JACKSONVILLE – This isn't what they wanted. Or expected.

Evan Engramsaid that's true of the Jaguars' 2024 season, but the veteran tight end also made clear this week that something else is true with two months of games remaining.

The season's not over. Not even close.

"We're going to continue to fight," he said.

Engram spoke to the media Monday – a day after the Jaguars' second consecutive late loss to an NFC opponent and six days before a game against the Minnesota Vikings (6-2) of the NFC North at EverBank Stadium.

Engram's thoughts echoed those of teammates, who spoke of playing with pride and professionalism despite an unexpected 2-7 start to the season.

"It sucks, knowing we're a better team," second-year right tackle Anton Harrison said. "We can put out a lot better than we do. Just knowing that every week and just coming out on the losing side, it sucks. You just have to try to keep getting better, and doing the right things to get Ws."

Added Harrison, "We're really just playing for ourselves. We say all the time, 'It's all about us.' We're try not to think about the record, but it's the NFL. We want wins. The rest of the season, we have to try to get wins and see what happens.

"It's a week-by-week league, so we have to go try to get a win this weekend."

The Jaguars on Sunday lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 28-23, with Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean intercepting a pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the end zone with 1:38 remaining. The Jaguars rallied from a 22-0 deficit early in the third quarter.

Sunday marked the second consecutive narrow loss, with the Jaguars losing to the Green Bay Packers, 30-27, on a last-play field goal the week before. The Jaguars have lost five games by five points or less this season, with all five losses decided in the final two minutes.

"That's the NFL," Engram said. "Every game is going to come down to the last possession, the last quarter, the last five minutes. It's never a nice, smooth win. It's never a nice, smooth game. It's always pulling your hair out at the end.

"That's the special part of the league. That's what creates great teams and great moments and great players, is executing in those moments. We just have to continue to work and be better at that and answer the bell when we have to."

Engram said the Jaguars never will quit whatever the record.

"That's on the leadership of this team, the leadership in the locker room, to never allow that," Engram said. "Obviously, these Mondays suck. That's on the leadership of our locker room to never allow that to happen and never allow that to come to fruition.

"We're blessed to play this game, and we're paid a lot to play this game. We have a responsibility every day coming in here. We have love for the game, so we're going to respect it."

The Jaguars recently have countered slow starts with fast finishes, rallying from 10-0 deficits in each of the last three games. The Jaguars after being shut out in the first quarter of the last three games have scored 32, 27 and 23 points in the last three quarters of a victory over the New England Patriots and losses to the Packers and Eagles.

"We know what we can do," Harrison said. "When we do it in certain parts of the game, it's like, 'Why can't we do it from the beginning?' It's something we have to figure out. How can we do it from the beginning today? That is something we have to figure out as a whole offense to try to do that."

Engram on Monday was asked about the Jaguars playing better as the game continued, and as the offense played more "no-huddle" and "tempo" approaches.

"Every time we get moving, we're on the ball and running our base stuff," Engram said. "We're moving better when that happens. We'll look at everything. We're going to trust the coaches and the plan they put together. We have to continue to be great at that.

"You can't just rely on that. We have to improve our normal down-distance/huddle calls, too. We have to able to break the huddle, call different game-plan plays and execute."

NOTABLE

• The Jaguars on Monday placed second-year offensive lineman Cooper Hodges on injured reserve with what Head Coach Doug Pederson said likely is a season-ending leg injury sustained Sunday. Engram on Monday discussed Hodges as bringing a spark, energy and positivity. "It's a different type of swagger that he brought to the huddle," Engram said. "I love being in the huddle with Coop. It was definitely tough. It's a very unfortunate part of our business. It's just very, very difficult to see."