- - The surprise team no one saw coming could win the AFC after a stunning upset Sunday

Rohan NadkarniDecember 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM

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Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs for a third-quarter touchdown against the Denver Broncos. (Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)

With the Kansas City Chiefs already eliminated from playoff contention (and now down to their third-string quarterback), a new team will have to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2022.

On Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced themselves as a contender to be that representative.

The Jaguars pulled off one of the best wins of the NFL season in Week 16, upsetting the Denver Broncos on the road 34-20, ending an 11-game winning streak by the Broncos.

“A small-market team like us can come into Mile High and get it done,” Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen said in his postgame news conference, referring to a perceived dig by Denver head coach Sean Payton in the lead-up to the game.

The Jaguars’ win improved them to 11-3, and they are now only one game behind the Broncos in the loss column for the No. 1 seed — and home-field advantage — in the postseason. Jacksonville is one of six teams with a chance to win the conference, and it has done it by putting together a winning streak of its own.

After a 4-1 start to the season, the Jaguars lost three of four, falling to 5-4 after a loss to the Houston Texans on Nov. 9. Since then, Jacksonville has won six straight, five of them by at least two touchdowns.

And the Jaguars haven’t beaten up only on poor competition this year. Their .466 strength of victory rating entering “Sunday Night Football” was the best among the nine AFC teams still fighting for playoff berths.

Jacksonville has been getting it done on both sides of the ball en route to its 11 wins.

Entering Week 16, the Jaguars were ranked third in expected points after play on defense. They’ve been especially stingy against opposing quarterbacks, ranking fourth in EPA per pass.

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Meanwhile, under the tutelage of Coen, former No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence is putting together one of the better stretches of his career. During Jacksonville’s six-game winning streak, Lawrence has accounted for 21 touchdowns (18 passing, three rushing) while throwing only four interceptions.

In his last four games, Lawrence has a passer rating over 100 in each contest after having never reached that mark once in the first 11 games of the season.

Against Denver, which entered the game fourth in yards allowed per game and third in points allowed, Lawrence completed 23 of 36 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran six times for 20 yards and another score.

“I feel great with our offense right now, what we’re able to do, the passing game, guys are making plays, giving them opportunities down the field, and we’re protecting well,” Lawrence said after Sunday’s win. “We’re doing a lot of things well. We've just got to not take it for granted.”

Said Coen about his quarterback: “He’s doing it all. He’s doing everything that you want your guy to be doing, and he’s doing it at a high level right now.”

Lawrence and Coen have seemingly come a long way since early in the season, when they were seen arguing on the sidelines during a game in September after Coen was upset about a missed throw. Through 16 weeks, not only does Lawrence already have his most wins in a single season, but he’s on pace for his most touchdowns in a year, as well.

While the Jaguars will need some help to capture the top seed in the AFC, they do have a favorable schedule over the last two weeks of the season. Jacksonville will face the Philip Rivers-led Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 before they end the season at home against the 3-12 Tennessee Titans.

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Source: “AOL Sports”