Jaguars, Jets and their paths to the No. 1 draft pick in the 2021 NFL draft

The future of two NFL franchises could have changed in a span of six hours on Sunday afternoon in Week 15. With an impressive upset by the Los Angeles Rams, the New York Jets resigned from the top spot in the 2021 NFL draft, leaving the Jacksonville Jaguars behind.

Both teams are 1-13, but the Jaguars got the tiebreaker, according to ESPN research. The tiebreaker is based on the strength of the calendar and the Jaguars have played a significantly weaker calendar than the Jets. The player watching both teams is Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the presumed top coach.

ESPN journalists Michael DiRocco (Jaguars) and Rich Cimini (Jets) break down each team’s path to the No. 1 pick in the draft:

Next on the schedule for both teams

The next two Jaguars games: They host Chicago (7-7) and are in Indianapolis (10-4) and both games are important, so neither team will rest any key starters. The Bears, with a quarterback resurfacing Mitchell Trubisky, are still in the NFC playoff race and the Colts are battling with the Tennessee Titans for the AFC Southern Division title. Also, the Colts are the only team to beat the Jaguars (in the first season), so Week 17 is set to be a revenge game for quarterback Philip Rivers, who is 7-3 in his career. against the Jaguars.

The next two Jets games: They finish with the Cleveland Browns (10-4) at home and the New England Patriots (6-8) on the road. The Browns have yet to secure a place in the playoffs, so they need a win. Cleveland’s strong running game could wear down the Jets, who might not have a prominent defensive attack on Quinnen Williams (concussion). The Week 17 Jets-Patriots contest doesn’t make sense, but you wonder if coach Bill Belichick will try to keep the Jets even further away from Lawrence if the No. 1 draft position is still in doubt.

What the coaches said after Sunday’s games

Doug Marrone, Jaguars coach: “You know, this team has been living a lot of things. They’ve worked hard and we understand that and I know they’re professionals. But if we all come together, coaches and players, the best gift that everyone can give each other is the gift to win a football match “.

Adam Gase, jet trainer: “I’m happy for our guys. They’ve done such a fantastic job of how they’ve worked. They’ve gone through a lot of adversity. It’s been too long to remember even how it feels almost like a victory. It’s great to see those guys get excited.” .

Jaguars (1-13)

Average draft position: 1.3
Possibility of FPI to win election number 1: 74.2%
Possibility of FPI to win the selection among the top five: Clinched

Jets (1-13)

Average draft position: 1.8
Possibility of FPI to win election number 1: 25.6%
Possibility of FPI to win the election between the first five: Clinched

Predictions on how the season will end for each team

DiRocco’s prediction of the Jaguars finish: After losing to Cleveland and Minnesota by five points combined, the Jaguars have gone 71-24 in losses to Tennessee and Baltimore (weeks 14 and 15). The loss of the Ravens was particularly demoralizing and one has to start wondering if the players, who have struggled hard all season, are starting to wear out emotionally and mentally. Unless the Jaguars quarterback play is noticeably better, he’s likely to get a 0-2 and a 1-15 record.

Cimini’s prediction of the Jets finish: Since the Jets are the Jets, they will find more ways to torture their fan base. So don’t be surprised if they throw another shot to get the No. 1 pick, which is: the Jaguars will win a game to finish 2-14, but the Jets will close with a win against the Patriots, losing another chance. to steal Lawrence because Jacksonville will still be the owner of the tiebreaker. Oh, the pain.