The Jaguars, playoff-bound yet dismissive of their success, focused on outperforming the Colts this week, amid Pro Bowl snubs and the potential to top the AFC.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars have a playoff spot secured but you wouldn’t know it if you stepped inside the practice facility.Â
“We haven’t talked about those kind of goals and it’s more so just trying to compete like champions every week, every day, and go throughout the process and see what happens,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said. “So, I’m sure people are excited to know that there is more football ahead of us, but we’re really trying to just stick within this day and be where we’re at, be where our feet are, and go compete against a good Colts team this week.”
Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. told reporters Wednesday that clinching the playoffs hasn’t been spoken about in team meetings and he likes it that way because he knows this team has a lot more they want to achieve.
“The mission stays the same, we just got to come out and compete each and every game, come out and execute each and every day and still give it our all and still give it everything we’ve got,” Thomas said.Â
Giving it everything they’ve got made a little bit easier this week as the league continues to ‘disrespect’ the Jaguars, selecting just one player from the 11-4 team to play in the Pro Bowl.
“It kind of pisses me off,” Defensive End Josh Hines-Allen said. “It just goes back to the same old, same old thing that we’ve been experiencing. It’s expected.”Â
Long Snapper Ross Matiscik was the lone Jaguar selected for the Pro Bowl. It’s his third straight pick, but he told reporters this one is a little different.Â
“I think in the years past and last year too, you’re kind of bummed with the season and you get to go to the Pro Bowl and you kind of look forward to that but this year we have bigger goals so we have our mindset on bigger things,” Matiscik said. “So it’s cool and all but I hope I can’t make it and we’re in San Fran for a different reason.”
If the Texans lose against the Chargers on Saturday, the Jaguars could clinch the AFC South on Sunday with a win against the Colts.Â
If the Jaguars win out, they could also snag the No. 1 spot in the AFC, if both New England and Denver lose one more game of the regular season.Â
Kickoff against the Jaguars and Colts is set for 1 p.m. ET. First Coast Sports will be on the road in Indianapolis to bring viewers complete coverage of the game.Â