Jaguars 19, Jets 3: Jacksonville Continues Playoff Push By Rolling Over Jets

The Jaguars are winners of each of their last three thanks to a Thursday Night Football victory over the Jets.

On a night where the rowdy New York Jets crowd was vehemently denying their second-year quarterback, the Jacksonville Jaguars saw a very different game play out as they continued their playoff push.

Jacksonville exited Thursday Night Football with a 19-3 win over the Jets, improving their record to 7-8 and giving them their third win in a row and fourth in the last five games. 

After three wins in all of 2021, the Jaguars have won three games in the last 11 days.

While Wilson was booed drive after drive during a 9-of-18, 92-yard performance, Lawrence was able to will the Jaguars to five scoring drives against one of the NFL's best defenses.

Lawrence finished the night 20-of-31 passing (64.5%) for 229 yards (7.4 yards per attempt), giving him a passer rating of 86.6 as he played mostly mistake-free football. 

On a night of demons being exorcised for the Jaguars, Jacksonville also saw Travis Etienne record the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career with 83 yards on 22 carries. Evan Engram also caught seven passes for 113 yards to lead the offense.

After two runs to start the game, the Jacksonville Jaguars saw Trevor Lawrence lose the football for the third time in the last two weeks, this time a fumble forced by Quinnen Williams after beating left guard Tyler Shatley. The fumble was Lawrence's eighth of the season. 

Fumbling on the opening drive has become far too often a theme for the Jaguars, with Lawrence's being their fourth fumble in the last seven opening drives and second in a row after Travis Etienne's fumble a week ago.

The Jaguars' defense managed to stiffen in the red-zone to limit the Jets to a field goal, largely the result of a third-down sack of Zach Wilson by second-year safety Andre Cisco.

Jacksonville finally got going on the second drive, tying the game 3-3. After 32 rushing yards from Travis Etienne and a 22-yard catch-and-run from Evan Engram, the Jaguars managed to get into field goal position to set up a 32-yard field goal. 

After forcing a Jets punt thanks to solid coverage downfield and pressure on Wilson, the Jaguars managed to get back into scoring range. 22 rushing yards from Lawrence and a 17-yard completion to Dan Arnold against Sauce Gardner led the Jaguars into the red-zone, where Lawrence finished with a one-yard touchdown run.  

The 16-play, 96-yard drive saw the Jaguars pick up eight first downs after two on the first two drives, giving them a 10-3 lead. Jacksonville extended this to a 13-3 lead the next time they got the ball, in large part due to a 36-yard catch-and-run by Engram that gave him the Jaguars' single-season record for catches by a tight end with 65. 

After a 45-yard Patterson field goal that gave the Jaguars as many scoring drives as the Jets had first downs, the Jaguars looked firmly in control. Jacksonville drive the ball into Jets territory right before the end of the half to set up another Patterson field goal, but the 44-yard attempt was wide left in the wind and rain. 

Luckily for the Jaguars, Wilson's uneven play kept the Jets' offense in the mud. Wilson went 7-of-14 for 78 yards in the first-half, which included an interception to Devin Lloyd on the final play of the half. 

In a first half where the Jets' only points came thanks to a short field, the Jaguars' defense limited the Jets to three first downs, 66 yards, 3.1 yards per drive, and four rushing yards on five caries. 

On the flip side, the Jaguars rushed for 115 yards in the first half -- the second time they have done so in a first half this year. This included 64 yards from Etienne and 41 yards from Lawrence.

The Jaguars moved the ball with ease after opening forcing a punt to open the half, but penalties on Jawaan Taylor and Walker Little forced the offense into 1st-and-20 to limit the drive's potential and forced a 41-yard field goal from Patterson.

The Jets went three-and-out on their second drive of the half as the boo birds fell with the rain, paving the way for the Jaguars to record their first punt with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

At that point, enough was enough for Jets head coach Robert Saleh. Saleh pulled Wilson for backup quarterback Chris Streveler, who was promoted from the practice squad for Thursday's game.

Streveler and the Jets' option looks gave the Jaguars' defense fits as they attempted to adjust, with Streveler rushing for 21 yards and passing for 37 on his first three rushes and two passes. Streveler then turned a 3rd-and-9 quarterback draw into a 10-yard gain as the Jaguars struggled to handle the mobile element of the Jets' offense. 

After just three first downs in seven drives by Wilson, the Jets recorded four on Steveler's first drive. The Jets totaled just 78 yards with Wilson on the field, a number they exceeded on Streveler's one drive. 

But for as much as Streveler moved the ball with his legs, the Jaguars forced him into a 4-and-2 and do-or-die situation. Thanks to solid coverage from Darious Williams, who had several big plays throughout the night, the Jaguars got off the field without allowing points.   

Jacksonville was forced to punt on the ensuing drive, but not without gaining three first downs and taking nearly five minutes off the clock first. Then the knockout punch came on the Jaguars' second takeaway of the night: a Garrett Wilson fumble, forced by Foyesade Oluokun and recovered by Tre Herndon, sending the Jets into the dark, cold New Jersey night. 

Next up, the Jaguars will face the Houston Texans, giving them a chance to avenge their Week 5 loss and a chance to extend a potential lead in the AFC South.

Stats of the Game (12/22/22 @ the Jets) Via: @theryanmichael

Trevor Lawrence finished the game 20 of 31 (64.5%) for 229 passing yards (7.4 YPA), 0 INTs, 1 sack, 1 fumble, an 86.6 passer rating, 51 rushing yards (7.3 YPC), 1 rushing touchdown—280 total yards.

With 20 pass completions, Lawrence (398) broke the NFL record for road/neutral site completions over a player’s first two seasons (previously: Justin Herbert, 390 from 2020-21).

Lawrence notched his 10th career win—defeating opposing quarterbacks: Zach Wilson, Dak Prescott, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Matt Ryan, Tua Tagovailoa, Ryan Tannehill, Carson Wentz and Derek Carr.

With 0 interceptions, Lawrence recorded the 19th game of his NFL career without an interception.

With 280 total yards, Lawrence (4,039) eclipsed 4,000 for the first time in his NFL career.

With 83 rushing yards, Travis Etienne (1,000) reached 1,000 for the 2022 season.

Evan Engram led the Jaguars in receptions (7) and receiving yards (113).

Foyesade Oluokun led the NFL with 112 solo tackles heading into today’s game and added 3 more to bring his season total to 115.