The Jaguars got enough from the whole roster to outlast the Eagles 19-17 on Sunday and move to 4-1, but the win also left a clear stock report behind it. Some players helped stabilize the day when things got shaky. Others made their doubts a little louder.
Walker Little was one of the biggest winners. When Anton Harrison went to the sideline in the third quarter with a knee injury, the Jaguars turned to one of their best backup offensive linemen, and Little answered right away against a tough Eagles front.
According to Pro Football Focus, he gave up zero pressures on 18 pass-blocking snaps. For a team that has invested heavily in offensive line depth, that was exactly the kind of insurance policy it needed.
Little has done good work for Jacksonville before, and if Harrison ends up missing time, that experience could matter quickly, starting in Week 6 against the Houston Texans and the Will Anderson/Danielle Hunter duo.
Brenton Strange also kept building his case as a real piece of this passing game. Over the last three weeks, he ranks sixth among all tight ends in catches and third in yards, while sitting only behind Brock Bowers in yards per route run.
He did have a drop on Sunday, but his role has clearly grown over the last several games. The Jaguars have also been facing three straight opponents that have struggled to cover tight ends, so matchup help has been part of the story.
Even so, there are simply more teams that struggle to slow down tight ends than there are teams that struggle to slow down receivers, and Strange could keep forcing his way into the offense.
Antonio Johnson has been another steady riser. He was active against both the run and the pass on Sunday and also split a sack with Travon Walker.
This was the first game in his career where he served as the lone veteran voice at safety, and he handled that job well against Philadelphia. Johnson has been making more impact plays over the last few weeks, and his role matters even more now with injuries forcing the Jaguars to lean on backup help next to him at safety.
Rayuan Lane made his first career start and had some bright spots. He showed up as a blitzer and played downhill with a few solid run fits.
But the Eagles also found ways to isolate him in space, and that exposed some rough patches. Lane competes hard on every snap, yet this performance made it difficult to project him as a full-time starter at safety right now.
Then there’s Brian Thomas Jr., and the picture there keeps getting murkier. He now ranks fourth on the team in catches with nine and fifth in yards with 105, which is actually fewer yards than sixth-round rookie Josh Cameron’s 117.
The chemistry between Thomas and Trevor Lawrence just has not clicked, and Thomas has the lowest catch rate of any of Jacksonville’s primary skill players. He is now on pace for 30 catches and 357 yards.
Thomas did get behind Quinyon Mitchell on a deep route, but Lawrence’s throw was underthrown after he was hit. Even so, the production simply has not followed.
On Sunday, he was outpaced in the passing game by Nate Boerkircher, Travis Hunter, and Chris Rodriguez Jr., and the question now is where this goes next.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. left more questions than answers, especially around the red zone. Several of the Jaguars’ failed scoring chances featured him in one way or another.
He had a near fumble after Jalen Carter wrecked the play, then missed the block on Zack Baun on the failed fourth-down sweep to Bhayshul Tuten. He ended up with just two carries as the Jaguars leaned more and more on Tuten, and his role still hasn’t become significant in any game.
In Other News...
Eagles Loss Sparked A TV Moment Fans Are Still Arguing Over
In the closing seconds of Jacksonvilles win over Philadelphia in London, the Jaguars did more than steal a game on a walk-off field goal. ESPNs broadcast also captured a young Eagles fan in tears, a quick cut that instantly became part of the nights aftermath and gave the telecast its own contentious subplot.
The shot split viewers almost immediately on social media, with some criticizing the cameraman for lingering on the child and others defending it as part of live sports coverage in an emotional moment. ESPN has not issued a statement about the incident, leaving the debate to keep playing out long after the Jaguars left Wembley with the win. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Fans Had Another Reason To Boil Over After London Loss
The Jaguars 19-17 win over the Eagles in London already had plenty of late drama, capped by Cam Littles last-second 57-yard field goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But for Philadelphia fans, the frustration did not stop with the final score. The game was supposed to be another showcase for the NFLs international stage, yet the broadcast became part of the story almost immediately.
NFL Networks telecast ran into multiple technical problems along the way, including missed replays, audio issues and even a stadium sound blackout. For viewers trying to follow a tight game from across the Atlantic, the glitches only added to the annoyance of watching Jacksonville leave with the win, and it gave Eagles fans one more reason to boil over after the loss. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Face A Trevor Lawrence Problem They Can't Ignore
Anton Harrisons exit in Week 5 put a fresh spotlight on an already delicate spot for the Jaguars, with the left tackle carted off the field and not returning. Jacksonville is now waiting on MRI results to learn how serious the injury is, and head coach Liam Coen said the team is handling the situation with that uncertainty in mind as it looks ahead to the next stretch.
For Trevor Lawrence, the timing matters because the front side of the protection can shape everything Jacksonville wants to do on offense. The good news for the Jaguars is that they do have options if Harrison is sidelined, with Walker Little, Wyatt Milum, Daniel Faalele and Patrick Mekari all candidates to help fill the void while the team sorts out how long it may be without one of its key linemen. [Read more 🡒]