JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars’ 30-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers in a 2024 Week 8 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday

1. Wow. Just wow. Sunday's game marked the Jaguars' third final-play loss in eight games. What hurt as much was that Packers kicker Brandon McManus' 24-yard last-play field goal – which came after a 51-yard pass from backup quarterback Malik Willis to wide receiver Jayden Reed with 1:04 remaining – negated one of the most impressive Jaguars drives/plays in recent memory. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence drove the Jaguars for 87 yards for a game-tying touchdown with the team's three top receivers – Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. – out with injuries. As a result, the drive's key receivers were tight ends Evan Engram and Brenton Strange, wide receiver Parker Washington and running back D'Ernest Johnson. The drive's final play: a beautiful 14-yard pass to Engram, who made a twisting, leaping reception for the game-tying touchdown. "I threw a great release on the guy, so I knew Trevor would see it," Engram said. "I knew the ball was going to be up there for sure. I just went up and caught it. Definitely everybody was talking about that it was up there floating, but yeah, I just went up and got it." The late rally came after Lawrence lost a fumble inside the Jaguars 10 that led to a Packers touchdown and a 27-17 Green Bay lead early in the fourth quarter. "You can't turn the ball over that deep," Head Coach Doug Pederson said. "We know that. The resilient part of that is how we battled back and got ourselves in position to tie the football game. That's the mindset we have to have in the first quarter. That will be something we work from moving forward."

2. Big-time drive. The Jaguars rallied with a scrappy second quarter, taking the lead late in the third quarter with perhaps their best drive of the season to that point. With the Packers leading 13-10 at halftime, the teams exchanged punts before the Jaguars took possession at their 7-yard line. The Jaguars then drove 93 yards on 10 plays, with Lawrence completing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Thomas for a 17-13 lead with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter. Key plays: A two-yard sneak by Lawrence on fourth-and-1 from the Packers 48-yard line followed by Lawrence's 26-yard completion to Kirk two plays later for a first down at the Packers 19.

3. Back in it. The Jaguars struggled in the first half until they didn't – and when they didn't, they scratched back into the game. Trailing 10-0 after a 31-yard field goal by McManus with 6:03 remaining in the second quarter, the Jaguars drove impressively to cut into the lead. Lawrence started the drive with a 33-yard completion to Kirk, a play that gave the Jaguars a first down at the Packers 37 – the Jaguars' first first down of the game. The next key play on the drive: An 18-yard pass from Lawrence to Thomas. Lawrence capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown run that cut the Packers' lead to 10-7 with 2:37 remaining in the second quarter.

4. Oof. Lawrence has reduced his giveaways significantly this season, but he had two costly turnovers Sunday. One was a first-half interception and the other was a fumble early in the fourth quarter that allowed the Packers to take a two-score lead. With the Packers leading 20-17, the Jaguars faced third-and-7 at their 14. Lawrence started to scramble left on the play, but linebacker Edgerrin Cooper's sack forced a fumble that defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt recovered at the Jaguars 5. Wide receiver Tucker Kraft's three-yard pass from backup quarterback Malik Willis extended the lead to 27-17 with 14:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. "It definitely affected the game, so it's disappointing," Lawrence said. "I honestly thought I was going to break the tackle and scramble, so I kind of moved it to the other hand to get out so I could use my off hand to try to get him off me. He made a good play and made the tackle. Something hit the ball, and I just have to take care of it in that situation."

5. Squandered momentum. Logan Cooke has been one of the NFL's best punters in seven Jaguars seasons, and he turned in one of the best punts of his career in the first quarter Sunday – a play that flipped the field and gave the Jaguars first-quarter momentum. Cooke on fourth-and-2 from the Jaguars 25 kicked a high punt that veered toward the sidelines away from the Packers' returner and bounced out of bounds at the Packers' 2-yard line for a 73-yard punt. The Jaguars' defense forced a three-and-out possession, with the Jaguars' taking possession at the 50-yard line after a Packers punt. The Jaguars frustratingly failed to take advantage of the opportunity, punting to Green Bay.

5b. Big-time pick – and more missed momentum. Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones' first career interception was a huge early play Sunday. The Packers were driving steadily as the second quarter began and faced second-and-11 at the Jaguars 16. Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw to his left to wide receiver Romeo Doubs, but Jones broke on the pass and intercepted at the Jaguars 6-yard line. But Packers cornerback Xavier McKinney intercepted Lawrence to give the Packers possession at the Jaguars 28. Packers running back Josh Jacobs' three-yard touchdown run three plays later gave the Packers a 7-0 lead with 11:31 remaining in the second quarter.