JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Ashlyn Sullivan offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars' 27-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in a 2022 Week 9 game at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville Sunday

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer

1. Big-time performance. It's time to give credit where it's due – and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is due some big-time credit after his performance Sunday. Lawrence, after perhaps the worst game of his NFL career in a Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos, turned in a game Sunday quite the opposite of what happened in Wembley Stadium last Sunday. He was efficient and poised throughout Sunday's game against the Raiders, and of particular importance was how he played after the Jaguars fell behind 17-0 in the second quarter. Lawrence drove the Jaguars to scores on their next four possessions, completing 17 of 19 passes for 159 yards with a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Kirk on the first drive of the third quarter. When running back Travis Etienne capped the fourth drive of that stretch with a five-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter, it gave the Jaguars a 24-20 lead. It was a big-time performance for the entire team, but particularly for a quarterback who spent the past week under perhaps the most criticism of his football career. "I think it just boosts confidence," Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson said. "It's everything we talk about with him and how he can play. It takes moments like this, and games like this, for young players to really understand what coaches are talking about. It was great to see him do that." Time will tell if it's a career-turning moment for Lawrence, but it had that sort of feel.
2. Guts, guts, guts. This is another from the credit-where-it's-due department, and it applied everywhere for the Jaguars Sunday. The Jaguars for 20 minutes looked very much like a team worn down by five consecutive one-score losses and they appeared headed for their first blowout loss of the season. Instead, they scored on four consecutive possessions and shut out the Raiders after quarterback Derek Carr's 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams gave Las Vegas a 17-0 lead with 10:51 remaining in the second quarter. Not only did this team not panic, but they maintained a defense that had allowed the go-ahead touchdown in the final six minutes of four consecutive games to force two fourth-quarter punts, a turnover on downs and a last-second turnover to secure the victory. This was a gutsy team performance in a situation when many teams might have quit and sustained an ugly, disheartening loss. The fact they didn't, bodes well for the future under Pederson.

Brian Sexton, Jaguars Senior Correspondent…

1. Four for four. The Raiders scored on four consecutive drives to take a 20-7 lead and it didn't seem as if the Jaguars would come through on defense. But Lawrence settled in after a first-quarter fumble and two three-and-out series to put together four consecutive scoring drives that spanned halftime. It was a remarkable come-from-behind win for a team that had lost three consecutive games in which they had a second-half lead. "It was really good for our guys to finish this way," Pederson said. "It just goes to show how this team is embracing one another, taking the coaching to the field and finding a way to win."
2. Trevor and Travis. The Jaguars are counting on their second-year offensive stars to shine – and after some early hiccups, both came through against the Raiders. Running back Travis Etienne Jr. ran hard and was a productive receiver for Lawrence, and it was impressive to see him cover the ball when he got into the secondary after a couple of costly fumbles this season. He finished with his third consecutive 100-plus-yard rushing game and every one of his 82 second-half yards seemed to come at crucial moments. Lawrence made good decisions with the ball after the early fumble. His confidence was clearly on display a week after throwing two interceptions against the Broncos. "He was in a great frame of mind the entire game," Pederson said. "Never once did he panic, and he settled in there and it was great for us to see that." Lawrence finished with 235 yards and a touchdown, completing 81 percent of his passes, and ran for 53 more yards.

Ashlyn Sullivan, Jaguars Team Reporter…

1. Over the Hump, finally. We all asked for five consecutive games just when and how the Jaguars would somehow, someway stop beating themselves and get over the hump to win a close game. Sunday was the day. It certainly didn't feel like that at first. The Jaguars were down 17-0 in the second quarter, and players admitted the feeling of "here we go again" started creeping in and that it took a legitimate effort to keep those thoughts at bay. Instead of falling into the same old habits, the Jaguars accomplished the second-largest comeback in franchise history. They had to stop the bleeding. The losing streak was long enough.
2. Tough. Lawrence is coming off a week where he got absolutely bashed and for the first time in his career had serious doubters, with people arguing he had to stop putting the team in negative situations. Lawrence didn't "flash" with his performance Sunday, but I think wide receiver Christian Kirk said it best postgame when he said the second-year quarterback showed great maturity in how he handled this week and the game under adversity. Lawrence managed the game Sunday and put his team in a position to win, just like a franchise quarterback should.