A one-spot drop in the NFL.com power rankings has occurred for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who fell to No. 6 during their Week 7 bye. According to Nick Shook of NFL.com, the slide was primarily caused by the Bengals jumping the Jaguars following a victory over the Ravens.
The movement comes as the Jaguars hold a 4-2 record and a lead in the AFC South. The team is recovering from a last-second loss to the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium, a game NFL.com described as one of the season’s best. Despite erasing a 10-point deficit in that contest, the Jaguars were defeated in the final moments.
National Ranking Perspectives
While NFL.com moved the team to No. 6, other national outlets provided varying assessments of the Jaguars’ standing:
- Pro Football Talk: Ranked them No. 4, down from No. 3.
- ESPN and NFL.com (prior to the bye update): Both held the team at No. 5.
- Bleacher Report, The Athletic, and USA Today: All ranked the team No. 7, down from No. 5.
- Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports: Both placed the team at No. 8. Sports Illustrated dropped them from No. 2, while CBS Sports dropped them from No. 5.
Penalties and Rookie Snaps Shape Team Trajectory
Analysts highlighted several internal factors contributing to the team’s current trajectory. Michael DiRocco of ESPN noted that penalties have cost the Jaguars three touchdowns, including a holding call on tight end Brenton Strange during the loss to Houston. In that same game, quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw an end zone interception two plays after the penalty.
Conversely, the emergence of Travis Hunter has been noted as a significant value add. USA Today reported that Hunter played a season-high 71 snaps on Sunday, and Pro Football Talk stated the team is finally seeing a return on the Travis Hunter investment.
Safety Eric Murray addressed the team’s status on Tuesday, stating, We are 4-2 at the bye, it’s nothing to be going crazy about. It’s just lock in and keep going.
Murray emphasized the need for consistency to avoid putting the team in positions where they cannot make plays.
Upcoming Schedule
The Jaguars face a home game against the Colts upon their return from the bye. Following that, the team will travel to Baltimore for a Week 9 Thursday Night Football matchup against the Ravens.
Whether the Jaguars can improve their pass rush via a trade deadline move remains an open question raised by CBS Sports.
