Winning seven of their last nine regular-season games, including a Week 18 triumph over the division rival Tennessee Titans to claim the AFC South, the Jaguars’ 2022 campaign took an even more dramatic turn in the playoffs.
Down 27-0 late in the first half of a wild-card clash against the Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville scratched and clawed its way back toward a thrilling 31-30 victory. The comeback was the third-largest in NFL postseason history, trailing only Andrew Luck’s Colts defeating the Chiefs nine years ago (-28) and Frank Reich’s Bills ousting the Oilers 30 years prior (-32).
Khan believes that two-week stretch under the bright lights was especially critical for a franchise that was often absent both on the national stage and in late January.
“We hadn’t had a prime-time game in my ownership,” Khan said of the Week 18 showdown versus the Titans. “We hadn’t earned it. We didn’t deserve it. Here, we earned it. We deserve it. So, we get two in a row. Both of them are packed, including standing-room only tickets. Then to see the fans at both of the games hanging in. We’re down 27-0 and no one leaves.
“That shows really the enthusiasm, the belief the fans had. I know it made a huge difference for Trevor. He looked up and saw no one had left. There was a huge vote of confidence in him.”
Jacksonville ultimately fell to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round, but the Jaguars should return with great confidence in 2023 after that playoff run. With Lawrence entering a consecutive year under Pederson’s offensive system and a young defense gaining a wealth of experience, the elements are there for the Jaguars to sustain success the success that Khan has been longing for.
“I think it’s taken a while, but I’m glad it’s happening,” Khan said. “I’m glad for all the fans.”