The Sunday night matchup between the Jaguars and Ravens could have ended at halftime after four disastrous drives for the home team.
But then again, if that had been the case, the football world wouldn’t have witnessed Lamar Jackson’s jaw-dropping pass—or in this case knee-dropper—to tight end Isaiah Likely late in the third quarter. Jackson improved his MVP stock on the unreal play, which left edge rusher Dawuane Smoot on the ground in disbelief after the Ravens’ signal-caller escaped the potential sack.
Jackson led the Ravens to a 23–7 victory in Jacksonville to maintain control of the AFC’s No. 1 seed with three games left in the regular season. The Ravens (11–3) deserved to win, but this was more about the Jaguars (8–6) losing the game on their final four drives of the first half.
Trevor Lawrence made two costly mistakes that let the Colts and Texans back in the thick of the battle for the AFC South crown. With a three-game losing streak, Jacksonville is now tied with Indianapolis and Houston atop the AFC South standings. The Jaguars currently hold the tiebreaker because of a 4–1 division record.
Jacksonville might do enough to win the division because it ends the regular season at Tampa Bay, vs. the Panthers and at Tennessee. But the Jaguars can’t be taken seriously in the postseason because of what they have shown during this losing skid, especially those four final drives in the first half.
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The Jaguars left at least 12 points on the board after not scoring on four consecutive drives that ended past the Ravens’ 40-yard line. Baltimore entered the locker room with a 10–0 advantage.
Here’s how the four brutal possessions ended: Missed 50-yard field goal (Ravens’ 32-yard line), missed 55-yard field goal (Ravens’ 36), Lawrence’s lost fumble (Ravens’ 23) and end of half (Ravens’ 5).
Brandon McManus missing field goals must be frustrating for the Jaguars, but understandable because of the distance and windy conditions. Lawrence’s costly mistakes, however, were surprising and changed the momentum of the game. Lawrence also had three interceptions in the Week 14 loss to the Browns.
On Sunday night, Lawrence dropped the ball without a Ravens defender touching him as the Jaguars were on the verge of scoring after Rayshawn Jenkins’s interception on Jackson. Unlike Jacksonville, Baltimore cashed in the takeaway with a touchdown. On the Jaguars’ following drive, Lawrence made the poor decision to make a sideline throw to Parker Washington without timeouts. Washington was tackled inbounds and the Jaguars failed to spike the ball before the time ran out in the second quarter.
Lawrence managed to move the ball against the Ravens’ stout defense, but leaving empty-handed multiple times in the first half ended up costing the Jaguars’ the game. Lawrence connected with wide receiver Jamal Agnew on a wheel route for a 65-yard touchdown to trim the deficit 10–7 with 7:15 in the third quarter, but Jacksonville’s franchise QB later had another fumble that led to three more points for the Ravens.
The Jaguars now have to watch the scoreboard closer with the Texans and Colts winning this weekend. The Texans host the Browns and Titans before ending the regular season in Indianapolis. The Colts play in Atlanta and host the Raiders the next two weeks.
The Ravens continue to control the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but they have a daunting challenge next week with a road game against the 49ers on Christmas night. Baltimore ends the regular season by hosting Miami and Pittsburgh.
Jackson had another productive and efficient outing as a passer. He finished 14-of-24 for 171 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and added 97 rushing yards on 12 carries. The former MVP might never lead the league in passing yards, but not many quarterbacks can do what he did several times Sunday night.
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The amazing jump-ball completion to Likely wouldn’t have occurred without Jackson escaping the arms of Smoot. Jackson then rolled to his right before unleashing the 26-yard pass to the other side of the field. Smoot was left on the ground frustrated, summarizing what it’s like trying to keep Jackson in the pocket. Jackson might not consistently throw for 300 yards, but his ability to extend plays is why he’s in contention to win his second career MVP.
Lamar avoids the sack and then Isaiah Likely makes the catch over two guys 😮
— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2023
📺: #BALvsJAX on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/8fWNSGquwb pic.twitter.com/TwinvfqMVz
The play also doesn’t happen without the 6'4", 235-pound Likely jumping over a Jaguars defender to snatch the ball away. The Ravens eventually scored a touchdown on the drive to extend the lead to 17–7 early in the fourth quarter.
Likely, who had five catches for 70 yards and one touchdown, stepped up on a quiet day for the Ravens’ wide receivers. The Ravens’ passing attack hasn’t missed a beat since Likely took over for the injured Mark Andrews, who could come back in the postseason.
Speaking of unlikely heroes, undrafted rookie running back Keaton Mitchell had another standout performance, but he exited with a knee injury. (In another tough blow, left tackle Ronnie Stanley left early to be evaluated for a potential concussion.) Mitchell had 73 rushing yards on nine carries and contributed two catches for 15 yards.
If Mitchell misses time, the Ravens are going to have to lean on Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, but it helps that Jackson can also gain yards with his legs.
Despite the injuries, the Ravens tend to find a way to make it work because of their depth, as inexperienced players are consistently ready to contribute on both sides of the ball. The Jaguars haven’t shown that with a few key injuries, including wide receiver Christian Kirk, who’s on injured reserve due to a groin injury.
Lawrence avoided a serious injury the last time the Jaguars hosted a primetime game. But they showed again Sunday night they’re not ready to contend for a Super Bowl because of continued self-inflicted miscues.
