DETROIT, Mich. – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars’ 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions in a 2024 Week 11 game at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., Sunday

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…

1. This was domination on a hard-to-achieve level. The Lions' record meant they were expected to win Sunday. Even so, it was hard to expect the level to which they dominated. The Jaguars took a 3-0 lead on kicker Cam Little’s 59-yard field goal, which tied a franchise record for longest field goal, but the Lions controlled the rest of the first half and game – largely because their elite offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage to a mind-blowing level. The Lions not only scored touchdowns on their first four possessions, they faced just three third downs on drives of 70, 93, 63 and 84 yards. They also pushed the Jaguars' defensive front off the ball far too far and far too easily, scoring on short touchdown runs on the first three possessions. These weren't drives of explosive plays as much as they were drives of strength and power. It's difficult to dominate to that degree in the NFL. The Lions impressively managed to do so on a disturbing level Sunday.
2. About face. It's difficult to analyze much about this game Sunday beyond the aforementioned dominance. This was a case of one team looking bigger, stronger, faster and better than the opponent almost from the opening kickoff. This Jaguars season largely has been defined by close losses in the final minute, and it was easy to praise them at least for fight and guts following three close losses to NFC contenders in the last three weeks. There are times in difficult seasons when stamina runs out and a one-sided loss sort of feels inevitable. There was that feeling entering Sunday, and it was apparent too early that was correct. There were reports from various sources before this game that change was possible following this game. We'd be remiss if we ignored those reports and this sort of game certainly will increase that sort of noise around the franchise. "I can't control that," Head Coach Doug Pederson said following Sunday's loss. "I've been around this game a long time. If it's going to happen it's going to happen, obviously. At the same time, I still have a job to do and that's to get ready for a good division opponent here in two weeks." Times hardly could be more difficult than this.

Brian Sexton, Jaguars Senior Correspondent…

1. The Jaguars would be relegated if the NFL was the Premier League. They didn't even resemble an NFL football team against the class of the NFC, and Detroit is probably the best team in the NFL. The Lions scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions, becoming the first team to hit that mark since the 2007 New England Patriots. Remember when the Bills made the Jaguars feel bad about scoring touchdowns on their first five possessions on Monday Night Football in September? I didn't think it could possibly get worse, but of course it did Sunday. The Jaguars are so far from being a contending team that it's tough to think that we considered them to be a Wild Card caliber team when the season began 11 weeks ago.
2. The Jaguars' offensive line should watch the Lions offensive tape on Monday instead of their own. Detroit has the best offensive line in the league and it's not only because Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell are the best tackle tandem in the game. The Lions front five played a particularly nasty brand of football Sunday, always blocking through the whistle, pushing the running backs past the sticks or the goal line and driving the Jaguars off the ball on nearly every play. The Jaguars don't have a single starter on the offensive line that would play in Detroit and only left guard Ezra Cleveland plays a remotely similar style. If I were making renovations to this roster next February, I would use the Lions offensive line as my blueprint and try and find guys who play as hard, as tough, as nasty as they do. It sets the tone, the culture for everything they do, and you can feel their presence on both sides of the football. Everyone feeds off their energy and Head Coach Dan Campbell has Detroit playing its best football right as the season hits the most important stretch.

Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter/Producer ...

1. Two different worlds. It was clear from kickoff that the Lions and Jaguars are playing on two completely different levels right now. Campbell has the Lions operating like a well-oiled machine and they have my vote for the best team in the league. The Jags have been waging a war of attrition this season and they ran out of steam in Detroit. For the second straight week, the Jaguars played without their starting quarterback and an already temperamental Jacksonville offense got shut down completely. The Jags' defense looked powerless trying to stop Detroit's dynamic offense. This was about as lopsided a loss you will see in professional sports.
2. Now what? The Jaguars aren't officially eliminated from the playoffs, but this season is ostensibly over. They limp into the bye week with a 2-9 record after their worst loss of the season. Perhaps the biggest issue is that no one has any answers on how to fix things. I don't blame fans who are beyond frustrated with this team right now because this is painful to watch.