. Having said that, the Jaguars' offensive line has a favorable matchup in Week 5.
Jacksonville's 22.7 percent pressure rate is the lowest in the NFL, and its average time to pressure of 2.7 seconds is the best in the league. If the defense can keep creating takeaways, and the offense cuts down on the mistakes, the Jaguars can beat Kansas City.
Prediction: Win
Seattle Seahawks vs. the Jaguars - Week 6
Date: Sunday, October 12
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Venue: EverBank Stadium
Channel: Fox
You can make the case that the NFC West is the toughest division in the NFL right now. Three of its teams are 3-1, and the Arizona Cardinals are 2-2. The best of the bunch right now is probably the Seattle Seahawks.
After losing to the Niners in the opener, the Hawks have gone on to win three straight games. They're coming off a close win against the Cards, and if they can get their running game going to take some pressure off Sam Darnold, they'll be tough to beat.
Prediction: Loss
Los Angeles Rams vs. the Jaguars - Week 7
Date: Sunday, October 19
Time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Channel: NFL Network
The Jaguars will only play one game overseas in 2025 after getting two each of the past two years. It will be pretty meaningful, though, as head coach Liam Coen will get to face his mentor, Sean McVay.
Back in the 1990s, clubs tried to get their hands on every coach that came from the Bill Walsh coaching tree. Something similar happened in the 2010s and the early 2020s with coaches who worked under McVay.
Whether it was Kevin O'Connell, Zac Taylor, Matt LaFleur, or Brandon Stanley, coaches who had success under McVay became a hot commodity in hiring cycles. Coen is the latest of the bunch. Sure, he was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but his two stints helped him build his philosophy.
Now, the student will get the chance to face off against the teacher, and you can bet Jaguars players will play hard for their coach to earn a win before their BYE in Week 8.
Prediction: Win
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