Won as many game in a year as they did in the previous three years combined.

Because I'm seeing lots of negativity around because we won the Bills game without a blowout victory, and because we will, apparently, inevitably lose the Steelers game. And I'm thinking actually this team has improved more quickly than most teams in the history of the game.

The Lions won 10 games in the 2011 season, after winning only 8 games the previous season. Four of the wins were the last 4 games of the 2010 season,  hence there was realistic optimism that the team would take multiple tangible steps forward in 2011.

I agree that the accomplishments for the Jaguars in the 2017 season is something that the team's fans can take pride in and the hope it provides for the Jaguars moving forward.  Tremendous job by the team's Defense against the Bills.  The Bills have noticeable limitations on Offense. Yet, when you hold the opposition to 3 points in an NFL playoff game,  that speaks volumes of the Jaguars Defense being an elite unit.  

Though I probably will select the Steelers when making predictions for the Round 2 playoff games, the Jaguars have a realistic chance of pulling off the upset.  The Jaguars already won in Pittsburgh this season and have a Defense good enough to win any game providing the Offense and Special Teams don't turn the ball over.  I'm anticipating a low scoring game unless Defense and Special Teams directly or indirectly set up plenty of points.

---

Thanks Bullseye, D6. Good to see some other examples of the same thing happening - and also to see that it's probably about as rare as I expected.

---

Thanks Bullseye, D6. Good to see some other examples of the same thing happening - and also to see that it's probably about as rare as I expected.

I would caution that it's rare because in most instances going from losing to winning, either side of the spectrum is not as extreme.

Instead of having two seasons bottom out with three wins, a team may go from 3 to 6 wins, maybe to 8-8 then finish the next season 12-4.  The improvement to winning is present, but the losing end of the spectrum is not as low and the winning end is not as high.

Applied to our Jaguars, it may not necessarily mean this year's team is special (though it may turn out to be when all is said and done).  It just may mean that Bradley did not develop the team as it should have been before this year to get the more incremental progression or improvement we have seen in other instances that reflect an ascent from losing to winning that otherwise did not fit this criteria.

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

I would caution that it's rare because in most instances going from losing to winning, either side of the spectrum is not as extreme.

Oh, absolutely. And this particular version of it is skewed towards extreme badness over a long period (one year of winning against three years of losing). But I'd expect most teams coming out from that sort of badness to do it in a more gradual way, as you describe. That wasn't really the case for this team, for a whole range of reasons. Either way, though, it's a major achievement, and way beyond what most people would have reasonably expected from the team before the season started.

---

My only wish is that this season becomes the beginnings of a tradition and not an anomaly.

---

I think there's a slingshot effect with several years of drafting at the top of the draft, plus they throw you a last place schedule. Plus we had great luck with injuries, and the rest of the AFC South had bad luck with injuries.

Next year will be a lot harder, with a first place schedule.

---

I will say that even if we lose to the hated Steelers, I'm thrilled with how this team has progressed, and more thrilled with this team's future prospects.

What thrills me is the big picture.  I have always worried about the long term future of the franchise and if we could ever sell enough tickets to survive in Jacksonville.   Even after we made the playoffs, I was worried about ticket sales for the playoff game, because I remember the last time we hosted a playoff game, they always raise the ticket prices for playoff games about 50%, and they had a hard time selling out the stadium that last time.  Granted it was a couple of decades ago. 

But the way the playoff tickets sold so quickly, and the way the prices skyrocketed on the open market after that, confirmed that there actually was a big market of potential ticket buyers waiting to be tapped.  Then seeing the way the stadium was filled to capacity, all the towel waving, and how loud it was on TV.  And the fact that Shad Khan could be there and see it in person.   It confirmed our potential as an NFL city.  

It was a huge victory not just for the 2018 Jaguars, but for the franchise and for the city of Jacksonville.   No matter what happens this week in Pittsburgh, if you take a step back and look at the big picture, this is perhaps the most important season in Jaguars history in terms of stabilizing the franchise in Jacksonville.  People always said, just give us a decent product and we will buy the tickets.   They did, and we did.  It's huge.

---

How often has a team done this without a quarterback change?

---

s
;

;