PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars’ 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2024 Week 9 game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., Sunday

1. Oh, no. The Jaguars on Sunday were near a remarkable comeback – and one of their more dramatic victories in recent memory. And then it was over – because of their third giveaway of the day and a play that ended a dramatic rally. The Jaguars, after Eagles kicker Jake Elliott's 57-yard missed field goal with 2:11 remaining, drove from the Jacksonville 47-yard line and faced first-and-10 at the Philadelphia 13 after quarterback Trevor Lawrence passed 22 yards to wide receiver Austin Trammell. Lawrence on first down threw into the left side of the end zone to running back D'Ernest Johnson, with Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean leaping for an interception that secured the Eagles' victory with 1:38 remaining. "He's the first read," Pederson said of Johnson. "A great play by [Dean]." Added Lawrence, "I tried to go over the top. You have to give credit to the linebacker. He did a great job. It was tough to finish that way. He got his eyes back and played the ball. He did a great job making the play."

2. Oh wow. Games can turn fast in the NFL, and Sunday turned in the second half with mind-blowing quickness. First, Lawrence's one-yard keeper and two-point pass to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. cut a 22-0 lead to 22-8 with 5:26 remaining in the third quarter. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley fumbled on the ensuing play, with the ball bouncing from his hands after he fell to the ground. Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker returned the fumble 35 yards for a touchdown, with Lawrence's two-point pass to tight end Evan Engram trimming what had been a three-score lead to 22-16 with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter. Sixteen points in 14 seconds and a new game. "That's a hell of an athlete," Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun said of Walker. "He got that ball in his hand and showed what he can do with it. That was a great play by him individually and I loved how the whole defense started blocking for him. I think that was cool." Added defensive end Josh Allen, "That was massive. That was huge for our team. It gave us confidence. It gave us a bigger spark."

3. Goodness. The Jaguars had momentum, but a big-time pass and catch restored the Eagles' advantage midway through the fourth quarter. The Jaguars stopped the Eagles on downs on the series after Walker's fumble return, but the Eagles drove on their next possession – and a 46-yard reception by wide receiver DeVonta Smith moved the Eagles to the Jaguars 13. The Eagles then faced third-and-22 from the Jaguars 25, with quarterback Jalen Hurts finding Smith in the back of the end zone. Smith got both feet down just in bounds for a 28-16 lead with 7:43 remaining. "Credit them – they made the plays," Pederson said, calling Smith's play "a heck of a catch." Said Hines-Allen, "We have to win those. We have to get pressure up front, but we have to win on the back end as well. We have to point the finger at ourselves."

4. Here we go again. Credit the Jaguars' defense for playing solidly through the first half. But while the group kept the Jaguars relatively in the game as the offense struggled early, the Eagles eventually began to make plays and appeared ready to pull away. One of the Eagles' biggest offensive plays of the game came on their first series of the second half, with Hurts passing deep to wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Dotson made a remarkable catch off a deflection – with cornerback Tyson Campbell defending – for a 36-yard reception to the Jaguars 32-yard line. Hurts capped the drive three plays later with an 18-yard run over the left side of the line, hurdling through safety Andre Cisco for a 22-0 lead with 9:25 remaining in the third quarter.

5. Uh-oh. A game that had been controlled by the Eagles early started feeling really in their favor late in the second quarter. The Eagles led 10-0 just after the two-minute warning, with the Jaguars facing first-and-10 at their 33 with 1:42 remaining in the second quarter. Lawrence on first down from there threw to running back Travis Etienne Jr., with the ball bouncing into the air and Eagles linebacker Zack Baun intercepting for a first down at the Jaguars 40. The Eagles used the field position to drive for a 19-yard touchdown run by running back Saquon Barkley that gave them a 16-0 lead with :22 remaining in the half. Barkley's touchdown came on a draw on third-and-17. "You know they're going to get a couple yards in the draw when we're playing off with it," Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun said. "We can't have that explode to a touchdown. Things like that are really just killing me right now."

5a. Inauspicious beginning. The Jaguars, entering Sunday as big underdogs, needed to play clean and mistake-free Sunday. Their chances of doing so ended before the offense took the field, with veteran punt returner/receiver Austin Trammell – elevated from the practice squad Saturday – fumbling a punt return following the Eagles' first possession. Trammell, making his first regular-season appearance for the Jaguars, was contacted by Eagles gunner/safety Sydney Brown and the ball caromed toward the sideline. Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo recovered at the Jaguars 20-yard line, with Hurts passing 20 yards for a touchdown to Barkley two plays later for a 7-0 Philadelphia lead with 10:22 remaining in the first quarter.