<
>

Jacksonville Jaguars' schedule 2020: Easier start, tough December

play
The Jaguars schedule in cat videos (1:11)

The Jaguars unveil their schedule in clever fashion as they reveal it with videos of cats. (1:11)

The Jacksonville Jaguars' schedule for 2020 was released Thursday.

The regular season kicks off with the Houston Texans visiting the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 10 (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC). The opening doubleheader for Monday Night Football will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers at the New York Giants (7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN) and the Tennessee Titans at the Denver Broncos (10:20 p.m. ET) on Monday, Sept. 14.

Check out the full week-by-week schedule here. Here’s what is in store for the Jaguars:

Game-by-game prediction

Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco is predicting a 4-12 finish:

Sept. 13: vs. Indianapolis Colts, Loss

Sept. 20: at Tennessee Titans, Loss

Sept. 24: vs. Miami Dolphins, Win

Oct. 4: at Cincinnati Bengals, Win

Oct. 11: at Houston Texans, Loss

Oct. 18: vs. Detroit Lions, Win

Oct. 25: Bye

Nov. 1: at Los Angeles Chargers, Loss

Nov. 8: vs. Houston Texans, Loss

Nov. 15: at Green Bay Packers, Loss

Nov. 22: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Loss

Nov. 29: vs. Cleveland Browns, Win

Dec. 6: at Minnesota Vikings, Loss

Dec. 13: vs. Tennessee Titans, Loss

Dec. 20: at Baltimore Ravens, Loss

Dec. 27: vs. Chicago Bears, Loss

Jan. 3: at Indianapolis Colts, Loss

Strength of schedule: .494 (11th easiest)

Breakdown

The Jaguars certainly got a manageable start to the schedule, with four of their first six games against teams who had losing records in 2019. They've got a brutal December, though, with games against 2019 playoff teams in three consecutive weeks beginning in Minnesota on Dec. 6. After a home game against Tennessee (which made the AFC title game) the stretch concludes at Baltimore against reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson. This schedule will test the Jaguars' rebuilt defense, especially the young secondary. The quarterbacks the Jaguars are scheduled to face have made a combined 30 Pro Bowls, won three MVPs, and won four Super Bowls (this list includes both Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles in Chicago). If the schedule is not altered, the Jaguars have back-to-back road trips just once (Weeks 4-5).

Sunday, Monday night streak continues

The Jaguars extended their streaks of not having a Sunday or Monday night game. It has been 12 years since the Jaguars played a Sunday night game (a 26-21 loss to Pittsburgh on Oct. 5, 2008) and nine years since they played a Monday night game (a 38-14 loss to San Diego on Dec. 5, 2011). Per ESPN Stats & Information research, those are the longest active streaks in the NFL. The Jaguars do have a Thursday night game -- but not against their usual opponent. They've played the Titans five times in the past six seasons on Thursday night, but this season will host Miami. The Jaguars have won four of their past six Thursday night games.

Eight in Jacksonville

The Jaguars will play all eight home games at TIAA Bank Field after the NFL announced there would be no international games in 2020. That will have a significant impact on the team’s local revenue because the Jaguars had announced in February they would play two home games in London in 2020. The Jaguars make roughly 1.75 times as much for a London home game as they do for a game in Jacksonville, and the revenue the Jaguars have earned from their single London game (and expanded territorial rights in the United Kingdom) has accounted for 11% of the team’s total local revenue.