Biggest Winners and Losers from the Jaguars’ 2026 Schedule Release

• Cleveland Browns – 15th
• New England Patriots – 21st
• Cincinnati Bengals – 26th Much like the 2025 schedule, the 2026 slate presents a clear pattern, the difficult stretches are genuinely difficult, and the more favorable opportunities are equally identifiable. But even within Jacksonville’s toughest stretch of games, the matchups suggest that Lawrence and the passing game will have real opportunities to operate and generate advantages.

**Liam Coen**

**UK Jaguars fans**

The relocation of two home games to London is a genuine loss for local Jacksonville fans, but for the growing international Duval fanbase, it’s equally significant. In most seasons, the London game is little more than a footnote, a novelty matchup that rarely carries meaningful playoff implications or narratives. In 2026, that changes. With two legitimate playoff competitors traveling to face the Jaguars as the home side in back-to-back weeks, Jaguar fans across the pond are finally getting something worth the ticket price, a genuine, high-stakes atmosphere that goes well beyond a glorified exhibition. For the international Jaguars community, this slate is huge.

Losers

**Walker Little**

There’s no sugarcoating it, opening the season against two All-Pros in Myles Garrett and Nik Bonitto is an extraordinarily tall task for any NFL offensive tackle. The degree of difficulty only increases when you factor in the uncertainty surrounding starting left tackle Cole Van Lanen’s injury status heading into Week 1. With Van Lanen’s availability in question and Little’s 2025 struggles against elite pass rushers still fresh in fan’s memories, Walker could realistically open the season as Jacksonville’s starting left tackle, immediately drawing two of the most disruptive edge rushers in the league in back-to-back weeks. For a player who lost his starting role to Van Lanen mid-season in 2025, a genuinely rare occurrence in today’s NFL, that’s as difficult an opening assignment as the schedule could have possibly handed him. The first two weeks may tell us a great deal about where Walker, and the offensive line, stands in 2026. The opportunity for redemption surely exists in these matchups, as does the likelihood of struggle.

**Trevor Lawrence**?

Say it isn’t so, Trevor. April Fools was last month. For those who missed the Jaguars 2026 schedule release, Jacksonville’s franchise quarterback chopped off his golden mane, in what fans are asking (IE: hoping) was an AI created video or a wig.

**Jaguars AFC South Title Odds**

The Houston Texans enter 2026 with a notable scheduling advantage. By virtue of their second-place division finish, Houston secured the seventh-easiest schedule in the league based on opponent 2025 winning percentages, and per FanDuel Sportsbook, they are currently favored to narrowly win the AFC South. There’s a catch, however. According to Bookies.com, the Texans will travel the third most miles of any team in the NFL in 2026, trailing only the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. That travel burden amounts to approximately 5,000 more miles logged than Jacksonville over the course of the season, a factor that rarely makes headlines, but quietly accumulates over the grind of a 17-game schedule. Easier opponents on paper don’t always account for the wear and tear of getting there. The following notes were included in their evaluation:

Houston is one of the few teams where a 2,500-mile game doesn’t even involve a time zone change. Heavy travel schedule at 20,436 total miles with every single road game over 1,600 miles

The Jaguars have 2 games in London. Our computation compiles them together as a single trip — accounting for the milage between the 2 London venues.

**Fans with heart issues**

The 2026 season is already shaping up to be another tight AFC South race, with the Jacksonville closing the year with four divisional matchups over the final nine weeks:

• The Tennessee Titans twice,
• The Houston Texans on the road, and
• The Indianapolis Colts on the road (time TBD) In a division that often comes down to a single game, fans will likely be scoreboard-watching again in Week 18. The Jaguars finish the season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts, while Sunday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, and Monday Night Football appearances are all packed into the final 10 weeks. Add in four road games over the final six contests, and the pressure only intensifies. Get ready for elevated heart rates, Duval! The (AFC South Champion) Cardiac Cats are back! Who were your notable winners or losers from the schedule release? Let us know in the comments!