Five games into the 2025 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars have matched last year’s win total.
After finishing 4-13 a season ago and firing head coach Doug Pederson, Jacksonville improved to 4-1 in Liam Coen’s debut season with Monday’s dramatic 31-28 win over Kansas City. It’s the franchise’s best start since a 4-1 start in 2007.
They’ll look to keep things rolling this week on a short turnaround when they host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
“It doesn’t worry me,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said when asked if he’s concerned about this team handling success. “Obviously it’s something that we do have to handle the right way. We’ve got to know that we haven’t done anything.
“The only thing we’re guaranteed is that we’re going to win four games this year, which isn’t enough.”
Seattle (3-2) is coming off the other side of a heartbreaker, losing 38-35 on Sunday to Tampa Bay. The Seahawks led late and appeared poised to be the team with a chance to win in regulation before a Sam Darnold pass deflected off a defensive lineman’s helmet and was intercepted, setting up a game-winning field goal for the Buccaneers.
“At the end of the day, I’ve got to protect the football in that situation. Can’t give them a short field to put the game away like that,” Darnold said postgame.
It was a tough end to what was an exceptional game for Darnold, who threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns. Through five games as a Seahawk, Darnold ranks seventh in the NFL in passing yards (1,246) and is tied for seventh with seven passing TDs.
It has taken Darnold little time to build chemistry with leading receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whose 534 receiving yards this season rank second in the league.
Jacksonville’s passing defense ranks 27th in the league, allowing 250.4 yards per game. However, the Jaguars also have a league-leading 10 interceptions.
Linebacker Devin Lloyd made history Monday when he returned an interception a franchise-record 99 yards for a touchdown. It was his league-leading fourth interception, giving him as many picks as he had in his first three seasons combined.
While Jacksonville’s run game has set the tone for the offense this season, ranking fifth in rushing yards per game (137.0), Lawrence and the passing game may be tasked with a larger burden facing a Seattle defense that ranks third against the run (83.0).
“Nobody is running the ball on those guys, really,” Coen said. “Their front is so deep. They’ve got eight guys up front who have played high-level football in the NFL.”
The QB was the hero against Kansas City, running in a touchdown after tripping on an offensive lineman’s feet with 23 seconds left for the game-winning score.
It was a happy ending to an erratic game for Lawrence, who fumbled on the goal line and was intercepted, giving him six turnovers (five picks, one fumble) in five games this season. Only four quarterbacks have turned the ball over more.
Jacksonville will be without a primary receiving weapon Sunday. Tight end Brenton Strange (hip) went on injured reserve this week and will miss at least the next four games. He’s second on the team with 204 receiving yards.
Running back Bhayshul Tuten (shoulder), receiver Dyami Brown (shoulder) and defensive end Travon Walker (wrist) were all limited during Wednesday’s practice.
Seattle’s defense enters the week down four starters. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon (knee), linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (quad) and safety Julian Love (hamstring) missed last week’s game while linebacker Derick Hall left Sunday’s game with an oblique injury.
All four did not practice on Wednesday, and Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said decisions on their availability would likely come later in the week.
–Field Level Media
