1 Crucial Lesson 2025 NFL Playoffs Should Be Teaching Jaguars

Jaguars must strike a balance

Offense was the primary focus for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After all, they hired Liam Coen after his tremendous performance calling plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' attack in 2024 as their OC. Once he was on board, the expectation was that he would take Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the Jaguars' promising offensive pieces to another level.

Jacksonville eventually did reach a new ceiling on that side of the ball, leading the team to eight straight wins to close the season and clinch the division crown. Before they found their groove on offense, though, the Jaguars' defense was the driving force behind their hot start. They rattled off a league-leading 13 takeaways in their first four games to jump out to a 3-1 record.

Defense looms large in the postseason

Of the four teams that made the Conference Championship Round this season, all of them fielded elite defenses. The Denver Broncos were second in yards allowed per game and third in points, the New England Patriots were eighth and fourth, the Seattle Seahawks were sixth and first, and the Los Angeles Rams were 17th and 10th.

The defenses played a huge role in the semifinals, too. Denver nearly upset New England with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham at the helm in a 10-7 slugfest in a snowstorm, while Seattle got crucial stops against LA's high-powered offense to come out on top, 31-27.

It's hard to shake the Jaguars' season ending on a second interception from Trevor Lawrence that abruptly cut off their potential game-tying or -winning drive down three points with under a minute left on the first play of the series. However, Jacksonville scored 24 points in that game and took the lead twice in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately, the defense couldn't stop Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills' offense from jumping back out front both times. The Jaguars are plenty capable on offense, especially with Coen leading the charge. They have to ensure that they take another step on the other side of the ball to maximize their playoff prospects, even if they lose Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile.

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