Bucs Eye Fifth Straight, Jags Reload, Dolphins Still Searching
Last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the only Florida NFL team to win its division. That marked the Bucs’ fourth straight year as division champions, and this year they will look to make it five.
Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars are looking for their first division crown since 2022, while the Miami Dolphins search for their first since 2008.
Each team has a path to the top, but one is more clear than the others.
Buccaneers
The Buccaneers finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 10-7, which was enough to win the NFC South by two games. The fact that they play in the NFC South may be the biggest factor in favor of the Buccaneers making it five straight years as division champs.
The division has struggled as of late, and quarterback play is still a big question mark for every other team. The Carolina Panthers are entering their third year with Bryce Young at the helm, a player they benched during last season. The New Orleans Saints recently announced that Spencer Rattler would be their starter, and he only had six career starts. All six of those were losses. Finally, the Atlanta Falcons are starting Michael Penix Jr., who started only three games his rookie season, going 1-2.
Questionable quarterback play from the opposition is not the only reason why the Buccaneers are in the driver’s seat to win the division again. The Buccaneers offense was the engine that powered the team last year.
They finished fourth in the NFL in points per game last year with 29.5. This year the offense could have taken a step back with the multiple injuries to wide receiver Chris Godwin, but instead the offense may take a step forward.
The Buccaneers drafted wide receiver Emeka Egbuka out of Ohio State University with the 19th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He has received heaping praise from the coaching staff and looks to be a suitable replacement for Godwin until he returns. Godwin is projected to begin practicing in Week 2.
The running game also has the potential to take a step forward. Second-year running back Bucky Irving is projected to take the next step after rushing for 1,122 yards last year. Veterans Rachaad White and Sean Tucker are both back as well, and continuity is a good thing here.
But it’s not all good for the Buccaneers. Offensive linemantan Tristan Wirfs is expected to miss time this season, and there are also questions on the defensive side of the ball. The offense has enough weapons that the loss of Wirfs will not hold them back.
The pass defense was a big problem last year. Tampa Bay finished in the bottom five in passing yards allowed per game (243.9) last year, and there were not many changes on the back end. Three of the four leaders from the secondary last year are back, and Antoine Winfield Jr. is back and healthy. The All-Pro from 2023 played in only nine games last year due to an ankle sprain and a knee sprain, and if he returns to form, the defense could keep the division locked down.
Jaguars
The AFC South is in competition with the NFC South for weakest division. The Houston Texans won the division last year with a record of 10-7, while both the Tennessee Titans and the Jaguars finished with four wins or less.
Although it was a very bad year last year for the Jaguars, there is a path to a division title this year.
The Texans have questions on the offensive side of the ball, with injuries at skill positions. Wide receiver Tank Dell will miss the entire season, and there are questions about running back Joe Mixon‘s availability as well.
For the Indianapolis Colts, Daniel Jones was named the starting quarterback over former Florida Gator Anthony Richardson. Jones struggled mightily in five of his six years with the New York Giants, and the Colts’ ceiling is much lower this year than last.
For the Titans, rookie Cam Ward is leading the way for a team that finished with the worst record last year. A big jump for them should not be expected.
For the Jaguars specifically, there are things that can break right to allow the team to take the next step. The first person to look at is first-year head coach Liam Coen, who spent the 2024 season as the offensive coordinator with the Buccaneers and led the top-five scoring offense. The Jaguars brought him in with the hope that he can get through to quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence enters his fifth season and has not lived up to the hype that surrounded him prior to being drafted. The former first overall pick has thrown over 4,000 yards twice, but never eclipsed 25 passing touchdowns.
The Jaguars are doing everything they can to help Lawrance this year. They brought in Coen, drafted hybrid corner back/wide receiver Travis Hunter with the second pick, and returned pro bowler Brian Thomas Jr. for his second season. The running game is also better than last year, with the return of both Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby, as well as rookie Bhayshul Tuten out of Virginia Tech. All of these weapons make it so there are no excuses for Lawrence this season.
On defense, the defensive line needs to step up. The draft capital that has been used to beef up this line is nearly unmatched across the NFL. Travon Walker was the first overall pick in 2022, and Josh Hines-Allen was the seventh pick in 2019.
Two top-10 picks on the defensive line means that they should be anchoring the defense, and yet last year the Jaguars were bottom five in sacks. The talent is there for this defense to take a leap into a playoff caliber defense, but the talent needs to produce on the field. All three of the Jaguars’ starting linebackers were with the team last year, and that continuity can help the defense as a whole.
Hunter is the biggest wildcard for the Jaguars. There are plenty of questions about which side of the ball he will play on, and how effective he can be. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has seen snaps on both offense and defense in preseason, with varying success. He played well on offense and defense . His biggest highlight from the preseason was him being stiff-armed by fellow rookie Kaleb Johnson, but the Jaguars saw what they wanted to see. How much he can contribute will play a big role in the team’s success.
While the Jaguars should not be favored over the Texans, there is definitely a path for them to take the title.
Dolphins
The Dolphins hold the longest drought without a division championship of all the Florida teams, but their competition has not been kind. From the Tom Brady years to now the Josh Allen years, the AFC East has seen no lack of dominant quarterback play. This season may continue the trend.
The Buffalo Bills still have Allen, and according to David Furones of the Sun Sentinel, “The short answer on how the Dolphins can win the AFC East is they can’t as long as Josh Allen is healthy for Buffalo.” The New England Patriots have high expectations for second-year quarterback Drake Maye, while the New York Jets may have the most question marks with Justin Fields.
There are a couple big questions facing the Dolphins this season. The biggest comes from the defense, where injuries have ravaged the secondary. In speaking with Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post, I learned General Manager Chris Grier has said the team “feels good” about the current state of the secondary and has talked about how well the players have competed all off season.
Miami traded to bring in Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety, and they signed corner Rasul Douglas. The youth and general inexperience of this secondary in the system will be deployed, and overall the play of the secondary will determine how well this defense will play.
On offense, the connection between quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill has looked strained based on press conferences. Tagovailoa came out and said Hill would have to work to earn the team’s trust back. That follows Hill’s comments at the end of last season where he requested a trade.
According to Mr. Habib, “The real test comes when adversity hits.” Their connection will be vital to if the team can bounce back to an elite offensive level.
The running game also needs to step up, beyond De’Von Achane. Jaylen Wright was recently diagnosed with a leg injury and will miss some time, which puts the rookie Ollie Gordon II in the spotlight. Gordon has looked the part in training camp, with Mr. Habib saying “I see Gordon as having passed him (Wright) by and I’m not even sure it should be close.” The rookie out of Oklahoma State could have a lot on his plate as Achane has been injured in the past.
The Dolphins can win the AFC East, but not if the other teams in the division stay healthy.
Category: Football, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
