Jaguars Struggle to Maintain Momentum in AFC South: Week 7 Power Rankings
As the 2024 NFL season moves into Week 7, the Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves in a precarious position. After a promising start, the Jaguars have struggled to keep their momentum going, raising questions about their consistency and potential in the highly competitive AFC South. In the latest Week 7 Power Rankings, Jacksonville’s performance has come under scrutiny, as their recent games have exposed some critical vulnerabilities.
Early Season Promise
The Jaguars entered the season with high hopes, following a strong finish last year and a solid offseason that saw them add key players on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, now in his third year, seemed poised to take another step forward, with a receiving corps led by Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk, and a backfield featuring the versatile Travis Etienne Jr. The defense, anchored by linebacker Josh Allen and cornerback Tyson Campbell, also looked primed to make an impact.
The early weeks of the season reflected that promise. Jacksonville notched some important wins, including a statement victory against a strong Buffalo Bills team in Week 5. This led to optimism that the Jaguars were ready to challenge for the top spot in the AFC South and perhaps even make a deep playoff run.
Struggles Emerge
However, since their victory over Buffalo, the Jaguars have struggled to maintain that level of play. Their Week 6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts exposed some weaknesses, particularly on offense, where Lawrence was pressured heavily and the run game failed to gain traction. The offensive line, long considered a weak point for Jacksonville, once again struggled to protect Lawrence, leading to several sacks and a series of three-and-outs that killed any offensive rhythm.
Defensively, the Jaguars have been inconsistent. While they’ve shown flashes of brilliance, especially in pass defense, they’ve struggled to contain the run, allowing opponents to dominate time of possession and wear down the defense as games progress. This issue became particularly evident in their loss to the Colts, where Indianapolis controlled the clock and methodically moved the ball downfield.
AFC South Outlook
As it stands, the Jaguars sit in the middle of the pack in the AFC South, trailing the surprising Houston Texans and battling with the Tennessee Titans and Colts for positioning. With a tough schedule ahead, including matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville will need to find answers quickly if they hope to stay in the playoff hunt.
The Week 7 Power Rankings reflect the uncertainty surrounding the Jaguars. While they have the talent to compete, their recent performances suggest they are far from the polished contender many expected them to be. If they can address their offensive line issues and find more consistency on both sides of the ball, the Jaguars could still make a push for the playoffs. But as of now, the struggle to maintain momentum is real, and Jacksonville’s season could go i
n either direction.
