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How Jacksonville Jaguars view Week 18 vs. Colts, Doug Pederson satisfied with career
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- How Jacksonville Jaguars view Week 18 vs. Colts, Doug Pederson satisfied with career
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12) head coach Doug Pederson didn't mince words Friday ahead of the team's season finale against the Indianapolis Colts (7-9) on the road: this season was one of the hardest years of his career as a coach.
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. on FOX at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Pederson had never lost more than 11 games in a season as a head coach before this year. Many players in the team's locker room haven't lost this many games in a single season.
It's hard, he said Friday.
"The hardest thing probably is just keeping the guys in it each week, mentally. It'd be easy for them to kind of check out. So, from that standpoint, it's hard." said Pederson.
The Jaguars were eliminated from the playoffs early this season, in Week 13 on the heels of back-to-back winning seasons with high stakes in the team's Week 18 matchup.
Jacksonville Jaguars future: Does anyone know fates of Doug Pederson, Trent Baalke?
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That won't be the situation this weekend — at all.
Pederson is squarely on the hot seat. Though there's a chance he will be retained, owner Shad Khan made an offseason declaration about the state of the franchise and "winning now," something that shouldn't be overlooked.
And though Pederson has said in the past that he can't worry about job security in the midst of the season, he did give insight into his thought process when asked about family members being impacted by his uncertainty.
"It's hard to keep your family in a bubble. They're outside of these walls and they see it and hear it every day," Pederson said.
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"I'll tell you this, if it wasn't for probably our faith and being grounded there, then I think you could cower under just about anything. Any stress, anything that kind of weighs you down. But as a family, we choose not to let it bother us."
Regardless of what occurs Monday after the team wins or loses against the Colts, Pederson said he's satisfied with his career.
"We've been around this league almost 30 years, player and coach, and you've seen a lot of things. If this is the last one, then I can look back and go, 'Hey, it was a great run.' You had a chance to do a lot of great things," said Pederson.
"You had a chance to win a Super Bowl. You've coached some great players. You played in this league for a long time. So, whatever happens, happens. But we keep moving forward."
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Pederson doesn't talk to his team about those things, though. He sticks to winning and playing football.
"Our goal and our task is to win games. I've got to keep the focus on that," he said.
Jaguars players are in agreeance, worrying not about the potential changes down the road, but winning back-to-back games for the first time this season.
"I'm in a good mood right now," said Josh Hines-Allen outside the locker room Wednesday. "We're looking to finish this on a positive note. We're not playing for a playoff game, so there's frustration there. But we want to make it 2-0 [in the final two weeks]. If we can do that going into next season, it's a good starting point."
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They'll move forward, evaluating the players on the roster for the future, but ultimately looking to close out the season with a win.
Jaguars roster evaluations: Rookies under a microscope
Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) runs on the field before a Dec. 29 game against the Titans.
Both teams will use this week to continue evaluating their roster heading into the offseason. Though there's plenty of uncertainty about the respective brass' job security moving forward, they still have a job to do to close out the year: win.
"Obviously, you're trying to win the game, bottom line. The key is to make sure that everybody stays locked in and focused on the task at hand, right? I mean that's the most important thing. Then, you want your team to prepare this week for that," said Pederson.
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The Jaguars head coach won't necessarily use this week as an evaluation tool, though. It's still a bottom-line business and winning is one of the only things that matters. Still, he did say the team would like to see younger players get an opportunity to put plays on tape if they are slated to play.
"I don't necessarily use it as developmental for anybody. I think that you still go in and the guys that are healthy and can play, play. But again, if there's somebody that's dressing that is a younger player, you might want to get them in and see what he can do," he added.
Still, Pederson said Wednesday that he wants to see young players get an opportunity. He's repeatedly said that specifically about rookie corner De'Antre Prince and said the same again this week.
"I'd say the one that probably hasn't played as much is Tre Prince [CB De'Antre Prince]. But the other ones all have seen time and continue to improve, and that's what you want and that's what you ask of them," he said about the young player development over the last few weeks.
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"Really too, it's how they prepare during the week. That's all part of the process for young players is that and making sure they're ready to go."
What's next for the Jaguars?
The season ends after Sunday's game and players and coaches quickly follow after exit interviews on Monday.
Still, there's plenty of NFL offseason dates to remember for Jacksonville and other teams:
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Jan 6: Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2025 season, including players from the CFL. Clubs may also renegotiate or extend rookie deal contracts that were selected in any round of the 2022 draft. Fifth-year options are able to be signed, too, among players drafted in the first round in 2022.
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Jan 8: Clubs may begin interviewing coaches from other clubs that are not in the playoffs.
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Jan 20: At the conclusion of the Divisional Round of the playoffs, teams are permitted to conduct in-person interviews with coaches on clubs that are in the playoffs.
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Jan. 30: East-West Shrine Bowl
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Feb. 1: Senior Bowl
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Feb. 2: Pro Bowl Games
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Feb. 18: Teams may designate franchise or transition-tag players through March 4.
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Feb 24-March 3: NFL Scouting Combine
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March 4: Franchise, transition-tag deadlines
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March 10-12: Teams may begin negotiating with certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents at 4 p.m., the time their contracts expire.
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March 12: 2025 League Year and Free Agency signing period begins at 4 p.m. Teams are permitted to sign or trade players.
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March 30-April 2: Annual League Meeting
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April 7: Clubs that hired a new head coach may begin offseason workout programs
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April 24-26: 2025 NFL Draft
How to watch Jaguars vs. Colts
When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium
TV: FOX (Jason Benetti, Brady Quinn , Sarah Kustok).
Radio: 1010-AM, 92.5-FM (Frank Frangie, Jeff Lageman, Tony Boselli, Bucky Brooks); Spanish, 930 AM/97.3 FM via Accion; Sirius XM Channel 94 or 390.
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Records: Jaguars 4-12, Colts 7-9.
Jaguars vs. Colts predictions, odds
According to USA Today, the Colts are 5.5-point favorites at -5.5 against the Jaguars this weekend.
The Times-Union staff made predictions ahead of the game with two staff members picking the Colts and four staff and one ESPN employee picking the Jaguars to win.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars vs. Colts Week 18 game: What to watch, Pederson talks status
