Jaguars fans may be past the point of playoff dreams, but Sunday's matchup against the Houston Texans will provide an important benchmark for the future.
Budding star cornerback Jalen Ramsey will almost certainly be shadowing Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins -- a preview of a cornerback-wide receiver battle that could electrify this division for the next five or 10 seasons. Both seem excited about the prospect.
"I love that," Hopkins said, via the team's official site. "That means that guy thinks he can do a better job and help his team win than I can. So I take that personal honestly when a guy follows me around, but I love it."
Added Ramsey, via Jacksonville.com: "He's a really good player, so I always like opportunities like that; I try to seize those opportunities. I like challenges. I feel like that could possibly be one. At the end of the day, he's a dog. Not many receivers are like him. He goes up and gets the ball. He wants the ball. Has really good ball skills and can judge the ball well."
While Jaguars fans might define this season as the down arc of quarterback Blake Bortles, they also have reason to view it as the emergence of Ramsey. Cornerbacks have it tougher than almost any rookie position in the NFL, yet Ramsey's run-stopping ability has been among the best in football. His pass coverage is still adjusting to the speed of the game, but there is no doubt he has the tenacity to compete with the NFL's top tier.
Hopkins, meanwhile, doesn't want to see his disappointing season continue any longer. He's gone over 100 yards just once this season (Week 2, Kansas City) and hasn't made it over 50 yards since Oct. 16 in a win over the Colts.