November 24, 2025 • 8 mins
Jaguars: AFC South Contenders and Lawrence's Resilience
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, welcome back to the deep dive. So you
know the drill by now we take this just a
massive pile of information, boil all down and give you
what you need to know. Today, we're digging into the
AFC South and we're zeroing in on one team in particular,
the Jacksonville Jaguars, because what we're seeing in the data
brings up a really big question. Is it finally time
(00:22):
to take the Jags seriously, like as real contenders. So
our mission today is to look at their seven to
four record, break down their last game, and really map
out the road ahead for them.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
It's a fascinating spot for them to be in because
you look at the source material and there's this immediate contradiction.
On one hand, yeah, they're seven to four of the
lead of the division. They look like legitimate contenders. But
on the other hand, the reporting on their last win
against the Cardinals calls it sloppy. So you have to
ask what does that mean? Does winning ugly show a
weakness or is it actually a sign of resilience?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
And that tension is everything right now because their margin
for error, well it's gone. That division. You got cut
to just one game after the Colts lost to Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, that changes the conversation completely. It's not about their
status anymore. It's about what they do, like right.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Now this week, which brings us to the schedule. This
is where it gets real.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Oh. Absolutely, The next couple of weeks are they're basically
a playoff before the playoffs, the race is a dead
sprint from here on out. For you listening, it all
really starts with week twelve.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Okay, so let's break that down. What are the key
games here that could really give the Jags an edge.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Well, for Jacksonville, it's about as good a situation as
you could ask for. They're playing the one to ten Titans.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Okay, so that's a must win.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
It's an absolute must win. There are no excuses. They
just handle their business. They keep control of everything. But
at the same time, you've got the Colts facing a
much much tougher opponent. They had to go up against
the Texans.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
And that Houston defense is no joke, not at all.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It's a top ranked unit. They force turnovers, they put
a ton of pressure on the quarterback. It's a huge
tactical challenge for Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
So if you're Jacksonville, you're looking at this and thinking, Okay,
we beat the Titans and the Colts have this brutal matchup,
that one game lead could pretty easily become two before
we even get to December.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
That's the leverage exactly. And if the Jags do get
that win in Week twelve, then all the data, all
the sources, they all point towards this massive game in
Week fourteen.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
The showdown in Jacksonville.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
A huge Week fourteen showdown is what the reports call it.
And it's in their building. I mean, that game could
very well decide the whole division.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And this is where it gets even more interesting, because
there's this whole layer of history that just cranks up
the pressure. It's not just a big game for the Colts.
There's a curse involved.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
This is what makes it so dramatic. We're talking about
almost a decade of I guess you'd call it psychological
baggage for the Colts. The last time they won a
game in Jacksonville was twenty fourteen.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Twenty fourteen.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Wow, yeah, nine full years. Just think about that for
a second.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Nine years. I mean of football. That's like two or
three different coaching staffs, a completely different rosters. So Basically,
no one on that Colts team has ever won a game.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Exactly, So it stops being about the x's and o's,
you know, it becomes about the mindset. That stadium has
become this kind of psychological fortress for Jacksonville, at least
when the Colts come to town. It's not just the
stat anymore. It's an atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So that streak just adds this incredible weight to what's
already the biggest game of.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
The year for sure, And if the Jags can keep
that streak going, they don't just win a game, they
slam the door on a decade of frustration for their rivals.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
But that brings us right back to the central question,
doesn't it the contradiction Can a team that wins sloppy
handle that kind of historical pressure. Let's talk about that
Cardinals game, because it really was the perfect test case.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
It was a perfect microcosm. Yeah, they got the w
but man, it was a ride and it all came
down to their leader, their quarterback, making mistakes and then
having to dig his way out.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So let's set the scene. What happened right before that
game winning drive.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Well, the turning point was Trevor Lawrence had just thrown
his third interception of the game.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Three picks.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Three picks. In today's NFL, that's almost always a recipe
for a loss. It just kills momentum, puts your defense
in a terrible spot. To come back from that take
some serious mental toughness.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
But he did. He didn't wilt. Right after that third pick.
