By Hays Carlyon
It’s time.
There are traditions and then there is the hallowed tradition that my good friend Ryan O’Halloran started when we worked together at the Florida Times-Union many years ago.
The time has come to guess the Jaguars schedule. Hey, we know we will get at least one right with the NFL announcing that the Jaguars will “host” Denver on Oct. 30 in London.
The league will release the full regular season schedule on Thursday. Why wait? This is our crack at the Jaguars schedule. Silly? Perhaps. Pointless? That’s a bit harsh. Fun? Absolutely.
Week 1: at Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 11
Why: The league likes to match up bad teams in the opener to give one city early hope.
Week 2: vs. Indianapolis, Sunday, Sept. 18
Why: The last three seasons, the Jaguars have played their first AFC South game by Week 2.
Week 3: at Philadelphia, Thursday, Sept. 22
Why: Doug Pederson goes back to where he won his Super Bowl. The league will want the Jaguars on early in primetime before the season potentially goes awry.
Week 4: vs. Las Vegas, Sunday, Oct. 2
Why: The Jaguars have not played an AFC South game in Week 4 the last four seasons, so we’ll stick with that trend.
Week 5: at Houston, Sunday, Oct. 9
Why: The Jaguars have played a Week 5 divisional game the last two seasons. We will continue that trend.
Week 6: at Washington, Sunday, Oct. 16
Why: A schedule that contains nine true road games (not counting London) finally has its first back-to-back road trips.
Week 7: vs. Dallas, Sunday, Oct. 23
Why: The Cowboys visit Jacksonville for the first time since 2006. The last “home” game against Dallas was played in London in 2014.
Week 8: vs. Denver (in London), Sunday, Oct. 30
Why: This is our free pass. This game is locked in.
Week 9: Bye, Sunday, Nov. 6
Why: Jaguars always get the bye here when the London game is this late in the season.
Week 10: vs. Tennessee, Sunday, Nov. 13
Why: The Jaguars have played a Week 9 or 10 divisional game in each of the last four seasons. That almost guarantees this will be an AFC South contest.
Week 11: at Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Nov. 20
Why: The longest trip West comes three weeks after the London journey.
Week 12: at Kansas City, Sunday, Nov. 27
Why: I would expect this game to be flexed to Sunday night when the Jaguars march into Arrowhead with a 7-3 record.
Week 13: vs. New York Giants, Sunday, Dec. 4
Why: The Jaguars finish up their NFC East slate.
Week 14: vs. Houston, Sunday, Dec. 11
Why: Week 14 has been a divisional game in three of the last four seasons.
Week 15: at Tennessee, Sunday, Dec. 18
Why: The Jaguars had consecutive AFC South games in Weeks 14-15 last season. We will continue that trend.
Week 16: at New York Jets, Saturday, Dec. 24
Why: The league has stated there will be 11 games on Christmas Eve and only three on Christmas.
Week 17: vs. Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 1
Why: The second to last game of the season hasn’t been a divisional game in the last four seasons.
Week 18: at Indianapolis, Sunday, Jan. 8
Why: The Jaguars have played the Colts in the season finale the last three seasons. I’m not ignoring that trend. Three of the final four on the road is tough but that’s what you get when you play seven games in Jacksonville.
So, here is the quick schedule guess recap
Sunday, Sept. 11 – at Detroit
Sunday, Sept. 18 – vs. Indianapolis
Thursday, Sept. 22 – at Philadelphia
Sunday, Oct. 2 – vs. Las Vegas
Sunday, Oct. 9 – at Houston
Sunday, Oct. 16 – at Washington
Sunday, Oct. 23 – vs. Dallas
Sunday, Oct. 30 – vs. Denver in London
Bye
Sunday, Nov. 13 – vs. Tennessee
Sunday, Nov. 20 – at Los Angeles Chargers
Sunday, Nov. 27 – at Kansas City
Sunday, Dec. 4 – vs. New York Giants
Sunday, Dec. 11 – vs. Houston
Sunday, Dec. 18 – at Tennessee
Saturday, Dec. 24 – at New York Jets
Sunday, Jan. 1 – vs. Baltimore
Sunday, Jan. 8 – at Indianapolis
(You can email Hays at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @HaysCarlyon).