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3 challenges the Jaguars will face in 2018

By Joe D'Aloisio

FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 21: Blake Bortles No. 5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws in the first quarter of the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 21: Blake Bortles No. 5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws in the first quarter of the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 29: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans runs with the ball during the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on October 29, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks defeated the Texans 41-38. (Photo by Rob Leiter via Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 29: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans runs with the ball during the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on October 29, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks defeated the Texans 41-38. (Photo by Rob Leiter via Getty Images) /

1. AFC South will be better

Last season the Jacksonville Jaguars won the AFC South division for the first time since 1999. It wasn’t easy as the Tennessee Titans finished right behind them at 9-7 and also made the postseason.

Even though Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota struggled statistically in 2017, he is making an effort to take the next step in becoming a franchise quarterback by tweaking his mechanics this offseason. 

It wont be easy for the Jaguars to repeat as divisional winners, especially with the return of the Deshaun Watson and the possible return of Andrew Luck.

All signs indicate Watson will be ready for Houston’s week one match-up against the New England Patriots. Watson’s rookie season ended early, after he suffered a torn ACL. He captivated the league in just seven games, throwing for 1,699 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Watson broke Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner’s record for the most touchdowns thrown by a quarterback in their first seven games and he became the first ever rookie quarterback to be named AFC offensive player of the month (October).

Having to prepare against a Houston team with Watson under center compared to Tom Savage or T.J. Yates is day and night and the Jaguars should expect the Texans to score more than a combined 14 points in their two matchups.

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The Indianapolis Colts are hoping Luck will be able to return this season. The former number one overall draft pick, missed all of last year as he still recovers from shoulder surgery and finally began throwing a football again. There is still a ton of uncertainty regarding Luck’s availability in 2018. However, this team is more of a threat with a less than 100 percent healthy Luck compared to anyone else being under center.

Bottom line is, even if just the Texans get their signal caller back, there is no guarantee the Jaguars will win the division and the fact that they struggled last season, when it was arguably the easiest year for them to win it, is very telling.

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