He comes out and leads a six play, sixty five
yard drive to take the lead. That's where you have
to decide if this team is sloppy or just really
really resilient.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Absolutely, a lot of quarterbacks will get tentative after that. Yeah,
you know, play it safe. But Lawrence did the opposite,
and the play that won the game, the touchdown that
put them up twenty four to twenty one. It might
have been the most impressive single play of the day.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
That was the pass to Parker Washington right the eleven
yard touchdown. What was so special about that throw It's.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
The technical detail here that really stands out. The sources
say Lawrence let the ball go before Washington even turned
his head.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Wait, really, he's throwing it bling basically.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Just pure anticipation. He's trusting that his receiver will be
in a very specific spot at a very specific time.
It's a throw into a window that I mean, it
barely exists.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
That sounds incredibly risky, especially for a guy who's just
thrown three interceptions. Couldn't you argue that's just reckless?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
You could, but the result tells you it was just
elite confidence. Washington had to make this diving, sliding catch
behind the defender. It was perfect. A throw like that
under that kind of pressure, right after your worst moment
of the game. It shows you that the sloppiness maybe
isn't a lack of skill. It's inconsistent, sure, but when
the game was on the line, he was surgical, and
(05:35):
that's what contenders do.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
That really does reframe the whole winning ugly thing. It
wasn't just messy. There was a moment of brilliance in
there when it mattered most. Okay, so let's shift to
the mindset. How did the team itself react to winning
like that?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
This is where the history is so important to get
why they don't apologize for a sloppy win. You have
to remember where this team has been. The sources remind
us that heading into this season, the Jaguars had lost
eighteen of their last twenty three games.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Wow, that's a tough stretch of football.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
It's humbling. And when you've been losing that much for
that long, Yeah, you don't really care about style points.
You just want to win anyway you can get it.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
So they're survivors. Basically, they've clawed their way back to
being relevant, and they're not going to apologize for how
they do it.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Exactly, and Lawrence himself said as much. His quote on
it was perfect.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
How did he phrase it?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
He was very direct. He said, never apologize for winning
the way we won. And people can watch the tape
and make their own judgments, and I'll watch it and
do the same.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I like that he's not denying the mistakes. He's saying, yeah,
I'll watch the pape and learn, but he's not letting
it take away from.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
The win, right. And he even gave credit to the
other team. He had some tough plays out there. Those
guys make good plays as well. This is a really
mature professional perspective.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
So when you tie it all together, the historical struggles
seem to have created this resilient core. You see it
in Lawrence bouncing back from the three picks, and you
hear it in the way they talk about winning.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
It's the story of their whole transformation. They're a team
that can take a punch, get back up and find
a way. That's the definition of a contender in these sources.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Okay, so let's bottom line this for everyone listening. Should
you take the Jaguars seriously? The evidence points to yes. Right,
as long as they can keep walking this tightrope between
being a little sloppy and then executing at a high
level when.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It counts, I think that's fair. The path forward is simple, really.
They have to beat the Titans that sets up the
huge Week fourteen game against the Colts, and we've seen
that their quarterback has what it takes mentally to overcome
his own mistakes.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
In a game, right, and the whole analysis, it's not
just about the seven to four record, it's how they're winning.
We've seen the schedule, we've seen the game winning play,
and we've heard from the leader. It's a full picture.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's a picture of a team that's still figuring itself out,
but the potential is clearly there. Now it's just about consistency.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Absolutely, which leads us with one last thing for you
to think about. If winning ugly is the sign of
a resilient team. How much more does that resilience matter
when you're facing a huge historical barrier like that nine
year losing streak the Colts have in Jacksonville. They've shown
they can overcome their own mistakes. The real test is
can they overcome history. We've seen the intent, now we
(08:16):
just have to wait for the execution.
