JACKSONVILLE – This one was tough. Brutally, frustratingly, maddeningly tough.

Tantalizingly tough.

The Jaguars on Sunday lost to the Green Bay Packers, 30-27, at EverBank Stadium – a game that was thrilling, disappointing, devastating, encouraging and disturbing.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence committed two costly turnovers while also playing some of the best football he has played in his NFL career. The Jaguars played with guts, heart and fight against a very good team – and they sustained a loss that all but ends their playoff chances.

There were many more storylines that we'll cover in the coming days. Those are the broad-brush strokes from one of the most memorable and frustrating Jaguars games in recent memory.

It was that kind of day. Tough. Maddeningly, devastatingly tough.

Let's get to it …

AR from Alexandria

Is it okay to criticize the franchise quarterback for turnovers that led to 14 points or is that off limits with this franchise?

Why would it be off limits? And when has it ever been off limits? Lawrence has been discussed, analyzed, dissected and criticized ad nauseam in this column and by anyone who covers the Jaguars. As for his performance Sunday … yes, he had two bad turnovers. That was something that had been an issue through his first three NFL seasons. It hadn't been issue early this season and it was an issue Sunday. But while his interception in the first half and lost fumble in the fourth quarter were bad Sunday, he also responded with some of the best drives – and some of the best poise and clutch play – that he has had at any time in his NFL career. I guess I understand why people want to blame Lawrence for Sunday's loss. But I'm not feeling it on this one. Sorry.

Mike from Cartersville (AKA TrevorGood&BadTown), GA

Looking ahead to Philadelphia and Detroit, is the season officially off the rails?

The Jaguars are 2-6 and four games behind in the AFC South. Their next four games are against the Philadelphia Eagles (5-2), Minnesota Vikings (5-2), Detroit Lions (6-1) and Houston Texans (6-2). They're playing OK for the most part in the last month, so I don't know if the season is "off the rails." But they damned sure better find the track in a hurry.

Bria from Orange Park, FL

KOAF, Wouldn't Ryan Nielsen's defense be more aptly described as "let receivers run free in the secondary with the game on the line?"

Wow.

Brian from Wheeling

Very proud of my team. They played one of the best teams and kept it very competitive until the last minute so major improvement.

This was an impressive effort for the Jaguars. The problem is they have let too many winnable games get away early in the season. They have lost four games in the final eighteen seconds – at Miami Week 1, home against Cleveland Week 2, at Houston Week 4 and Sunday. They easily could have won two or three of those games. Because they didn't, playing competitively against a good team with major improvement isn't nearly enough.

Large Marge from the Beach

Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke is the problem. It is inexplicable that four years into his tenure the defense is the worst it has been, the offense hasn't taken any steps forward and we don't have a single player that is top 10 percent at his position. So long as he remains, we will fail. Eight games in and now the season is over. So boring.

One not fer Baalke, apparently.

Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ

I still have no idea why Lloyd is on the field. I can't remember one positively impactful play he's ever made.

This was the much-ballyhooed, oft-mistaken, never-all-that-entertaining First Email of the Game. It also was a case of strikingly selective memory. Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd had a sack in a Week 7 victory over the New England Patriots and he was NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month in September 2022. He also has had multiple pass breakups and takeaways in his career. I'm not saying he has been great, or even that he should be starting, but he unquestionably has had positive plays.

Nick from Virginia Beach, VA

This franchise is exhausting. After a decade of sucking, I thought Lawrence was going to fix everything. How wrong I was. He's not a bust, but as an organization we fail over and over. Why?

Two and six is a tough way to start.

Boxcutter Bill from Mass

Every one o'clock game except the Lions/Titans were decided by three points or less. We're so close. Do teams learn to win close games? Or is this what this team is?

Sometimes, teams learn to win close games. Sometimes, they don't. It's easy to know which ones do. They're the ones in the postseason because knowing how to win them is the difference between good and bad teams.

Dave from O.P.

Why is so easy to run wide open for receivers against the jaguars?

Good question. Not being able to find the answer – or fix the problem – is rapidly becoming the No. 1 storyline crippling the Jaguars' season.

JT from Palm Coast

Dammit Jags, just dammit!

Fair.