The NFL is a week to week league, and as many of us know life comes at you fast under such circumstances.
Following a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Jacksonville Jaguars are now losers of two straight after dropped a frustrating game against the Cleveland Browns; their second loss in six days
Now 8-5, the loss all but knocks them out of contention for the AFC’s top seed.
In back-to-back contests against AFC North opponents the Jaguars defense has allowed 30 or more points, giving quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the surging Jaguars offense very little to work with.
Lawrence had one of the more inconsistent games of his career, throwing three touchdowns and three interceptions in his return from an ankle sprain.
The former Clemson star struggled against a stout Cleveland defense, which held the Jacksonville offense in check throughout the first half.
Of the team’s ten offensive drives in the first two quarters, just four gained more than ten yards.
Two ended abruptly with interceptions, while only one ended with points for the Jaguars.
As a unit, the Jaguars offense gained only 293 yards, their lowest total since week 10’s massacre in San Francisco.
Defensively, the Jaguars were equally as ineffective.
For the fourth time in their last five games, the Jacksonville defense allowed over 350 yards of offense; this time to Joe Flacco, who reverted to the Browns practice squad earlier today.
All around it was one of the biggest missed opportunities of the season for a Jaguars team with genuine championship aspirations.
With the 10-3 Baltimore Ravens visiting Jacksonville in week 15 for Sunday Night Football, a win against the Browns would’ve made next week’s contest a bout for the AFC’s number one seed.
Instead, it turned the final quarter of the season into a dogfight. At 8-5 the Jaguars are in a three-way tie with Cleveland and the Kansas City Chiefs for third place in the AFC; six teams are tied at 7-6, putting immense pressure on the Jaguars to maintain their position within the conference.
The season is far from lost, following positive injury updates for offensive guard Ezra Cleveland and safety Andre Cisco.
As defensive linemen Dwuane Smoot said during a media availability period earlier today, the Jaguars are ‘definitely still optimistic.
There’s no need to panic. We’re still in a good place,” Smoot concluded.
Should they hope to remain in that ‘good place,’ the Jaguars will have to turn their attention to Baltimore and iron out any kinks before Sunday night. In the meantime, we get to spend an extra day reviewing yesterday’s bout with the Browns.
You heard Washington’s name twice in rapid succession in the second half; a 19-yard touchdown reception–his second in two weeks–was quickly followed by a fair catch by the former Nittany Lion.
Clearly Browns punter Corey Bojorquez realized how dangerous a returner Washington is, wisely avoiding him on his two punts of the second half.
