JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars as they prepare to play the New York Jets in a 2024 Week 15 game at EverBank Stadium.

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…

1. Play to win. This week's first Quick Thought is more of a Quick Reminder – that despite ongoing chatter to the contrary, playing for draft positioning isn't a "thing" among NFL coaches and players. That's what made the "angst" over the Jaguars beating the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday – and any debate over the value of victories in future weeks – meaningless. Did beating the Titans potentially "cost" the Jaguars a spot in the 2025 NFL Draft? Could a victory or two more cost them more spots? Perhaps. But what are the Jaguars or any other team supposed to do? Try to lose? Fumble on purpose? The debate over the value of winning is fine for comments sections, Twitter timelines and talking heads. Players and coaches want to win and they're supposed to want to win. If a team is bad enough, the losing takes care of itself. So, don't get angry if the Jaguars win Sunday. Just realize it's what they're supposed to try to do and enjoy the victories when they happen. If, that is, they actually happen.
2. Four to watch. A common question among Jaguars observers these days is just why they should watch a team eliminated from the postseason. One obvious and important reason: The development of young players, and four such Jaguars players stand out as we enter the final month of the season: Linebacker Ventrell Miller, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., running back Tank Bigsby and cornerback Jarrian Jones. The foursome is not only talented, young and continuing to develop, it's also a group of players who are instinctive – they're just good football players – and who are clearly enjoying the process of growing into their talent. There are other reasons to watch in the last month, with players such as rookie defensive tackle Maason Smith, second-year tight end Brenton Strange and second-year wide receiver Parker Washington remaining key storylines. But from this view, the aforementioned group stands out as critical players in the final four games of a season that remains important even with preseason expectations decidedly unmet.

Brian Sexton, Jaguars Senior Correspondent…

1. The Jaguars should go over the top to get the ball to Thomas. It's one thing to say they should focus on getting him involved early in the game instead of waiting until the second half, and we've all been saying that almost all season. Head Coach Doug Pederson gets that but also knows that where the ball goes is many times decided not by the play call but by the quarterback and the defense. Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor had this to say after a victory in Dallas Monday in which the Bengals targeted All-Pro wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase 18 times. "You just can't get him the ball enough. It feels like we can still try to get it to him more. And we do, trust me. Just in those moments, sometimes you just try to keep it simple." Chase is the best player and was the focus of the Cowboys defense, still managing 177 yards and two touchdowns. I'd like to see the Jaguars take that approach with Thomas the rest of this season.
2. More, please. Thomas, Bigsby, Miller, Jones, Strange and Smith were all good in Nashville Sunday. How about adding defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson, cornerback De'Antre Prince and running back Keilan Robinson to the rotation? I get that coaches are fighting for their jobs, and the best players should play, but there must be room for all three of those guys to get into the game over the final four weeks of the season. Jefferson is strong and was making some plays when he was active. The thought before Robinson's preseason foot injury was he could be a situational player on offense, and you can see the explosiveness he brings. Prince has the physical gifts and potential to develop into a starting-caliber cornerback in this league. The young guys are starting to emerge at the end of the season, which is how it should be. Let's see a few more of them before 2024 is finished.

Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter/Producer...

1. Feed the man. The Jaguars' offense was far from productive last week against the Titans, but Jacksonville did just enough to get its first win since Week 6. The offense was slightly better in the second half when the Jaguars finally began to press the issue and get their rookie star wide receiver involved. Quarterback Mac Jones attempted 31 passes against Tennessee and 12 of those were to Thomas, the most memorable coming on a broken play as Jones scrambled and found Thomas down the sideline for a 31-yard gain. Jones postgame repeatedly called Thomas the team's "best player" and said it was a focus to get Thomas involved in the second half. The Jags will need some more of those big plays out of their rookie against the Jets, who have one of the best defenses in the NFL.
2. The same but different. The Jets will arrive in Jacksonville this week with a record of 3-10 and a ton of disappointment for what was once a promising season. They have lost seven games this season by six points or less and just can't seem to finish games. Stop me if this sounds familiar. While the Jaguars and Jets have experienced similar issues this season, the organizations have dealt with it in very different ways. After a 2-3 start to the year, the Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh and promoted defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to interim head coach. Then after falling to 3-8, the Jets fired their general manager, Joe Douglas. Jaguars fans have been impatiently waiting for changes this year, but the Jets serve as a perfect example that in-season changes don't necessarily fix the problems within.