JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
SteveC from Cardiff, UK
What a brilliant eight days in London. Last week felt flaky but Sunday was class. Ask the Jags organization to come twisces.
The Jaguars indeed won back-to-back games in London over the last eight days, doing so as the first NFL team to play back-to-back games there. I guess I'm not sure how the Jaguars' 23-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium last week felt "flaky," though. It was a 16-point victory over a team that entered the game with a winning record – and a team that currently is 3-2. The Jaguars' 25-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Sunday damned sure wasn't flaky – and it wasn't anything but a huge victory over one of the NFL's best teams. The reality is the Jaguars hardly could have had a better two-game, eight-day stint in London. They left Jacksonville 1-2 with the bad taste of a two-game losing streak and a lot of questions. They return 3-2 and tied for first in the AFC South with the Indianapolis Colts (but holding the head-to-head tiebreaker). They haven't answered all the questions, but finding answers is a lot more enjoyable with two consecutive victories than otherwise would have been the case.
Cole from Jacksonville
Two and oh in London, what a win!! Seems like the Jags have the Bills' number, doesn't it?
I would hold off on the Jaguars having the Bills' number. They beat Buffalo in 2021 in Jacksonville n a weird game in the Urban Meyer season and beat them again Sunday in an impressive, gutty victory. Good on the Jaguars for those victories. But the Bills are good. Really good. They had a chance to win a game late Sunday that the Jaguars controlled throughout. I don't know that that many teams "have their number."
Tom from Sunny St Johns, FL
John, in this day of AI, smart TVs and automation out the wazoo, how is it possible or expected that mere mortal, also known as TL, could drop a perfect dime into a tiny slot which is moving at 30 miles an hour? I guess I should be happy and accept the fact that both are on my side.
You remember that time in Jaws? When all those people got eaten by a shark? That was a good part.
Big Jags Fan from Jacksonville
We are back in the conversation again, eh KOAF?
I'll assume you mean the Super Bowl conversation. Sure, I guess we can go there. The Jaguars are 3-2 with a solid, encouraging victory over a Bills team that was playing as well any team in the NFL. That makes them 1-1 in so-called big games this season with a loss in Jacksonville Week 2 to Kansas City. The Jaguars also remain in a first-place tie in the AFC South, which means the Jaguars are in about as good a shape as you can imagine – particularly for a team that lost back-to-back games in somewhat disheartening fashion only two weeks or so ago. Times and perception changes fast in the NFL. Are the Jaguars in the conversation? Sure, I suppose. Twelve games remain. A lot of teams are in the conversation. The challenge now is staying there for the next four months.
CaptBob from Jax
su·per·ca·li·fra·gil·is·tic·ex·pi·a·li·do·cious!
F·a·i·r.
Steve from Duval
How will jet lag affect the Jags now that have become accustomed to Britain's time zone?
That's a legitimate question. No one knows the answer because the Jaguars are the first team to play back-to-back games in London. Head Coach Doug Pederson has mentioned the issue multiple times. It's something to watch.
Dave from Jacksonville
It seems like one of the Bills sacked TL by his head. Why isn't that a penalty? Because it's the Jags QB? Also, why are the Bills allowed to play that infernal "train whistle" while Jags on offense?
I also thought officials might have missed a blow to the head against Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence Sunday. I don't know why it wasn't a penalty. I presume the reason was not that Lawrence plays for the Jaguars. I didn't notice an infernal train whistle while the Jaguars were on offense. I'm not saying there wasn't one. I'm just bad at noticing those sorts of things.
Brendon from Jacksonville
Great game against a really tough Bills team. The offense seems to be hitting their stride. Here's hoping the team can stay focused on an important game next week and continue to build momentum offensively.
OK.
Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ
Trevor Lawrence is a lot of times the best part of the offense. At other times, he's the worst part of the offense. He's got to change that. Going into the fourth quarter with 11 points isn't going to win many games in this modern-day NFL.
Lawrence is still improving as a third-year quarterback. He played tough Sunday, made good decisions for the most part and had one bad fumble – the one in the fourth quarter after a bad snap. He had another fumble on a play on which he was pressured quickly. He also had multiple big-time throws and maintained his poise despite being sacked five times. He quarterbacked an offense that produced 474 yards with 29 first downs in a victory over a Super Bowl contender Sunday. He has played fine this season for the most part and played better than fine Sunday. He's not perfect. He's also not remotely a problem.
Andrew from Little Elm, TX
Glad Doug and offensive coordinator Press Taylor saw my complaints last week about calling running back Travis Etienne Jr. up the middle every play. Did a great job of getting him outside the tackle Sunday. One fer me!
Down boy.
Michael from Orange Park, FL
Hoo-ray for Zay.
Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones, after missing the last two games with a knee injury, caught a six-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter Sunday. It was an athletic, toe-tapping touchdown that gave the Jaguars a 6-0 lead that became 8-0 when Etienne ran for a two-point conversion on the ensuing play. The thought here is the play exemplified Jones' importance to this offense – and how much the Jaguars missed him when he was out. The veteran has big-time trust from Lawrence, trust that makes him ultravaluable on third downs (his early touchdown came on third-and-goal from the six). Jones from this view has been underrated at times in his two seasons with the Jaguars. That should change. Jones appeared to reinjure the knee in the second half Sunday. Stay tuned.
Smart A$$ from Bucolic Antioch
JO - If Jaguars linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson gets a sack will you scream " bloody hell?"
Probably not.
Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ
You know who the most under the radar solid player is for the Jags? Defensive tackle Angelo Blackson. One for that dude!
This was an email from Gilbert, AZ, saying something positive about the Jaguars. I just thought it was worth commemorating.
Jz from j-ville -> Huntsville
I hope the guy who said trevor is basically andy dalton is doing well. go jags
O-Zone readers are a resilient lot. I'm sure he's a-ight.
Scott from Rehoboth Beach, DE, from Jacksonville
How about one for MJD's shoelaces, KOAF?! Duuuuuuuval!!
No one ever says "one fer O-Zone's shoelaces." This is perhaps explained by me wearing boat shoes on game days and lace-less Vans many others.
Nick from Annapolis, MD
Two questions, one facetious and one not. Is our defense actually really good? Is Mike Caldwell still the worst defensive coordinator in the league?
Yes, the Jaguars' defense is good. It has played winning football in four or five games this season. When was Caldwell the worst defensive coordinator in the league? The Jaguars were fourth in the NFL in turnovers forced last season and were fourth in the NFL in turnovers forced entering Sunday. They always over the last two seasons have been good against the run. They were an oft-criticized defense last season. They haven't been bad very often under Caldwell the past two seasons.
Tony from Johns Creek, GA
O, fans being fans, I'm not happy with Trevor fumbling away two possible scoring drives, the offensive line giving up five sacks and the defense collapsing in the fourth quarter. Regardless, it was a big win against a quality opponent.
The Jaguars beat a Super Bowl contender Sunday. They had 474 yards offense and 29 first downs, turned in two critical fourth-quarter drives against a big-time defense and turned in perhaps the hardest-fought – most-resilient – victory in Pederson's two seasons as head coach. They held an offense that was playing as well as any in the NFL to 20 points and one touchdown in the game's first 55 minutes. This is professional football. You win these sorts of games however you can win them. If you can't be pleased with that victory Sunday, maybe you can't be pleased.
Cliff from Everywhere with helicopter
Signature win
Good eye.
