Jaguars Captain Evan Engram Has Strong Belief in the Team To Bounce Back in Week 2

Sep 10, 2024 at 03:11 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – Week 1 was frustrating. And it felt too familiar.

But if a loss in the 2024 regular-season opener had those traits, Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said it won't be a trend.

"We're going to move on, for sure," Engram said in the wake of Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The loss was the Jaguars' sixth in seven games, something wide receiver Gabe Davis – like Engram – said won't define the Jaguars' future.

"It's Week 1," Davis said. "We have 16 weeks. It was it was really good to see the tape, to see that we're that close."

The Jaguars' 1-5 finish in 2023 kept them out of the postseason, but Engram on Monday emphasized that the Jaguars are "way past last year."

"We have a way better team," Engram said. "We're a lot more focused. We prepare better. That's the frustrating thing: We saw what we're capable of against a really good team, against a good offense and a good defense.

"There are definitely things to learn, we're past all that happened last year. That's what's frustrating. We tasted the greatness that we can be. We just didn't finish."

The Jaguars held the Dolphins – the NFL's No. 2 scoring offense last season – to 20 points, and Head Coach Doug Pederson on Monday lauded a run defense that limited the Dolphins to 83 yards rushing. He noted that three passes by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa – an 80-yard touchdown to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, a 63-yarder to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and a 39-yarder to running back De'Von Archane – accounted for most of the Dolphins' offense.

"Those are the plays we have to eliminate, and I think it's a different outcome," he said.

And while frustration lingered Monday, Davis – one of multiple playoff-experienced free agents signed by the Jaguars this past offseason – said there were positives to be gleaned.

"It's never as bad as you think," Davis said. "You go around and you watch the tape and you see guys flying around and making plays on defense and offense. It's just little things that are controllable that we let slip out of our hands. And that's why the game ended up the way it was."

The Jaguars will play the Cleveland Browns (0-1) in their ’24 regular-season home opener at EverBank Stadium Sunday. The Browns mark the second of four playoff teams the Jaguars will play in the first four games of the regular season, with Sunday being the lone home game among the four.

"It's tough we lost," Engram said. "It's definitely hard. We don't like losing, obviously. But it's Week 1. We showed a lot of great things [Sunday]. That's probably the most frustrating thing is, we're close. We wish we got that one, but it's not hard to flush at all. We're on to the next one.

"We're better than how we finished. We feel like we're a great team and we're going to work to be a great team. But great teams finish."

NOTABLE

Jaguars players on Monday lauded the team's second touchdown Sunday – a 14-yard pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence to rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Lawrence on the play threw a perfect touch pass under pressure, finding the No. 23 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft crossing in the back of the end zone. Thomas maintained body control and got both feet down before stepping out of bounds. Engram called it "definitely the best play of the day offensively," adding, "It was the best throw I've seen in a while. Credit to Trev and BT. That was a special play." Thomas caught four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown Sunday, also drawing a 40-yard interference penalty on cornerback Jalen Ramsey to set up a one-yard touchdown run by running back Travis Etienne Jr. "Since Day 1 when he walked in here, [Thomas] has been locked in trying to get better," Engram said. "He's working through things and finding his footing in this league." Thomas, who has a low-key and quiet reputation around teammates, exchanged words with Ramsey after the interference penalty. "I don't know what he was saying, but it was good to see that come out of BT," Davis said. "It was kind of like an alter ego thing, so it was exciting to see." Said Engram, "I didn't hear what he said but I love seeing it. That brings a lot to our team. That definitely got the juices going for everybody on the sideline. It was right there. We all saw it. That's probably the most I've seen him talk, honestly, but I love it. I think he's going to start opening up a little bit. He's gaining confidence. He showed it Sunday, what he's capable of. He's going to be a big weapon for us, and he's got a lot more confidence is going to come for sure."