JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars’ 12-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in a 2024 Week 10 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday
1. Uh-oh. There was little positive about the Jaguars' offense Sunday. That was particularly true late in the game, as turnovers on the final three drives defined the loss – and the offensive day. All three turnovers came with the Jaguars trailing but close enough to take the lead on the drive. First, Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones fumbled an exchange with center Mitch Morse, with defensive tackle Harrison Phillips recovering at the Jaguars 25 to set up a field goal that pushed the Vikings' lead to 12-7. "That's on me," Jones said. "No excuse for that. It's a Day One play. It's on me."
Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted Jones at the Jaguars 49 on the ensuing series, with safety Camryn Bynum intercepting a deep pass from Jones at the Vikings 1-yard line on the series after that. "I'm not going to go through the details of the play because you wouldn't be able to figure it out," Head Coach Doug Pederson said of the final interception. "We'll look at the tape tomorrow and make those corrections." Said Jones, "No excuses. Nothing anybody else did. It's on me." The Vikings ran out the clock on the possession after Bynum's interception.
2. Field-flipper. Sunday's game didn't feature many huge offensive plays from either team, but Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson turned in a big day – and big reception by Hockenson early in the fourth quarter proved critical. The Jaguars' defense had spent the day bending and not breaking, forcing three turnovers – all interceptions – in the first three quarters and leading 7-6 entering the fourth. The Vikings took possession at their 16-yard line after a punt by Logan Cooke on the final play of the third quarter and took the lead on the possession with a 34-yard field goal by kicker John Parker Romo with 7:14 remaining. Key play: A 26-yard pass from quarterback Sam Darnold to Hockenson that turned second-and-10 from the Vikings 27 into first-and-10 at the Jaguars 47.
3. Pick – and another pick … The Vikings drove effectively much of the first half, but the Jaguars maintained a lead because of Vikings mistakes – and big plays from the Jaguars' defense. The Jaguars, after entering the game with four defensive takeaways in the first nine games of the season, intercepted Darnold twice in first half – with both interceptions stopping drives in Jaguars territory. First, linebacker Foye Oluokun intercepted a pass to wide receiver Justin Jefferson that cornerback Tyson Campbell deflected, with the Jaguars gaining possession at their 22 with 1:20 remaining in the first quarter. Cornerback Montaric Brown then intercepted a pass from Darnold in the end zone with 5:24 remaining in the half. "A hell of a play," Campbell called Brown's interception, saying of Brown, "Proud of him. Someone who comes to work every day and always makes plays when his number's called." The Vikings held a 174-81 yardage advantage after Brown's interception, but the Jaguars led 7-3.
4…. and another pick. The second half began the way the first half went – with the Jaguars intercepting Darnold deep in Jaguars territory to end a scoring threat. The Vikings, as they did much of the first half, drove efficiently on the first drive of the second half and moved to the Jaguars 18 in six plays. On third-and-4 from there, Darnold threw to Jefferson in the end zone on the right side of the field. Jaguars' safety Darnell Savage intercepted at the goal line and returned it to the Jaguars 29-yard line. As happened after both first-half interceptions, the Jaguars punted.
5. Quick, efficient. The Jaguars' early offensive struggles continued Sunday, but not for long. After a three-and-out extended their NFL-high streak of not scoring a touchdown on their first drive, the Jaguars drove efficiently on their second drive to establish momentum for an early lead. Key to the drive: A 23-yard pass from Jones to tight end Brenton Strange on the first play, then an 18-yard run by running back Travis Etienne Jr. to the Vikings 26. Jones then completed a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Gabe Davis on third-and-4 from the Vikings 20 to set up a one-yard sneak by Jones for a 7-3 Jaguars lead with 3:44 remaining in the first quarter. It was the Jaguars' first first-quarter touchdown since a Week 4 loss to the Houston Texans. Seventy of the Jaguars' 143 total yards Sunday came on that drive. "That's what we expected to do," Pederson said of the early touchdown drive. "As the game progressed, it got seemingly worse. It got harder offensively."
