The streak is over. At long, long last.
With Matthew Wright kicking clutch and long – twice – the Jaguars rallied from a double-digit first-half deficit and pulled out a dramatic, come-from-behind 23-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, Sunday.
"It was a great team win," Head Coach Urban Meyer said, adding: "We need a win. Someone asked me last week if we're desperate for a win … we are desperate for a win.
"We came close a few times. … It was a great win."
The victory was the Jaguars' first for Jaguars rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence and for Meyer, snapping the franchise's 20-game losing streak that began in Week 2 of the 2020 season.
"It's special," Lawrence said. "Obviously we've had a rough start to the year, been through a lot of adversity even in this game, just having to fight back, battle back and find a way to win.
"It means a lot. We've struggled a little bit, but to get this win, have this moment going into the bye week, to do it here in London, it's all just special. I'll always remember this one. My first win, out here, like it's just hard, hard to even imagine."
Wright's 53-yard field goal on the final play of the game gave the Jaguars the victory, with the Jaguars stopping Miami on downs to set up a short game-winning drive. Two quick passes from quarterback Trevor Lawrence to Laviska Shenault Jr. – the second ending with :01 remaining – set up the game-winning field goal.
"It feels awesome," Wright said. "I feel confident making those kinds of kicks."
The Jaguars and Dolphins are both 1-5.
The 20-game streak was the longest in franchise history and the longest in the league since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 26 consecutive games in 1976-1977.
"I wasn't a part of the other 15, but I was a part of the first five here, and we hate losing and it's been tough," Lawrence said. "We've had some games that you feel like could have gone our way and didn't, so to get a win, especially in that fashion, a game winner -- a game-winning field goal, it's just crazy."
Wright's 54-yard field goal with 3:40 remaining made it 20-20, with the Jaguars first rallying from a 13-3 deficit with touchdowns by wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. and running back James Robinson in the second and third quarter – and with Miami taking a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter with the second of two touchdown passes from quarterback Tao Tagovailoa to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Lawrence, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, completed 25 of 41 passes for 319 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Robinson, after rushing for a career-high 149 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Tennessee last week, rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Jones Jr. caught seven passes for 100 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown late in the second quarter.
"It was a great team win," Jones said. "We talk about the ebbs and flows of the game and persevering through challenging. In other games, we have, but we just couldn't capitalize at the end. Today we did. That was a good thing."
Tagovailoa, who missed the last three games with a rib injury, completed 33 of 47 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Jaguars cornerback Nevin Lawson intercepted Tagovailoa late in the third quarter. The play, which came one play after Lawrence lost possession on a sack/fumble, marked the Jaguars' second takeaway of the season. The Jaguars entered Sunday with one takeaway and 11 giveaways, the lowest takeaway total and worst giveaway/takeaway ratio in the NFL.
"Man, it's a great feeling," said defensive end/linebacker Josh Allen, whose stop of Dolphins running back Malcolm Brown on 4th-and-1 from the Dolphins 46 just after the two-minute warning set up the game-winning drive. "It's been a long time for myself, for this organization, and we really needed this one. Guys played their butts off today, man. It just feels good to get a win like this.
"Matt kicking that last-second field goal, man, that was huge. It was a great way to cap off our first win. Now I'm ready for the second one and ready to move on."
Step by step:
- The Dolphins took a 7-0 lead on an impressive opening possession, driving 75 yards on 13 plays and scoring when Tagovailoa passed six yards to Waddle; the Dolphins converted three of three third downs on the drive, which used the first 7:15. The Jaguars cut into the lead on the ensuing possession with Wright converting from 40 yards to cap a 56-yard drive that featured Lawrence completing two passes for 25 yards to wide receiver/returner Jamal Agnew.
- Miami pushed the lead to 13-3 with a 24-yard field goal by Jason Sanders with 5:38 remaining in the second quarter. The Jaguars, after being outgained by Miami by 215-66 as of Sanders' second field goal, cut the Miami lead to 13-10 with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence to Jones with :40 remaining in the second quarter.
- The Jaguars took their first lead of the game with a one-yard run by Robinson with 12:29 remaining in the third quarter, a second-half-opening drive keyed by a 29-yard pass from Lawrence to Agnew and a 24-yard run to the 1 by Robinson. The Jaguars had momentum and possession at the Dolphins 31 when defensive tackle Christian Wilkins sacked Lawrence to force a lost fumble. Lawson intercepted Tagovailoa on the next play to give the Jaguars possession at the Dolphins 39 with 1:18 remaining in the third quarter, but Robinson was stopped for no gain on 4th-and-1 from the Dolphins 9 early in the fourth quarter to allow the Dolphins to remain within four, 17-13.
- The Dolphins drove quickly and immediately for the go-ahead touchdown after stopping Robinson on the 9, with Tagovailoa capping a 91-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to Waddle with 10:22 remaining in the fourth quarter; Tagovailoa went 6-for-8 for 83 yards on the drive. Wright's 54-yarder drew just inside the right upright with 3:40 remaining to tie it at 20-20.
Notable: Wright kicked for the Jaguars Sunday after competing with Josh Lambo for the role in practice this week. Meyer on Friday said he had made the decision at that time but opted not to announce it publicly. Lambo was among seven inactive players for the Jaguars Sunday along with linebacker Myles Jack (back), offensive lineman Rashaad Coward (ankle), wide receiver Tyron Johnson, cornerback Tyson Campbell (toe), defensive end/linebacker Jordan Smith and defensive lineman Taven Bryan. Dakota Allen started for Jack at linebacker.
Injury report:
- Jaguars rookie defensive tackle Jay Tufele sustained a hand injury in pre-game warmups.
- Jaguars guard Ben Bartch was evaluated for a concussion in the second quarter and ruled out early in the third quarter, with veteran Will Richardson Jr. playing in his place.