Jaguars-Raiders: 5 Observations on Troubling Loss

What did we make of the Jacksonville Jaguars' 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders?

Dec 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson walks on the field before the start of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost -- again. This time, it helped the franchise reach a new low as they lost to the previously two-win Las Vegas Raiders in a sloppy 19-14 contest.

For the ninth time this year, the Jaguars let a one-score game get away from them. Close losses have become the trademark of the Doug Pederson era as a result.

"I'm sure there's some. I'm sure when a bad play happens or a penalty and it sets you back a little bit, I think maybe there's a little bit – where we are in our season, I'm sure that creeps in," Pederson said on Sunday.

"Guys are human. They're going to feel that. They're going to feel that emotion. But it's mental toughness. It's the grind. It's the grit, determination. And the guys show it, and they have shown it, but we just haven't been able to overcome some of the setbacks."

So, what do we make of the latest Jaguars loss? We break it down below.

This is the worst loss of the Doug Pederson/Trent Baalke era

For my money, this was the worst and most inexcusable loss of the Doug Pederson/Trent Baalke era. Yes, they faced some crushing losses last season and even had the worst loss in franchise history in terms of point differential earlier this season. But the Jaguars had never lost to the worst team in the NFL under Baalke and Pederson until this game.

In the third year of this regime, they should be far, far past losing games like Sunday. The Jaguars are a bad team currently in their own right, but even their depleted roster should not be losing games to this Raiders team. This is the type of loss that a coach can't come back from.

Maason Smith showed that development works, but should the Jaguars have regrets?

Maason Smith made his presence felt on Sunday, recording a sack, two tackles for loss and a pass-deflection on a key third-down. Smith looked like the athletic and dominant force the Jaguars hoped he would be when they made him a second-round selection in April, and it seems like he is getting better every game.

With that said, should the Jaguars regret not having him active in more games up until now? He did battle an ankle injury at one point, but he has been a healthy scratch on several occasions. After seeing his performance on Sunday, the Jaguars should feel some remorse for not letting him get more game reps sooner in the season.

Brian Thomas Jr. is a top-10 WR

Is there anything Brian Thomas Jr. can't do? Even in a game where he dropped a pass and had a wide-open touchdown throw missed in his direction, he still took over the passing game and proved to be a quarterback-proof and scheme-proof target. He is standing out more and more each week and is showing that he is one of the best wideouts in the entire NFL.

"Yeah, he's done a good job. They, once again, are going to take him away. And I missed him early. We had the one missed connection on the hold and then he made a couple great plays late. So, always going to keep fighting," Mac Jones said after the game. "He's his own biggest critic, and so am I. So, we fit well together, but I think he had like 10 or so catches probably for 100-something yards, so he did his part. And we got to continue to give him the ball."

Fixing the pass defense must be priority No. 1

Aidan O'Connell has struggled throughout his tenure as the Raiders' starting quarterback, but he made things look easy against the Jaguars. The Jaguars gave up three completions of 24 yards or more despite entering the game with perfect health on defense.

It wasn't just Brock Bowers either. It was shared effort from a struggling Raiders offense that made things look easy against a worse Jaguars defense. Simply put, the Jaguars need to make fixing the pass defense their entire offseason priority. If they don't, they will be in for another long season.

The offensive line was a massive disappointment

The Jaguars entered the 2024 season with mostly the status quo on offense, returning four-of-five starters from the final game of the 2023 season. They did make a change at center, and they did eventually trade Cam Robinson and replace him with Walker Little, but Sunday's game proved they either didn't do enough or they aren't coached well enough.

The Jaguars' line went against one of the worst defensive lines in the NFL on Sunday, yet Mac Jones was under constant duress, the running game offered virtually nothing and the unit got key penalties in big moments. It was a big step backward in the trenches.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.