Report Card: Jaguars’ Defense Shines Again in Week 4
The Jacksonville Jaguars grabbed their first road win of the season Sunday, topping the Cincinnati Bengals 22-17 at Paycor Stadium.
And while the Bengals threatened a comeback in the final minutes of the contest, Jacksonville held on to improve to 3-1. It wasn’t pretty all the way around, but the Jaguars put up another solid outing as they prepare for nearly another month on the road.
“You are going to have to win games like this throughout the season where you maybe don’t play your best, and it’s not pretty, but you find a way to win,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said.
Offense: B
Running back Bhayshul Tuten delivered again as one of the bright spots of the offense. He recorded 73 yards on 17 carries, paving the way on the ground.
However, the Jaguars’ touted receiver corps did not show out and didn’t contribute much in the grand scheme of the game. Brian Thomas Jr. finally broke out with a touchdown, but he grabbed just two passes for 17 yards. Parker Washington also had a quiet outing, recording just one reception for seven yards. Jakobi Meyers had the biggest impact, catching three passes for 33 yards.
It was tight end Brenton Strange who sparked the passing game. He logged a team-high seven receptions for 95 yards and emerged as Lawrence’s go-to target.
“That guy just does a lot for our team,” Lawrence said. “He can block in the run game, in the pass game, all that stuff. Then, you see what he can do with the ball in his hands. He’s a matchup. Today was the most he’s been involved this season, but that’s our offense. It’s not everyone’s day every Sunday.”
Lawrence had another solid outing, keeping the offense on pace and managing the game well, but still not executing many long-yardage plays. His longest pass was a 29-yarder to wide receiver Josh Cameron. Nonetheless, he played a clean game with no interceptions and finished 18-of-23 passing for 227 yards and a touchdown.
The offensive line is much of what brings this grade down. It had one of its worst showings of the season, allowing four sacks and seven quarterback hits by Cincinnati’s defense. The unit also accounted for five of Jacksonville’s penalties, with two offensive holding calls — on Ezra Cleveland and Anton Harrison — nullifying touchdowns by Tuten.
Defense: A-
The penalties were the penalties on both sides of the ball, but there was little to complain about on the defensive end for the Jaguars. For the ninth straight game, the defense recorded a takeaway, and it made another impressive red-zone stand at a crucial time.
Cornerback Jourdan Lewis kickstarted the takeaways with a little more than two minutes to go in the first half. He picked off Joe Burrow’s pass intended for Dohnte Meyers and returned it 45 yards to the Cincinnati 18-yard line to set up the Jaguars for a touchdown.
Then, to start the fourth quarter, linebacker Foyesade Oluokun grabbed the Jaguars’ second interception on a pass intended for Mitchell Tinsley. The takeaway preserved Jacksonville’s 16-10 lead.
“They know what you’re in, and you know what they’re going to do to attack you,” Oluokun said. “I don’t think Burrow expected me to be there, obviously. He threw me the ball, and I took advantage of it. That’s just playing team defense, being where you’re supposed to be, trusting your leverage.”
The red-zone stand was equally as timely. It came in the final minutes of the game with the Jaguars up 22-17 and the Bengals on the 21-yard line threatening their lead. The defense forced three incomplete passes, and safety Rayuan Lane III made the final tackle to close it out.
“That’s us playing off each other and understanding what’s on the line,” Oluokun said. “They trusted their guys to make a play, and our guys made a play instead. No panic, just go out and execute all through the game.”
Overall, along with the two interceptions, the defense recorded two sacks, 11 quarterback hits and eight passes defended.
Special Teams: A-
Cam Little delivered once again for the Jaguars.
He recorded nine of the Jaguars’ 22 points, hitting three field goals — his longest came from 55 yards out. He was vital in the early quarters when Jacksonville struggled to find the end zone.
Similarly to last week, the Jaguars didn’t consistently allow explosive returns, and running back Ameer Abdullah kicked off the game with a 47-yard return for Jacksonville. The Jaguars did have a penalty on that return — a holding call on Quintin Morris — which knocked the grade down a bit.
“We had a lot of guys step in [Sunday], a lot of guys contributed to the win,” coach Liam Coen said postgame. “Credit for being ready, the preparation and going through it. We definitely needed everybody.”
Category: Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL
