The game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday isn’t exactly a highly anticipated event for CBS or the NFL.
Except, of course, for the fans of these two teams and those with bets or fantasy football playoffs at stake.
No matter what happens in this matchup between teams with a combined total of five wins, the real story for both teams will come in early January when the regular season finishes.
Both teams will face big decisions in several areas, meaning the last three weeks of the season will serve as an audition for many players who don’t have much experience or whose future in the NFL is uncertain.
“We know our situation,” said Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson. “We got it. We understand that. But I think these next three weeks really can set us up for the future, for the offseason, for next year and how we can build and where we need to add pieces and all of that kind of stuff, the development of our roster.”
It’s still unclear whether Pederson will be part of that future or if Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce will be in the team’s plans. NFL coaches usually don’t survive another season with records like these: 3-11 for the Jaguars and 2-10 for the Raiders, who are on a 10-game losing streak.
But there are reasons to think both coaches could return. The Jaguars had a 9-8 record in each of Pederson’s first two seasons, which included a playoff victory in 2022.
It’s possible this season was just a rare off year. This is Pierce’s first season as the full-time coach, and the Raiders’ already struggling roster has been hit hard by injuries. There are also reasons not to keep both coaches.
Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence hasn’t become the elite quarterback that many expected when he was picked first overall in the 2021 draft.
Pierce’s coaching decisions for the Raiders have faced criticism, especially his many conservative choices in a league that often rewards being aggressive.
For now, both teams are playing a game that won’t affect the NFL standings but will impact their draft position in April.
It’s not an ideal situation with the season coming to a close.
“Listen, man, we’re not winning,” Pierce said. “I don’t know what else to tell y’all. We’re not winning. Do I want to win? Hell yeah, I want to win. Do I want to keep sitting here looking at the same … thing every week, having the same discussion with y’all? No.
“We’ll keep chopping wood, and at some point, the damn thing will break and go our way.”