All right, welcome back to the deep dive. So you
know the drill by now we take this just a
massive pile of information, boil all down and give you
what you need to know. Today, we're digging into the
AFC South and we're zeroing in on one team in particular,
the Jacksonville Jaguars, because what we're seeing in the data
brings up a really big question. Is it finally time
(00:22):
to take the Jags seriously, like as real contenders. So
our mission today is to look at their seven to
four record, break down their last game, and really map
out the road ahead for them.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
It's a fascinating spot for them to be in because
you look at the source material and there's this immediate contradiction.
On one hand, yeah, they're seven to four of the
lead of the division. They look like legitimate contenders. But
on the other hand, the reporting on their last win
against the Cardinals calls it sloppy. So you have to
ask what does that mean? Does winning ugly show a
weakness or is it actually a sign of resilience?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
And that tension is everything right now because their margin
for error, well it's gone. That division. You got cut
to just one game after the Colts lost to Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, that changes the conversation completely. It's not about their
status anymore. It's about what they do, like right.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Now this week, which brings us to the schedule. This
is where it gets real.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Oh. Absolutely, The next couple of weeks are they're basically
a playoff before the playoffs, the race is a dead
sprint from here on out. For you listening, it all
really starts with week twelve.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Okay, so let's break that down. What are the key
games here that could really give the Jags an edge.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Well, for Jacksonville, it's about as good a situation as
you could ask for. They're playing the one to ten Titans.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Okay, so that's a must win.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
It's an absolute must win. There are no excuses. They
just handle their business. They keep control of everything. But
at the same time, you've got the Colts facing a
much much tougher opponent. They had to go up against
the Texans.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
And that Houston defense is no joke, not at all.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It's a top ranked unit. They force turnovers, they put
a ton of pressure on the quarterback. It's a huge
tactical challenge for Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
So if you're Jacksonville, you're looking at this and thinking, Okay,
we beat the Titans and the Colts have this brutal matchup,
that one game lead could pretty easily become two before
we even get to December.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
That's the leverage exactly. And if the Jags do get
that win in Week twelve, then all the data, all
the sources, they all point towards this massive game in
Week fourteen.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
The showdown in Jacksonville.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
A huge Week fourteen showdown is what the reports call it.
And it's in their building. I mean, that game could
very well decide the whole division.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And this is where it gets even more interesting, because
there's this whole layer of history that just cranks up
the pressure. It's not just a big game for the Colts.
There's a curse involved.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
This is what makes it so dramatic. We're talking about
almost a decade of I guess you'd call it psychological
baggage for the Colts. The last time they won a
game in Jacksonville was twenty fourteen.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Twenty fourteen.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Wow, yeah, nine full years. Just think about that for
a second.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Nine years. I mean of football. That's like two or
three different coaching staffs, a completely different rosters. So Basically,
no one on that Colts team has ever won a game.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Exactly, So it stops being about the x's and o's,
you know, it becomes about the mindset. That stadium has
become this kind of psychological fortress for Jacksonville, at least
when the Colts come to town. It's not just the
stat anymore. It's an atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So that streak just adds this incredible weight to what's
already the biggest game of.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
The year for sure, And if the Jags can keep
that streak going, they don't just win a game, they
slam the door on a decade of frustration for their rivals.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
But that brings us right back to the central question,
doesn't it the contradiction Can a team that wins sloppy
handle that kind of historical pressure. Let's talk about that
Cardinals game, because it really was the perfect test case.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
It was a perfect microcosm. Yeah, they got the w
but man, it was a ride and it all came
down to their leader, their quarterback, making mistakes and then
having to dig his way out.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So let's set the scene. What happened right before that
game winning drive.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Well, the turning point was Trevor Lawrence had just thrown
his third interception of the game.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Three picks.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Three picks. In today's NFL, that's almost always a recipe
for a loss. It just kills momentum, puts your defense
in a terrible spot. To come back from that take
some serious mental toughness.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
But he did. He didn't wilt. Right after that third pick.
