JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars have already had a good Week 9. It could get even better over the next 48 hours.
With the Jaguars having already improved to 6-2 after a dominant 33-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football, they can sit and watch the rest of the NFL’s week play out on Sunday and Monday, and they can boost their position on several fronts as a result.
Jacksonville can get even closer to an eventual AFC South crown depending on some of Sunday’s games, as well as improve their standing in what looks like a two-month-long race for top seeding in the AFC as a whole.
Then there is the trade deadline. The Jaguars have a few days head start to evaluate their trade deadline options after an early Week 9 game, and perhaps a few losses on Sunday could push teams toward selling for a potential buyer in the Jaguars.
So, what results should the Jaguars root for in Week 9? We break it all down below.
New York Jets vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Rooting Interest: New York Jets
This one is clear. The Jaguars can not count their chickens before they hatch when it comes to the AFC South race, but it also seems like the Jaguars’ lead in the division means their horizons can expand. One of those horizons is seeding in the AFC. Winning the AFC South would secure the Jaguars a top-four seed in the AFC, but the leaders of each divison are all still very much so in the race for the No. 1 seed.
The Chiefs have been at the top of the AFC’s standings for much of the season, but they have hit some roadblocks lately. An upset loss to the New York Jets would be a surprise, but it would be a nice boost toward the Jaguars’ pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the AFC — or better. Having the Chiefs visit EverBank Stadium if the two sides meet in the playoffs seems better than playing on the road in Kansas City.
Los Angles Chargers vs. Houston Texans
Rooting Interest: Los Angeles Chargers
This one is clear. It seems like the Los Angeles Chargers are so stubborn that even a 1-16 record might not force them to move off the idea that their season isn’t over. If the Chargers aren’t going to sell at all, then it doesn’t really matter for the Jaguars if they pick up their eighth loss, even if they have at minimum three defenders who would make sense to be added to the Jaguars’ defense at the deadline.
If the Chargers get their first win of the season, it would come at the expense of a Houston Texans team that really can’t afford losing any more games down the stretch after a 2-5 start. Any more Texans losses would push the Jaguars real close to being locks to win the AFC South for the second year in a row, something the Jaguars have never done.
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Rooting Interest: New York Giants
Will the Eagles actually trade defensive tackle Moro Ojomo? That, to me, is one of the biggest questions of the entire deadline period. Ojomo has arguably been the Eagles’ best and most consistent defensive tackle this year despite sharing a room with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, and there is a real chance he signs a $100 million deal this March somewhere. But could it take another big loss in the NFC East to make it happen?
The Eagles have never really been the type to start waving the white flag and selling off pieces of their roster mid-season. But they have some big bills coming due soon, their season is clearly over, and they have a ton of questions moving forward. A loss should tell them that the party is over for 2026 at least, if they do not already know it. And just maybe it could push them to deal the market’s most interesting defensive tackle.
Buffalo Bills vs. Minnesota Vikings
Rooting Interest: Minnesota Vikings
The Jaguars are Carson Wentz fans in Week 9, which is a weird spot to be in for anyone in 2026. It was weird in 2022. It is weirder now. But the Jaguars should root for the Bills to drop games for the next two months due to playoff seeding purposes. Yes, the Bills beat the Jaguars in the Wild Card last year in Jacksonville anyways, but that had more to do with Josh Allen going supernova. Avoiding a road game against Allen in the playoffs seems ideal, and the Bills do have a tough second-half schedule.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks
Rooting Interest: Seattle Seahawks
Could the Cardinals finally deal Budda Baker after years of losing with a final knockout blow against the Seattle Seahawks? That is the question any team with a safety need should be asking right now. The Jaguars are one of those teams after a season-ending injury to Eric Murray, and there are simply too many reasons why Baker would be the perfect fit for their secondary during a playoff push this winter.
Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers
Rooting Interest: Toss up
This is one where, like, a tie would be best? The Jaguars should want the Panthers to lose to push them closer toward selling in the event that it comes down to a Derrick Brown possibility. But the Broncos losing would also be big for the Jaguars in the race for AFC seeding. This is one where you can probably feel OK about either result.
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