Two days before the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Doug Pederson told reporters that the team would fine if it “eliminates some of the BS.” Unfortunately for the Jaguars, there was no shortage of self-inflicted BS in a 23-7 home loss.
Both sides of the ball had its strong moments Sunday night for Jacksonville.
The Jaguars offense finished with 333 yards, a pretty strong day on paper that yielded only one touchdown. Jacksonville’s defense forced a turnover and allowed only two touchdowns, despite the comedy of offensive errors.
Those mistakes included two missed field goals, two Trevor Lawrence fumbles, and horrendous clock management in the final seconds of the first half. Those miscues doomed the Jaguars to a third straight loss.
Here’s how Jacksonville’s costly Week 15 loss went down:
Jaguars MVP of the game: S Rayshawn Jenkins
Jenkins jumps in front of Agholor and gets his second interception of the season pic.twitter.com/VT6Gd1iYLs
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) December 18, 2023
With no Tyson Campbell or Andre Cisco in the secondary, Rayshawn Jenkins stepped up and led the way for a defense that held its own for the majority of the night. The veteran safety recorded an interception, a sack, and six tackles. It was enough to end two Ravens drives, but not enough to overcome the Jaguars offense’s mistakes.
Ravens MVP of the game: QB Lamar Jackson
6-of-7 on the drive. Lamar was cooking 🔥
📺: #BALvsJAX on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/8fWNSGquwb pic.twitter.com/x5k3DRaHEB— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2023
The Ravens’ quarterback made a bad mistake on a pass across the middle that was intercepted, but he still finished with 171 passing yards and a touchdown. It was Jackson’s 97 rushing yards that made him Baltimore’s best player, though. The Jaguars struggled to wrangle the slippery quarterback all night.
Jaguars play of the game: 65-yard Jamal Agnew touchdown reception
Welcome back, @jamalagnew!#ProBowlVote | @Trevorlawrencee pic.twitter.com/aFKjvYeP0Y
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 18, 2023
After a mistake-filled first half, the Jaguars desperately needed a jolt in the third quarter and got it in the form of a bomb to Agnew. It wasn’t just the longest play of the season for the Jaguars, it was the longest pass play of Lawrence’s young career.
It was over when ... Trevor Lawrence fumbled on his own 19-yard line
The @Ravens' sack leader Justin Madubuike gets his 12th and forces the fumble 😤
📺: #BALvsJAX on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/8fWNSGquwb pic.twitter.com/hamjXrKRux— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2023
Facing a 13-point deficit with just over seven minutes left and deep in their own territory, Lawrence’s second fumble of the game just about wrapped it up. The Jaguars’ third-year quarterback has a habit of trying to do too much, but it’s not hard to understand why he was desperate to make a play instead of taking a sack.
Stat that says it all: 181 yards, 0 points for Jaguars in first half
A gift for the @Ravens' defense
📺: #BALvsJAX on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/8fWNSGquwb pic.twitter.com/0TgyMpMXgo— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2023
After punting on their opening drive, the Jaguars next four drives in the first half went into Baltimore territory. The first two ended with missed field goals, the third ended with an inexplicable Trevor Lawrence fumble, and the fourth with baffling clock mismanagement.
Despite a pretty strong start for the Jaguars offense, they went to halftime with zero points and faced a 10-point deficit that proved too much to overcome.
What's next?
The 8-6 Jaguars will take on the surging Buccaneers, who lead the NFC South at 7-7 after picking up a third straight win Sunday. It’ll be Jacksonville’s first road game in Tampa Bay since 2015.
