The Jacksonville Jaguars delivered a statement win on Sunday, rolling to a 34–20 victory over the Denver Broncos on the road in Colorado. It was yet another composed, authoritative performance from Liam Coen's team—and from a quarterback playing the best football of his NFL career.
Trevor Lawrence was in complete command against one of the league's premier defenses, if not the very best. And his showing came against a Denver team that had won 11 in a row to become the top seed in the AFC. Lawrence threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns, added a rushing score, and finished with a quarterback rating of 115.4. Most telling of all, this marked the fourth straight game in which Lawrence did not turn the ball over.
Healthy and with an inspirational coach in his corner, Lawrence is finally living up to his billing as one of the most eagerly-awaited arrivals in the NFL in quite some time.
What the Jaguars have done since their Week 8 bye has been remarkable. Their Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley was ugly and decisive—and it proved to be a turning point. Since then, Jacksonville has reinvented itself under Coen and Lawrence, leaning more heavily on the running game and asking its franchise quarterback to play faster, cleaner, and with greater control. The results have been emphatic.
Sunday's win was the eighth consecutive game in which the Jaguars scored at least 25 points. Lawrence now has a career-high 26 touchdown passes, and Jacksonville has won six straight games. This was not just another victory—it was a message sent to the rest of the AFC.
In a conference as wide open as any in recent memory, with no dominant force separating itself from the pack, the race to Super Bowl 60 is there for the taking.
Why not the Jacksonville Jaguars?
Who's Hot…
Pittsburgh Steelers running backs… The Steelers got big performances from a pair of running backs during Sunday's 29-24 win over the Detroit Lions. Jaylen Warren rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns scoring from 45 yards out twice, while Kenneth Gainwell added 50 on the ground and caught passes for 78 yards and a touchdown and that score was one of the most incredible receptions you will see in the NFL this season or for many others. Those two running backs are going to need to be key players for the Steelers down the stretch because I would imagine a suspension is coming for wide receiver DK Metcalf after he got involved in an altercation with a Lions fan and appeared to throw a punch. There's no place for that in the game and Metcalf is likely to be sidelined at least for one week.
The Chicago Bears… The Bears have now won 11 games in moving to the top of the NFC North, one season after winning just four contests in 2024. Saturday night's 22-16 overtime win against the Green Bay Packers summed up the belief the Bears have gathered under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. They trailed by 10 with under two minutes left in the game, but kicked a field goal, recovered an onside kick, and then tied the game with Jahdae Walker's touchdown catch from Caleb Williams on fourth down. That was a player who had only played eight snaps going into that game. Then Williams unleashed the pass of his life in overtime, hitting DJ Moore from 46 yards out for the victory. It was yet another example of how these Bears can dig deep and deliver when it matters the most.
The Seattle Seahawks… There was another stunning comeback on Thursday night in Seattle, as the Seahawks claimed the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 38–37 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle trailed by 16 points midway through the fourth quarter but roared back in remarkable fashion, with touchdowns from Rashid Shaheed and AJ Barner to force overtime. In the extra period, Jaxson Smith-Njigba found the end zone to keep the comeback alive. Rather than settling for a kick and a tie — which would have done the Seahawks no favours — head coach Mike Macdonald made the bold call to go for two. It proved decisive. Sam Darnold, who endured an up-and-down night, delivered when it mattered most, finding tight end Eric Saubert for the game-winning conversion. A gutsy, season-defining win for Seattle, who now sit alone atop the NFC.
