The 2020 NFL season is projected to start as normal according to commissioner Roger Goodell and the Jacksonville Jaguars will look to surprise some of the doubters this season.

The fanbase has been awaiting the return of a successful Jaguars team since their deep playoff run in 2017. With anticipation high, here are some bold predictions for the Cardiac Cats for the 2020 season:

The Jaguars will outperform their projected win total

It appears that most pundits feel that winning will be very hard to come by for the Jags this season.

According to SportsLine’s computerized model on CBS Sports, the Jags are projected to finish the season with no more than five wins. The Jaguars finished with a 6-10 record in 2019, which exceeded expectations in a way.

My prediction is that the Jaguars will surpass even last year’s total and finish with a 7-9 record. While it won’t make the playoffs, it would surpass people’s expectations by a mile.

It would be a season similar to that in which the 2017 Buffalo Bills had as SportsLine predicted the Bills to finish with only seven wins before the season started. However, they would go on to finish 9-7 and secured their first playoff berth since 1999.

The talent is certainly there on the Jags’ roster. They had a well-received draft in which they selected former Florida Gators cornerback C.J. Henderson and Louisiana State edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson in the first-round. They also landed an incredible potential playmaker in Colorado receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. Some gems in the later rounds would involve offensive tackle Ben Bartch and defensive tackle Davon Hamilton.

From a free agency perspective, the Jaguars signed former Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl linebacker Joe Schobert, which filled a huge hole in the middle. The Jags also brought in former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert with hope that he can get back to his 2015 form where he scored 13 touchdowns on 615 receiving yards.

Things may not be so doom and gloom in Duval after all.