Three weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars had an inside track for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But after losing a trio of games against AFC North opponents, the Jaguars are clinging to their spot in the playoffs.
There’s now a three-way tie between the Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and Houston Texans for the AFC South lead. A wild card berth isn’t a given either with a long line of teams .500 or better in the conference.
Nothing is more important for the Jaguars than pulling out of their tailspin by beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. Another loss would threaten to push Jacksonville out of the mix with only two weeks to scramble back.
The Jaguars can get a little help before their game in Tampa Bay kicks off at 4:05 p.m. ET, though. Here are six results that would help Jacksonville out in Week 16:
Falcons beat the Colts
Nothing is more important for the Jaguars than holding off the Colts and the Texans, so it’s ideal if both of those teams lose Sunday. The bonus if Indianapolis loses is that there’s no downside for Jacksonville to the Falcons, an NFC team, getting a win.
Browns beat the Texans
The Browns are 9-5 and have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Jaguars. Another win would all but guarantee that Cleveland gets priority over Jacksonville in the wild card race. A loss for the Texans would help make sure it doesn’t come to that for the Jaguars, though.
Steelers beat the Bengals
The Jaguars already have a win against the 7-7 Steelers and a lost to the 8-6 Bengals. If Pittsburgh manages to beat Cincinnati on Saturday, it’d put the Jaguars a win away from essentially pushing both teams out of reach.
Chargers beat the Bills
Considering the Chargers’ last outing with Easton Stick at quarterback, don’t count on a Saturday night upset. It’d be helpful for the Jaguars if Los Angeles managed to pull it off and knock the fast-rising Bills down to 8-7, though.
Patriots beat the Broncos
While the 7-7 Broncos aren’t as close as other teams, they finish the year with three easy games against the Patriots, Chargers, and Raiders. If none of those teams beat Denver, the Broncos will have a 7-5 record in conference play and a strong shot at a higher wild card claim than the Jaguars.
Raiders beat the Chiefs
Seeding is probably the last thing on the Jaguars’ minds after three straight losses, but the Chiefs aren’t exactly playing their best ball either. After three losses in their last five, Kansas City is only a game ahead of the Jaguars at 9-5. A loss to the resurgent Raiders could open the door to the No. 3 seed for Jacksonville, assuming the latter can get back on track.
