JACKSONVILLE – The time is here, and the confidence is real.

Doug Pederson said that’s good. And necessary. It also doesn't mean all that much until Sunday when the Jaguars open the 2024 regular season.

"You still have to go execute," he said.

Pederson, the Jaguars' third-year head coach, spoke to the media Friday morning in advance of the team's Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. He discussed the confidence built during a productive 2024 Training Camp and preseason.

Pederson said it matters. And it gives the team a good feeling, but he added "You still have to go play and perform and eliminate mistakes."

"Everybody in Week 1 thinks they're a good football team," Pederson said. "It gives you confidence going into the game, and going into these early games. You're still going to have to overcome adversity.

"I think in your mind, going into it, you feel you feel good about where you're at, how camp went and all of that. A healthier team factors into all that, too.

"It does give you confidence going into these first few games."

The Jaguars, after winning five consecutive games to win the AFC South in 2022 – Pederson's first season as a head coach – lost five of their last six games to miss the postseason by a game in 2023. Whereas many observers projected the Jaguars as AFC South champions entering the '23 season, there are fewer such predictions entering '24.

"It's fine," Pederson said. "We just go about our business. We just keep working hard and playing hard and don't worry about the outside. We just make it about us and focus internally. People are going to write what they want to write. If you start winning games then maybe you get some recognition.

"It's one week at a time. It's one game at a time obviously. I'm fine with that."

NOTABLE

• Safety Daniel Thomasremained the lone player on the Jaguars’ injury report Friday, being listed for a third consecutive day as practicing limited with an Achilles injury. Thomas, a top special teams player, was listed as questionable for Sunday's game. "He's progressed," Pederson said. "We're optimistic and hopeful that he can play."