Who's Not…
Lamar Jackson… Baltimore's star quarterback threw just 10 passes in the first half before exiting Sunday's game against the New England Patriots with a bruised back. It proved to be a turning point, as the Patriots went on to secure a 28–24 victory, leaving the Ravens to battle on with Tyler Huntley under center. It has been a relentlessly frustrating season on the injury front for Lamar Jackson. He missed significant time earlier in the campaign with a hamstring issue, and that setback has been followed by a string of nagging ailments. Jackson has missed at least one practice day in each of the past six weeks and was forced out early on Sunday in a game Baltimore desperately needed him to finish. It's an increasingly unfortunate season for Jackson, and one that may yet define the Ravens' year. With their margin for error shrinking fast, Baltimore are now clinging on in the AFC playoff race — and once again left wondering what might have been with a healthy quarterback.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers… The Buccaneers have now lost six of their last seven games after Sunday's 23–20 defeat to the Carolina Panthers, a result that also cost Tampa Bay first place in the division. The NFC South has belonged to the Bucs for the past four years, but with just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the balance of power has shifted. It's now advantage Carolina — and Tampa Bay suddenly find themselves under real pressure. Once again, it was a late Baker Mayfield interception that proved costly. Todd Bowles is well aware his defense has struggled, but earlier in the season he could rely on Mayfield to provide a moment of magic when games were on the line. That trust has eroded in recent weeks. With the quarterback heroics gone and defensive issues mounting, the Buccaneers now look increasingly precarious in a playoff race they once appeared to control.
The Fast Five…
- Take a bow, Drake Maye. With the New England Patriots trailing by three late against the Ravens, their sophomore quarterback calmly took control, marching the offense 89 yards on a nine-play drive. It was capped by Rahmondre Stevenson's 21-yard touchdown run — the score that sealed both the win and a playoff berth. The victory delivered New England's 12th victory of the season, and once again underlined just how central Maye has been to their success. He finished the game throwing for 380 yards and two touchdowns, producing when it mattered most.
- Irish kicker Charlie Smyth was officially elevated to the 53-man roster of the New Orleans Saints this past week and was immediately rewarded with a three-year contract extension. The pride of Mayobridge then celebrated by kicking a club record five field goals in a 29-6 win over the New York Jets. This feels like the start of an incredible journey for Smyth.
- The Philadelphia Eagles clinched a second successive NFC East crown with a 39-18 victory over the Washington Commanders on Saturday night. And in becoming that division's first back-to-back champions since 2004, the Eagles got Saquon Barkley rolling again with 132 yards and a touchdown on the ground. But victories over the Las Vegas Raiders and the Commanders are not enough to convince me this team can repeat once we get to the playoffs.
- The Buffalo Bills are no longer just a one-man team and it's just as well because quarterback Josh Allen was held to just 130 passing yards and no touchdowns in a tougher-than-expected 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns. James Cook rushed for 117 yards and two scores, while the defense produced two timely interceptions of Shedeur Sanders. Buffalo have now won four in a row.
- The roof is falling in on the Kansas City Chiefs' season. One week after they were eliminated from the AFC playoff race and lost Patrick Mahomes to torn knee ligaments, it appears that backup quarterback Gardner Minshew is also facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after tearing his knee ligaments in Sunday's depressing 26-9 loss to Tennessee. At this rate, the team that played in five of the last six Super Bowls could end up with a top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Fact of the Week
The Los Angeles Rams lost to the Seahawks despite having 581 total yards, no sacks taken and three takeaways. They were the first team to achieve that unwanted feat since 1975. They also became the second team in NFL history to gain more than 550 offensive yards, not turn it over and lose, matching the achievements of the 2016 Buffalo Bills against the Miami Dolphins.
Final Thought…
How about a festive quiz to end this column? What do the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers have in common? All of those teams had five or fewer wins in 2024 but now top their respective divisions with two weeks of the 2025 regular season remaining. New England and Jacksonville both won four games in 2024 and have 12 and 11 victories respectively. And both are operating under the leadership of new head coaches in Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen. The Bears have turned five wins into 12 in their first season under Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams has flourished. And while Dave Canales' Panthers are a work in progress at 8-7, they have made tremendous strides. Every summer the NFL sells hope to its millions of fans around the world. Sometimes that may just seem like good PR, but these teams are living proof that things can change quickly. And there are others who surprise in the other direction, which is why we could have a playoff series coming up that doesn't feature Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Jared Goff. On that sombre note, let me brighten the mood by wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
