How the mighty have fallen. The New England Patriots, a reputation that after struck worry within the core of an opposition, now can solely strike out as their gossamer protection allowed the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars to ship a surprising 32-16 victory stuffed with scorching runs from the spectacular stand-in working again Tank Bigsby. He could now transfer up the depth chart completely after punishing the Patriots with two touchdowns and 118 yards on the bottom.
Beautiful not in how sensible the quarterback Trevor Lawrence carried out, although the previous No 1 general choose performed properly sufficient with one landing, no interceptions and 193 yards passing, however in how simple it got here after the Patriots had taken the lead. Jacksonville might do as they happy whereas the Patriots protection waved the white flag in a defeat that has all however ended their season at 1-6. Conversely at 2-5 the Jags’ postseason probabilities stay paper-thin however not performed simply but. Of the 163 cases of a membership being 2-5 after seven video games since 1990, 10 have made the playoffs.
Lawrence’s reverse quantity rookie QB Drake Maye, in solely his second begin, was stable avoiding turnovers whereas throwing risk-averse brief passes that moved the chains whereas Jacksonville’s mauling from the Bears over in Tottenham final week appeared to nonetheless be smarting because the protection allowed Jamycal Hasty to shimmy for a rating and a discipline objective.
The Patriots had been cruising, the easy offensive scheme stuffed with display passes doing sufficient till the Jags discovered that was all New England needed to provide. Jacksonville neatly adjusted to stack the road of scrimmage and break up any simple positive aspects from Maye with stifling go protection. Over to you, Trevor.
Underneath scoreboard strain and the shakes of a fast-sinking season, Lawrence shrugged. A 24-yard dart to Christian Kirk on Jacksonville’s second drive set the wheels in movement for a comeback the Patriots couldn’t include. Bigbsy and D’Ernest Johnson, filling in for the injured Travis Etienne, knifed via New England’s smooth underbelly repeatedly as rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr completed the drive with the best of six-yard landing grabs.
A fast punt later and Lawrence despatched a burning spear via New England’s coronary heart with an enormous 58-yard go. An unbelievable catch from Thomas got here beneath excessive strain from the cornerback Christian Gonzalez and showcased precisely why the star receiver was so extremely coveted by the Jaguars within the draft. “I knew I might be open,” Thomas stated. Open he was as he burned via the backfield as his catch allowed Bigsby to barrel over for a one-yard rating. A lead clawed again in solely six performs.
Jacksonville’s brick wall held agency because the inevitable punt sailed into Parker Washington’s prepared grasp. He gambled the place others would name the truthful catch to earn the longest punt return in Jaguars historical past. In a whirl of black and teal Washington sprinted by the whole lot of the Patriots particular groups defenders for a 96-yard rating. The Patriots’ slackness summed up by Washington – “they don’t wanna deal with so I ran via them” – apparently so pervasive that sad with solely giving one large present they felt it proper to offer one other as a penalty allowed a straightforward two-point conversion from Lawrence to Thomas to finish 1 / 4 during which the Jags scored 23 factors unanswered.
Because the second half started the Jags marched on with an early discipline objective from Sly. The lead was prolonged however this represented vital enchancment for New England after giving up three straight touchdowns earlier than the break. The protection discovered a vital cease at fourth down close to their objective line to maintain the appreciable set of Patriots followers .
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The encounter might need been a notional dwelling sport for the Jags however the roar that erupted as Maye despatched a 33-yard rainbow to Kayshon Boutte was the loudest of the day. That’s till the guttural roar which greeted Maye’s second passing strike, this time to KJ Osborn. A one-score deficit was in sight, the comeback on, type of, as a fluffed a two-point conversion put them in an irretrievable spot at 9 factors behind with eight minutes left.
Bigsby would put the complete cease on a wonderful afternoon for Jacksonville’s offense with a four-yard landing run. If Lawrence and the Jaguars can hold this lightning trapped within the bottle then this season could have a glimmer of hope left for probably the most unlikely of playoff runs.
