Jaguars are scratching out victories instead of stumbling into losses
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The biggest difference for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season: They’re scratching out victories instead of stumbling into losses.
The Jaguars (5-3) topped their win total from 2024 with a 30-29 gut-wrencher in overtime at Las Vegas on Sunday, a performance that reminded players and coaches more of their 4-1 start than their two-game skid.
Jacksonville still has concerns — most notably dropped passes and inconsistent pass rush — but the team also has plenty of traits that were missing under previous coaches Doug Pederson and Urban Meyer: confidence, cohesion and credibility.
All of them were on display against the Raiders. And not everything that happens in Vegas needs to stay in Vegas.
The Jaguars hope to carry that success through the rest of November, which includes three more road games that begin with a trip to AFC South rival Houston (3-5) on Sunday.
“We try to create a contagious environment,” defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said. “When one play goes good, let that be contagious and let that affect the next play, the next play.”
The Jaguars scored on their final six possessions against Las Vegas, their longest such streak this season. It started with Cam Little’s NFL-record, 68-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.
“That was what ignited us,” coach Liam Coen said.
Jacksonville started rolling from there. Trevor Lawrence fought through an illness and ran for two touchdowns. The Jags finished with 151 yards rushing, allowed just one sack after giving up a combined 14 the last two games and got huge plays from reserve receivers Tim Jones and Austin Trammell down the stretch.
Hines-Allen tied the franchise record for career sacks (55) with an overtime takedown of Geno Smith, and Little tied the game with a 48-yarder with 16 seconds to play in regulation and hit an all-important extra point in overtime. The biggest play, though, came from nose tackle DaVon Hamilton, who batted down Smith’s 2-point conversion pass on the final play in the extra frame.
“Just do your job and make that contagious throughout the game,” Hines-Allen said. “And if we can do that, I think we’ll be hard to beat.”
What’s working
Lawrence’s legs have been a boost. The fifth-year quarterback is on pace for a career year in carries and touchdowns. He has run 39 times for 137 yards and four touchdowns this season. He carried 73 times as a rookie and scored five times in 2022.
He had two rushing scores against the Raiders, including one in overtime. His athleticism is something Coen has been trying to get him to use more in certain spots.
“He competed his tail off, very proud of him,” Coen said.
What needs help
Penalties continue to plague the Jaguars, who were flagged nine times for 80 yards against the Raiders. They have been penalized 93 times — the most in the league — and had 19 more declined. Defensive end Travon Walker was ejected in the third quarter for throwing a punch at Raiders left tackle Stone Forsythe.
“We can’t have that, and he knows that,” Coen said. “Frustrating moment for sure, but those are the things we have to avoid as a team, as an organization because all it does is make us a little bit handcuffed.”
Stock up
Parker Washington caught eight passes for 90 yards and could be Lawrence’s No. 1 target in the second half of the season. The Jags had planned to run their offense through rookie Travis Hunter before he landed on injured reserve with a knee injury last week.
Stock down
Walker has been mostly a nonfactor since having surgery to repair his left wrist in late September. He has just one tackle in three consecutive games, the least-productive stretch of his four-year NFL career. The club on his left hand surely has something to do with his performance.
Injuries
WR Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle), WR Dyami Brown (concussion), CB Jourdan Lewis (shoulder/neck), TE Hunter Long (hip/knee) and LG Ezra Cleveland (ankle/knee) left with injuries. LB Devin Lloyd (calf) is expected to return against Houston after missing two games. TE Brenton Strange (hip) is out one more game before he can be activated from IR.
Key number
4 — Number of times Jacksonville has swept the season series against Houston.
Next steps
The Jaguars can sweep the Texans for the first time since 2017.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL