Why 'Respect' is the Last Thing the Jaguars Need

Jaguars love being the underdogs

Going into their first head-to-head bout of the 2025 NFL season, both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts were 8-4, but they got there in completely different ways. The Colts took advantage of a soft slate to begin the year, jumping out to a 7-1 start before dropping three of their next four against stiffer competition. The Jaguars, on the other hand, battled through a gauntlet to get to their position and were thought to be inconsistent and erratic because of some tough losses.

So, Jacksonville was seen as the underdog despite hosting Indianapolis during its backslide. The Jaguars proved that thinking faulty, taking a critical one-game lead in the AFC South race with a resounding 36-19 blowout over the Colts. Head Coach Liam Coen was asked about the disrespect his team has received this season, but he said he and his players only embrace it, and that he doesn't want it to change now:

"I don't think it helps. I've heard the rat poison before. Everybody loves you when you're doing it well, and then you're always going to find something. That's the competitive advantage that you have. Every player has to get themselves into a place, right? You always hear the stories about Jordan and how he would create things to get himself into a place to go compete."

"Our guys just keep finding ways to get a little bit pissed off and go play their tails off and execute, though, at a higher level. That's the thing we're starting to see a little bit better since the Chargers game is playing with an edge, but also going out and executing the plan at a higher level."