He comes out and leads a six play, sixty five
yard drive to take the lead. That's where you have
to decide if this team is sloppy or just really
really resilient.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Absolutely, a lot of quarterbacks will get tentative after that. Yeah,
you know, play it safe. But Lawrence did the opposite,
and the play that won the game, the touchdown that
put them up twenty four to twenty one. It might
have been the most impressive single play of the day.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
That was the pass to Parker Washington right the eleven
yard touchdown. What was so special about that throw It's.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
The technical detail here that really stands out. The sources
say Lawrence let the ball go before Washington even turned
his head.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Wait, really, he's throwing it bling basically.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Just pure anticipation. He's trusting that his receiver will be
in a very specific spot at a very specific time.
It's a throw into a window that I mean, it
barely exists.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
That sounds incredibly risky, especially for a guy who's just
thrown three interceptions. Couldn't you argue that's just reckless?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
You could, but the result tells you it was just
elite confidence. Washington had to make this diving, sliding catch
behind the defender. It was perfect. A throw like that
under that kind of pressure, right after your worst moment
of the game. It shows you that the sloppiness maybe
isn't a lack of skill. It's inconsistent, sure, but when
the game was on the line, he was surgical, and
(05:35):
that's what contenders do.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
That really does reframe the whole winning ugly thing. It
wasn't just messy. There was a moment of brilliance in
there when it mattered most. Okay, so let's shift to
the mindset. How did the team itself react to winning
like that?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
This is where the history is so important to get
why they don't apologize for a sloppy win. You have
to remember where this team has been. The sources remind
us that heading into this season, the Jaguars had lost
eighteen of their last twenty three games.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Wow, that's a tough stretch of football.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
It's humbling. And when you've been losing that much for
that long, Yeah, you don't really care about style points.
You just want to win anyway you can get it.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
So they're survivors. Basically, they've clawed their way back to
being relevant, and they're not going to apologize for how
they do it.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Exactly, and Lawrence himself said as much. His quote on
it was perfect.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
How did he phrase it?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
He was very direct. He said, never apologize for winning
the way we won. And people can watch the tape
and make their own judgments, and I'll watch it and
do the same.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I like that he's not denying the mistakes. He's saying, yeah,
I'll watch the pape and learn, but he's not letting
it take away from.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
The win, right. And he even gave credit to the
other team. He had some tough plays out there. Those
guys make good plays as well. This is a really
mature professional perspective.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
So when you tie it all together, the historical struggles
seem to have created this resilient core. You see it
in Lawrence bouncing back from the three picks, and you
hear it in the way they talk about winning.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
It's the story of their whole transformation. They're a team
that can take a punch, get back up and find
a way. That's the definition of a contender in these sources.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Okay, so let's bottom line this for everyone listening. Should
you take the Jaguars seriously? The evidence points to yes. Right,
as long as they can keep walking this tightrope between
being a little sloppy and then executing at a high
level when.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It counts, I think that's fair. The path forward is simple, really.
They have to beat the Titans that sets up the
huge Week fourteen game against the Colts, and we've seen
that their quarterback has what it takes mentally to overcome
his own mistakes.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
In a game, right, and the whole analysis, it's not
just about the seven to four record, it's how they're winning.
We've seen the schedule, we've seen the game winning play,
and we've heard from the leader. It's a full picture.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's a picture of a team that's still figuring itself out,
but the potential is clearly there. Now it's just about consistency.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Absolutely, which leads us with one last thing for you
to think about. If winning ugly is the sign of
a resilient team. How much more does that resilience matter
when you're facing a huge historical barrier like that nine
year losing streak the Colts have in Jacksonville. They've shown
they can overcome their own mistakes. The real test is
can they overcome history. We've seen the intent, now we
(08:16):
just have to wait for the execution.
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