Florida
Week 17 staff predictions: Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Two-Minute Drill for Dec. 28: FSU bowl opt-outs, teetering Jaguars
Most of FSU’s top stars from the 2023 season will not play during Saturday’s Orange Bowl vs. Georgia; the Jaguars need a win to stay atop the AFC South.
Are the Carolina Panthers just what the doctor ordered for the floundering Jacksonville Jaguars?
The NFL’s worst team by record (2-13) comes to Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium with the Jaguars needing a win to stop a four-game skid and to remain in control of the AFC South.
Something has to give in this game. The Jaguars have struggled at home (3-5) while the Panthers have not won on the road this season (0-8).
A loss could potentially stop the Jaguars from being able to win the AFC South. That would depend on what Houston and Indianapolis do this weekend, as well.
Also, after having a grip on the lead all season, Gene Frenette has dropped the past three, allowing Demetrius Harvey, Juston Lewis and Clayton Freeman to catch him in the standings. Everyone else is just one game back.
Let’s see what our experts think about this game:
DEMETRIUS HARVEY
Jaguars beat writer
Jaguars 24, Panthers 10
The Jaguars are on a four-game losing streak and are in must-win mode. Usually, they respond to something like that. The Panthers are the worst team in the league even with a solid performance against the Packers last week. Jags get it done, finally.
Season: 9-6
MIKE DiROCCO
ESPN
Jaguars 27, Panthers 14
At some point, the Jaguars players have to say: “Enough.” That’s what happened this week.
Season: 8-7
GENE FRENETTE
Times-Union Sports columnist
Jaguars 20, Panthers 16
Like the Jaguars, I’ve let the competition get back into the prediction race, but that stops immediately. Whether it’s Trevor Lawrence or backup quarterback C.J. Beathard making his first Jaguars’ start, they can’t suffer what would be the most embarrassing loss in team history by falling to the NFL’s worst team with an AFC South title at stake. The defense has an ideal matchup going against rookie QB Bryce Young (53 sacks) and a Panthers’ offense averaging just 15.7 points per game. Take advantage of it.
Season: 9-6
GARRY SMITS
Times-Union Sports reporter
Jaguars 16, Panthers 13
It may be ugly. But I refuse to believe the Jags can lose to the worst team in the NFL that also has gone 0-8 on the road this season.
Season: 8-7
JUSTON LEWIS
Times-Union Sports reporter
Panthers 17, Jaguars 13
I thought this might be the week the train got back on the tracks. But I have my doubts after Trevor Lawrence missed two days of practice with a shoulder injury on his throwing arm.
Season: 9-6
CLAYTON FREEMAN
Times-Union Sports reporter
Jaguars 16, Panthers 14
The Jaguars couldn’t really lose at home to 2-13 Carolina, could they? The way their last month has gone, it could happen. A key matchup to watch: the Jags’ pass rush against a sack-prone and injury-weakened Carolina O-line. If they allow Bryce Young time to steer the Panther offense as he did last week against Green Bay, Jacksonville may be ringing out 2023 with a disaster against a roster with former Jags including DJ Chark and CJ Henderson.
Season: 9-6
TIM WALTERS
Times-Union Sports Editor
Jaguars 31, Panthers 16
The Panthers are coming off their best offensive output of the season last week in a 33-30 loss to the Packers. The week before, they got their second win of the season by beating Atlanta 9-7 (yuck!). They average just 16 points a game. This is a game the Jaguars MUST win, and I think they do, regardless of an injured Trevor Lawrence or a healthy CJ Beathard.
8-7

Florida
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Florida
Amazon rocket launch, Atlas V from Cape Canaveral, Florida, may be seen in Fort Myers, Cape Coral

