Nine NFL teams hope their 0-2 start is not a sign of a long, painful season to come in 2024.
The Jaguars find themselves in that group, removed from back-to-back losses to begin their campaign following an offseason in which they led the league in total roster spending, highlighted by mega-contract extensions for quarterback Trevor Lawrence and edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen.
Is all hope lost for Jacksonville this year? Not quite yet, argues USA TODAY’s For The Win analyst Robert Zeglinski, although he believes the tank is nearing empty.
Zeglinski ranked Jacksonville No. 6 of the nine 0-2 teams in the NFL right now, relative to their playoff hopes with 15 games to go, considering each squad’s expectations entering the season and their upcoming schedules.
The Jaguars are probably not as bad as their slow start suggests. But Trevor Lawrence of 2024 looks like a shell of the quarterback who took Jacksonville to the AFC divisional round two years ago. His confidence is clearly shaken, and there’s no offensive bread and butter the Jaguars can lean on to help him.
Throw in a devastating hamstring injury to No. 1 cornerback Tyson Campbell, and it looks bleak in Northern Florida.
Oh, and the Jaguars’ upcoming schedule over the next few games is brutal. They have a Monday night road date against the Buffalo Bills, followed by a road date with the rival Houston Texans. There’s a realistic chance the Jaguars start 0-4 before they have a chance to take a breath.
Behind Jacksonville in Zeglinski’s rankings are Carolina, the New York Giants and Denver. Cincinnati, Baltimore, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee stand ahead of the Jaguars, from No. 1 to 5.
Do you agree with Zeglinski’s analysis and rankings? Let us know at @TheJaguarsWire on Twitter/X and Jaguars Wire on Facebook.