Atlanta @ Jacksonville preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2014 ) Atlanta 24, Jacksonville 14

Led by Blake Bortles, the Jacksonville Jaguars are rolling on offense and in the playoff hunt. Bortles, who has thrown nine touchdown passes over the past two weeks, and the Jaguars host the slumping Atlanta Falcons on Sunday with a chance of catching co-leaders Houston and Indianapolis in the AFC South.

Jacksonville, which started the season 1-5, scored 42 points in the second half of last week's rout of Indianapolis to move to within a game of the division lead. The Jaguars scored on offense, defense and special teams in the same game for the first time in franchise history and have a clear-cut scenario where its season finale against Houston could be for the division title. Atlanta's collapse could bring about both personnel and coaching changes in the near future. The Falcons were embarrassingly bad last week, getting shut out 38-0 by the Carolina Panthers for their sixth straight loss in a game that featured a shoving match between defensive line coach Bryan Cox and defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Jaguars -3. O/U: 49.

ABOUT THE FALCONS (6-7): Atlanta coach Dan Quinn said he's on the watch for effort from his team after last week's blowout, when Carolina put up an eye-popping 260 yards of offense in the first quarter alone on the way to an early knockout. The Falcons put safety William Moore (51 tackles, 2 interceptions) on injured reserve and released Leonard Hankerson (who was picked up by the Patriots) during the week. Julio Jones leads the NFL with 1,426 yards receiving, but he hasn't scored a touchdown in five weeks nor has he surpassed 100 yards receiving for the past three games.

ABOUT THE JAGUARS (5-8): Bortles tossed his 30th touchdown pass of the season last week to move into third place in the league. The Jaguars, however, lost running back T.J. Yeldon to a knee injury against the Colts and his status is uncertain. Speedy Denard Robinson, who spelled Yeldon and gained 75 yards and scored a touchdown, would get the call if Yeldon can't go. Jacksonville may get linebacker Paul Posluszny back from a hand injury this week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Jaguars will be eliminated if they lose one of their final three or if the Texans-Colts winner posts a victory the following week.

2. Jaguars K Jason Myers missed his seventh extra point last week.

3. The teams haven't met since 2011 when Atlanta rolled 41-14.

PREDICTION: Jaguars 35, Falcons 28