JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter/producer Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars as they prepare to play the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville in a Week 18 game Sunday

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…

Best ever? Very possible. The 12-4 Jaguars can clinch the AFC South Sunday. That opportunity and the accompanying chance for 13 victories put this season in the conversation for the best regular season in franchise history. A 13th victory would put this Jaguars team behind only the 14-2 1999 team for most victories in a season in franchise history, but this team has navigated a far tougher schedule than that team that lost at home in the AFC Championship Game to the Tennessee Titans. The ’99 team, remember, played just one team in the regular season that finished with a winning record – and lost both games to the 13-3 Titans. The Jaguars this season have four victories over “power teams” – 34-20 over the 13-3 Denver Broncos, 26-18 over the 12-4 San Francisco 49ers, 35-6 over the 11-5 Los Angeles Chargers and 17-10 over the 11-5 Houston Texans – and they also have victories over the .500 Indianapolis Colts (two) and .500 Carolina Panthers. If the Broncos and 49ers both win Sunday, those two teams will enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC, respectively – meaning this Jaguars team would have road victories over the two “best” teams in the NFL. This may not be the best overall roster in franchise history, but a victory Sunday would very likely make this the best Jaguars regular season ever.
Better and better. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s ascension continues to make the Jaguars a legitimate Super Bowl threat – and if his no-touchdown, one-interception performance in a victory over the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday makes that statement seem oddly timed, consider: While Lawrence went without a passing touchdown Sunday for the first time since Week 9, and while he had two bad throws – one of which resulted in an interception – he continued otherwise playing at a remarkably high level. He continues to play with confidence, and he stood tall in the pocket and completed big-time, first-down converting passes on multiple occasions against fierce and violent pressure Sunday. He also continues making increasingly better pre-snap and in-play decisions as he becomes more comfortable in his first season in Head Coach Liam Coen‘s offense – and his chemistry with trusted receivers such as Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers and Brenton Strange continues developing. Lawrence sustained no significant dropoff Sunday. If he stays at his current level or ascends just a bit, this team will be very tough to beat in January.