Sep 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen stands on the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

How the Jaguars Dealt With Weather Delay vs. Panthers

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars overcame a lot in their Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. Sure, the team was favored to win after an offseason spent overhauling the system and roster, but no one really knew what to expect from this squad after so much turnover. They were able to answer a lot of pressing questions with their resounding 26-10 victory to begin the 2025 NFL season.

They were able to exorcise most of the demons that haunted them after a cursed 4-13 finish last year. They were able to get Liam Coen a W in his first-ever game as an NFL head coach. They were able to generate three turnovers on defense after accruing just eight all season in 2024.

Not only were they able to defeat the Panthers, their horrid past, and all of the uncertainty surrounding a roster full of question marks, but they also overcame the weather itself. Like the Philadelphia Eagles had on Thursday, the Jaguars saw their home opener interrupted due to lightning.

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jaguars were prepared for everything

Head Coach Liam Coen has preached preparation to his Jacksonville Jaguars all offseason. This team showed plenty of wrinkles that needed ironing over last year. Coming into a crucial campaign with so much roster change and a complete systemic revamping, the Jags needed as much coordination as they could get.

Not many teams can prepare for an unexpected delay for over an hour due to inclement weather, though. But apparently, Liam Coen is different, and he wants his Jaguars to stand out, too. When Jacksonville media asked him how the Jaguars handled the interruption, he had this to say:

"I think the guys did a nice job of understanding where we live. We talked about this going into the game that this was a possibility. We talked about it this morning as a staff. I thought they just did a nice job. We were doing some kind of, not after-action reports, after the half, but a little bit of what did they do."

"We kept them engaged. Also gave them a little bit of space to go and kind of stay loose and stretch out in here. They kept their focus. Came out, got them loose, and I thought they came out with the right mindset and mentality for sure. It's a weird deal. First one in my career, but really proud of the way that they competed and closed the thing out."

The heavens themselves can't stop Coen from getting his team to execute his vision. What chance do other NFL teams have?

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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