FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – This went exactly as expected.
There's little other way to frame the Jaguars' 50-10 loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium Sunday. The Jaguars were outmanned from the start, played like it and the result was a Patriots victory as one-sided and total as possible.
There's not much to analyze here. At the end of an exhausting and disappointing season, the Jaguars didn't match up well with the Patriots even before the rash of COVID-19 transactions in recent days.
They sure didn't match up well after those transactions.
There are bigger stories going on off the field around this franchise than on. For this evening, we'll discuss Sunday's loss. There's time for the other stuff in the coming days.
Sigh.
Let's get to it …
Travis from Wisco
Nothing to see here folks.
This was the much-ballyhooed, often-sneakily-insightful, sometimes-pertinent First Email of the Game – and there indeed wasn't much to see Sunday for the Jaguars. Considering the season, and the slew of Jaguars players on COVID-19, and the Patriots needing a victory for their playoff hopes … well, considering all of that, there seemed little chance the Jaguars could compete Sunday. And Sunday's game wasn't competitive. The Patriots scored touchdowns on their first five possessions. They led 28-3 at halftime and it felt easy. It was expected. It wasn't fun for the Jaguars. I'm not sure it was that fun for the Patriots. But it was very much as expected.
Jeremy from Wise, VA
Jags defense makes it look easy ... for opposing offenses to score. Just bad. Really bad.
I understand fan frustration. I get a dose of it every Sunday. Honestly, nothing happened Sunday that was surprising. There was no news. That's not good. Obviously. But that's the truth.
Zac from Austin, tejas
This game made MJWD irrelevant
But he wasn't down.
Dave from Jacksonville
I've been a season-ticket holder since 2008. I have experienced a total of one winning season over that time span. I keep hoping for better, and trusting the process, but keep getting disappointed. I guess I'm just tired, John. Now I just expect the worst and am generally proven correct. Even with all the excitement over drafting Lawrence, there was part of me that was fearful he would not be the savior most people expected. Alas, it seems that again I have been proven correct. I would like to support a decent, competitive franchise - even if they don't make the playoffs most years. Is that too much to ask?
Nothing has happened this season to make me think rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence can't be the Jaguars' franchise quarterback. It has been a mess this season and I don't know that any rookie quarterback could have overcome the circumstances. Is what you're asking too much? No. Not even close. Being a Jaguars supporter hasn't been enough in too long a time. It has to change.
Ryan from Detroit
How many of Trevor's "interceptions" are actually the result of drops by the receivers?
Way too many.
Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL
How many first drive scores is that for the opposition this year?
Way too many.
Mike from Orange Park, FL
We have a Trevor Lawrence issue.
The Jaguars have many problems. They must find the right head coach and they must determine the decision-making structure of the organization. They must get receiver fixed and they must get better in a lot of areas. They must get away from this disastrous season and get reset. But the book isn't close to written on Lawrence. I don't know where his career will go, but I do know the situation to start in retrospect hardly could have been worse. Don't try to analyze Lawrence in these final few games. These are lost games – and pretty close to a lost season. The new story will begin soon enough.
Gary from St. Augustine, FL
He's a bust, John.
He's not, Gary.
Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL
How many first drive scores is that for the opposition this year? These Jaguar players are pathetic.
I can't go along with calling Sunday's Jaguars players pathetic. I get if you want to do so as a fan, but a lot of those players are reserves – and some have been signed off the street in recent days. The COVID-19 situation made Sunday all but impossible. It's not that they weren't trying. It's not that a lot of things about this season haven't been really bad. I just can't get on board with completely slamming the players playing on Sunday. This isn't their fault.
Darren from Jacksonville
I like to find the positive, so I know what the Jags are best at. They are the best at collecting slow, not-good players! Go Jags and Happy New Year!!
To you as well.
