Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, NFL
(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Two franchises that haven’t been to the playoffs in quite a spell clash in Florida as the Jacksonville Jaguars host the Buffalo Bills.

 

Buffalo Bills (9-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)

History

  • Bills make their way to Jacksonville for the first time since 2013 as these clubs clash for the third straight year and the fifth time in six seasons.
  • Bills posted 28-21 victory last season at Buffalo (Week 12) in the last meeting between these clubs.
  • Jaguars were “home team” in a 34-31 victory over Bills at London, England, in ’15.
  • Bills’ last appearance in Jacksonville resulted in a 27-20 win in ’13.
  • The second postseason meeting between teams (Jaguars, 1-0), Jaguars posting 30-27 win in the ’96 AFC Wild Card Playoffs at Orchard Park, New York.

Coaches

  • Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott: making his first postseason appearance as NFL head coach
  • Jaguars’ head coach Doug Marrone: making his first postseason appearance as NFL head coach.

Postseason History

  • Bills: making 18th overall playoff appearance (14th since the merger), 14-15 in postseason play (12-13 since the merger).
  • Jaguars: making seventh overall playoff appearance (seventh since the merger), 5-6 in postseason play (5-6 since the merger).

Buffalo Bills

Bills By The Numbers

  • 9-7 record, (7-9 in ’16).
  • 4-5 record in last nine games (opened 5-2 in ’17).
  • QB Tyrod Taylor: 51 TD passes, 21 turnovers (16 INT, five lost fumbles), 14 rush TD in 44 games with Bills from 2015-17.
  • 13 turnovers in last nine games (three turnovers in first seven games in ’17).
  • Allowed 1,433 rushing yards in last nine games (159.2 YPG); allowed 561 rushing yards in first seven games (80.1 YPG) in ’17.
  • Allowed 224 points in 16 wins, allowed 497 points in 16 losses dating back to ’16.
  • Allowed 244 points in last nine games (4-5); allowed 115 points in first seven games (5-2) in ’17.
  • 27 sacks in 16 games in ’17 (39 sacks in ’16).

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars By The Numbers

  • 10-6 record, won AFC South in ’17 (3-13 in ’16).
  • Lost two straight games.
  • Won five straight home games.
  • Scored 417 points in 16 games in ’17 (318 points in ‘16).
  • 2,262 rushing yards in 16 games (141.4 YPG) in 16 games in ’17; 1,631 rushing yards (101.9 YPG) in ’16.
  • QB Blake Bortles: 21 TD passes, 13 INT in 16 games in ’17 (23 TD passes, 16 INT in ’16; 5 TD passes, 18 INT in 16 games in ’15); Bortles: 16 turnovers in 16 games in ’17; 22 turnovers in 16 games in ‘16 (16 INT, six lost fumbles).
  • 33 takeaways in 16 games in ’17 (13 takeaways in ‘16).
  • 21 INT in 16 games in ’17 (seven INT in ‘16).
  • Allowed 268 points in 16 games in ’17 (allowed 400 points in ’16).
  • Allowed 26 offensive TD in 16 games in ’17 (allowed 37 offensive TD in ’16).
  • 55 sacks in 16 games in ’17 (33 sacks in ’16).

Things To Look For

Looking for some postseason experience? The Buffalo Bills are in the playoffs for the first time since 1999 and haven’t won a playoff game since ’95. The Jacksonville Jaguars are hosting a playoff contest for the first time since ’99 and last played and won a postseason game in 2007. Both of these teams look to run the football and neither team has been particularly strong at stopping it. The status of Bills’ running back LeSean McCoy is very important, as is the confidence of Jaguars’ quarterback Blake Bortles (five interceptions in his last two games). Points will be hard to come by in this unexpected tilt.