Jaguars vs Jets: Evan Engram Shines Bright in Primetime

The tight end had one of his finest performances of the season to give the Jaguars control of their playoff hopes.

Evan Engram has done it again. 

Engram paced the Jaguars' receiving corps in his triumphant return to Metlife Stadium with seven receptions on eight targets for 113 yards. The tight end put his speed and physicality on constant display, making life tough for the Jets linebackers in coverage and providing solid blocking on running plays.

For quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense, Engram has emerged as a jack of all trades over the last few weeks.

“Just, he’s a guy that can really do anything, Lawrence said following Thursday’s win. “He’s a really good blocker, obviously has a lot of speed, so you can use him a lot of different ways on the perimeter, in the passing game, you can move him from inside to outside, motion, you can just do so much with him and adds that element and that stress on the defense of it’s a tight end, but you can’t just put anybody on Evan. 

"You have to really think about that match up and I think that adds some difficulty to teams that we play and just the way he’s so good after the catch too, so physical and I mean, I guess that’s it. There’s a lot of things but he’s been playing great and happy for him.”

Metlife Stadium and its surrounding area is one that Evan Engram is very familiar with, having been a former draft pick of the New York Giants before coming over to Jacksonville in the offseason. For Engram, having such a statement performance in his return meant everything to him.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a 100-yard game,” Engram said. “I’m thankful. All my glory to God. This week was a challenge and the most challenging week fell on coming back here. Tonight, means everything and I want to give him all the glory. I’m really thankful.”

Thursday’s victory over the New York Jets marked the Jaguars third game in 12 days, all of them being decisive victories to take control of their playoff destiny. While the challenge was far from easy, the Jaguars showed that they have what it takes to take that next step.

“It’s definitely tough, it’s definitely tough,” Engram said. “Doug (Pederson) does a great job of preparing us and really talking to us and really kind of laying out, letting us know what we’re going to into is not going to be easy and that was a big focal point, the three games in 12 days. 

"We started talking about that at the beginning of it when it hit that window. Coach got us ready, Coach kept challenging us, kept working. We all responded. The defense was playing lights out. We’re feeding off them and they’re feeding off us. We are just playing really good, complimentary football and we were all really together back there in the stretch. This weekend is going to be really nice.”