What time is United Launch Alliance Atlas V, Amazon rocket launch? Liftoff will potentially be April 28, 2025, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
When the Amazon rocket launch lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, there’s a chance it’ll be visible in Fort Myers.
Not only that, when United Launch Alliance sends its Atlas V rocket to space, there’s a chance people beyond Florida − like in other states as far as New York or Indiana − could possibly see it light up the sky.
Visibility from most of Florida is possible, according to ULA.
What’s on board the ULA Atlas V? Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is launching Project Kuiper, a global network of satellites, to compete with SpaceX CEO-billionaire Elon Musk and Starlink satellites. It begins with the first-ever launch of the Amazon Project Kuiper production satellites, courtesy of the ULA Atlas V rocket. Online, the mission has been called the “Amazon rocket launch” or “the Amazon rocket launch from Florida.”
Equipped with five side-mounted rocket boosters, the reason why it could be visible from Florida to New York, the Atlas V will lift the $10 billion internet constellation’s first set of 27 satellites into low-Earth orbit.
ULA’s Atlas V rocket should be visible outside of Florida pending weather and clouds. Below is information on ULA’s powerful rocket, the Atlas V, how to watch the launch, and a list of which cities and states that could potentially see the ULA Atlas V rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
What time is the Amazon rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida? When does United Launch Alliance Atlas V liftoff?
A two-hour Amazon rocket launch window is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT Monday, April 28, 2025, from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. An initial attempt April 9, 2025, was scrubbed due to weather. USA TODAY Network’s Space Team will provide live coverage of the Amazon rocket launch from Cape Canaveral two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Which cities can see ULA Atlas V rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida? Can I watch Amazon rocket launch from Florida?
ULA provided a helpful graphic (see above) that shows the Atlas V launch of Kuiper 1 for Amazon and its intended flight path and launch visibility. Note: Cities in the Space Coast of Florida, which is in Brevard County and measures 72 miles of coast, include Titusville, Mims, Port St. John, Merritt Island, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, West Melbourne, Palm Bay, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Grant-Valkaria and Sebastian.
Launch, Space Coast, east Orlando, near University of Central Florida, Bithlo, the northern part of the Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Sebastian, Vero Beach, parts of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill
1: Launch + 30 seconds, Space Coast, Orlando, the Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill, Volusia County, St. Augustine, Ocala, Lakeland area
2: Launch + 90 seconds, which includes PLF Jettison or separation and jettison of the payload fairing: Space Coast, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Port Orange, Volusia County, Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Martin County, St. Lucie County, Orlando, Sanford, Kissimmee, Central Florida, Ocala, Lakeland, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach
3: Launch + 150 seconds, which includes solid rocket booster jettison, visibility extends to Sebring, Winter Haven, Palatka, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Manatee County, Sarasota County, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Collier County, Lee County, Clearwater, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Wellington, Jupiter, Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, southern Georgia, Savannah, Georgia, parts of the Caribbean, the Bahamas
4: Launch + 210 seconds, which includes booster separation, Tallahassee, Panama City, Panhandle, Big Bend area of Florida; visibility extends beyond Florida to Georgia, South Carolina, parts of North Carolina
5: Launch + 270 seconds, ULA Atlas V rocket launch visibility extends beyond Florida to these other states and cities:
- Georgia; Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Georgia
- Alabama; Dothan, Alabama; just outside Birmingham, Alabama
- Tennessee; Knoxville, Tennessee; just outside Huntsville, Tennessee; just outside Nashville, Tennessee
- Kentucky
- South Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina
- North Carolina; High Point, North Carolina; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina
- Virginia; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Richmond, Virginia
- West Virginia; Charleston, West Virginia
- Maryland; Washington, Maryland
- Delaware; Annapolis, Delaware; Dover, Delaware
6: Launch + 330 seconds, ULA Atlas V rocket launch visibility extends beyond Florida to these other states and cities:
- New Jersey: Trenton, New Jersey; New York, New Jersey
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Erie, Pennsylvania
- Ohio: Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio
- Indiana: just outside Indianapolis, Indiana; Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Michigan: Detroit, Michigan
- Kentucky: just outside Louisville, Kentucky
- Rhode Island: Providence, Rhode Island
- Connecticut: Hartford, Connecticut
- Massachusetts: Boston, Massachusetts
- New York: Binghamton, New York; Albany, New York
7: Launch + 390 seconds, visibility of Atlas V rocket may be possible in these states:
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- Georgia
- South Carolina
- North Carolina
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Delaware
- Maryland
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Toronto, Canada
The above guidelines are estimates based on the graphic provided by ULA.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
Florida
Dolphins Get Florida Cornerback

This probably isn’t going to fill the need the Miami Dolphins have at cornerback, but they at least have brought in some competition for the room in the 2025 draft.
The Dolphins used their second of three fifth-round pick, the 155th overall, on Jason Marshall Jr. from the University of Florida. That pick came from the Denver Broncos and was part of the trade that brought Bradley Chubb to Miami in November 2022.
Marshall will join a group that’s become a major question mark in the aftermath of GM Chris Grier confirming the team and seven-time Pro Bowl selection Jalen Ramsey have agreed to explore trade possibilities.
Not counting Ramsey, the Dolphins cornerback room is filled with mostly young players, such as Storm Duck, Ethan Bonner, 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith, nickel corner Kader Kohou, newcomers Artie Burns and Ryan Cooper Jr., and 2024 practice squad players Isaiah Johnson and Jason Maitre.
The Dolphins also could — and likely will — supplement this group by signing a veteran free agent still looking for a team, a group that includes Rasul Douglas, Stephon Gilmore and Asante Samuel Jr.
A 6-0, 194-pound Miami native, Marshall started at least seven games in each of his four seasons at Florida.
His final season was cut short after seven games because of a shoulder injury.
He had two interceptions during his collegiate career.
NFL.com projected him as a sixth-round pick and described him as an “average backup or special-teamer.”
Wrote NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein: “Outside cornerback with good size, athleticism and experience but too much inconsistency on tape. Marshall can disrupt the release from press and ride route turns to stay in position to defend the throw. He falls asleep against play-action and misdirection. Also, he has poor hands when it’s time to flip the field. For his size, he’s a disappointing tackler, especially in run support. The lack of urgency and determination Marshall shows on tape could hurt his stock.”
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