JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars’ 32-25 loss to the New York Jets in a 2024 Week 15 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday.
John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…
- This is who they are. The Jaguars on Sunday missed a chance at their first winning streak in more than a calendar year, and the loss came in fitting fashion, the Jaguars, as they have all season, fought impressively. Despite being out of the postseason, and despite most of their front-line skill players out for the season with injuries, they have played as a team and with desire in recent weeks. These guys clearly haven't quit. At the same time, Sunday's loss again showed the team's defining weakness – a defense/secondary that continually gives up big plays in big situations. With the game on the line Sunday, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams repeatedly exposed what can only be described as a weak secondary to the tune of four receptions for 139 fourth-quarter yards. Adams not only caught a 71-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, he was left wide open on a 41-yard reception that set up running back Breece Hall's one-yard game-winning touchdown run in the final two minutes. This is what the Jaguars are this season – and defensively, they haven't been close to good enough.
- Good signs, young signs. With the playoffs no longer possible, we continue late in the season to look to the future. The best signs on that front Sunday: The usual source of rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and the increasingly encouraging source of second-year tight end Brenton Strange. Thomas was the absolute star again for the Jaguars Sunday with 10 receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns, and he continues to easily be the Jaguars' best offensive player. Strange, playing an increased role with tight end Evan Engram out for the season, caught a career-high 11 passes for 73 yards Sunday. "I couldn't be more happy for both of those guys," Head Coach Doug Pederson said. Hat tip here, too, to rookie cornerback @JarJarrian Jones, who had a pass breakup in the fourth quarter.
Brian Sexton, Jaguars Senior Correspondent…
- The Jaguars' defense has been a disaster this season and it was never more apparent than in the fourth quarter Sunday. Despite everyone knowing where the ball was going, there was no way to prevent the Rodgers-Adams combination from killing it. On the game's most critical play, third-and-5 on the cusp of field-goal range with the game tied 25-25, both Jones and linebacker Devin Lloyd let Adams run by them to the sideline, where he caught the ball unguarded and raced to the Jaguars 1-yard line. How does that happen? Adams was the one guy you had to defend and two players decided it was someone else's job. He finished with 198 yards receiving and two touchdowns plus a two-point conversion. There is no excuse for that at that moment. There were other breakdowns and blown assignments, but none more glaring than that one. It came after the Jets used a timeout, which means there was time to talk on the sideline about who and how you were going to account for Adams.
- I was going to write how much fun it was to watch Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones for most of the day. Then he threw away any last hope of the Jaguars tying the game in the final minute. He had a few moments on Sunday that made you smile, but he also threw two wild interceptions and stepped out of bounds at the 13-yard line instead of just flipping the ball out of bounds and avoiding a needless sack. He's a fun guy who plays the game like a kid in the neighborhood. That works when you're playing well around him. When you need him to lift a team and do what Rodgers did Sunday, it doesn't turn out so well and isn't much fun.
Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter/Producer ...
- Nothing cheap, nothing deep? The mantra for the Jaguars' defense this season never has been farther from reality than in Sunday's loss. The Jaguars' secondary gave up huge plays to Jets wide receivers Adams and Garrett Wilson all day. Whether it's a communication issue or poor game-planning by the defensive coaches, it has reached a point of no return. It's difficult to even evaluate the young talent on defense because the busted plays overshadow any positive thing that the team does. Change is definitely needed in the secondary next season.
- Jones is certainly never boring. The Jaguars' starting quarterback played far from a perfect game, but perhaps his unpredictability worked to his advantage this week. The screen game worked successfully for the offense early and Jones made the most of his opportunities to scramble out of the pocket. In a lost season, his energy and love of the game is refreshing for a group that is limping to the end of the regular season. The game ended with a Jones interception, but I appreciated the energy and effort in a somewhat meaningless game between two 3-10 teams.
We love a Throwback game 😍 Swipe through some awesome game action photos from the Week 15 matchup. ⬇️
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