Bettors are absolutely locking in on the Jacksonville Jaguars, showing massive confidence that Trevor Lawrence and his crew are about to repeat as AFC South champions. We’re seeing strong action at a major book already, and that tells you everything you need to know about where people think the AFC South is heading.
Coen’s “Grand Slam” Season Under Scrutiny
Can you believe the buzz from last offseason? The Jaguars looked like they hit a grand slam bringing in Liam Coen, the former Buccaneers offensive coordinator, to be their new head coach. And man, did he deliver in Year 1! Coen led the Jags to an insane 13 wins, clinching the AFC South title for the first time since 2022, which was also the last time the team made it to the playoffs. That’s a huge turnaround!
But here’s the real question for this season: was last season a fluke? Is Coen a one-hit wonder? The talk around the league is bringing up names like former Bears coach Matt Nagy, who went 12-4 in 2018 but never had another winning season. It makes you wonder. One-hit wonders aren’t exactly common, but they’re not unheard of either. That’s why there are only five head coaches left who were hired before 2021! And get this, Coen wasn’t even the Jaguars’ first choice, that was Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator. In almost any other season, Coen would have walked away with the NFL Coach of the Year award, being only the 11th rookie head coach since the 1970 merger to win at least 12 regular season games. But Mike Vrabel pulled off a miracle with the Patriots, getting the nod while Coen finished a close second. It’s a tough break, but it shows you the level of competition.
Lawrence’s Limited Preseason Look
So, what should we really expect from Trevor Lawrence and this group this season? Bettors at DraftKings are clearly high on them, putting their money where their mouth is. Despite that confidence, Coach Coen is playing it super safe with his star quarterback and other starters. Jacksonville hosts Carolina this Friday night in Week 2 of the preseason, and Coen’s plan is to play Lawrence and the starters for “a couple drives, potentially.” Remember, none of them even touched the field in the exhibition opener! He previously said he had no intention of putting his first-team offense or defense at risk in any of these games, and he’s already made it clear no starters will play in the finale. That’s a coach protecting his guys, especially with such high expectations this season.
For Coach of the Year this year, Coen is sitting as a +2500 longer shot. It’s obviously tough to improve on a 13-win season, but here’s a stat that’ll make you feel good: eight of the previous ten successful rookie coaches, those who won 12 or more games, actually got to double-digit wins again. That’s a good sign for Coen and the Jags. Keep an eye on that Week 2 preseason game, even if Lawrence is only out there for a bit. The season is just around the corner, and the expectations for Lawrence and this team are through the roof!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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