The Jaguars got the response they wanted early Sunday, and their defense helped set it up. After New England opened with a punt and then watched Drake Maye put the ball on the ground when it appeared to slip out of his hands, Jacksonville turned the momentum into points.
Trevor Lawrence finished off the drive by finding rookie wide receiver Josh Cameron for a touchdown, giving Jacksonville a 7-0 lead.
Lawrence has been sharp to start, even if the yardage hasn’t piled up yet. Through the first quarter, he was 6-for-7 for 36 yards, directing an offense that has been efficient rather than explosive.
The ground game has also shown up early. Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez combined for 31 yards on just five carries, giving Jacksonville a balanced start on offense.
On the other side, the Jaguars’ defense has looked active from the jump. New England’s first two possessions ended with a punt and the Maye fumble, a strong opening sequence for Jacksonville’s front.
Jacksonville came into the game looking to bounce back from last week’s loss, and the injury report remained worth watching before kickoff. Defensive tackle Albert Regis was listed as doubtful for the Jaguars because of an elbow injury. For New England, Dre’Mont Jones and Quintayvious Hutchins were out, while Craig Woodson and Eli Raridon were questionable.
The Jaguars’ inactive list also included WR CJ Williams, S Jalen Huskey, LB Jack Kiser, OL Daniel Faalele, DE Wesley Williams, and DT Albert Regis.
Before the game, the pick here was Jaguars 21, Patriots 17, with Jacksonville expected to answer last week’s mistakes with a resilient effort under Liam Coen. Early on, that prediction looked very much alive.
In Other News...
Trevor Lawrence Gave Jaguars Fans One Strange Moment To Debate
Trevor Lawrences strong Sunday helped the Jaguars put the Patriots away in a 35-6 rout, with the quarterback finishing 19 of 29 for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Jacksonville had control for most of the afternoon, and New England never found much rhythm as Drake Mayes turnovers piled up in a difficult start to the season.
Still, the most debated moment may have come late, when Lawrence dropped to a knee at the 1-yard line and left plenty of fans trying to figure out the logic behind it. The Jaguars were long past needing style points, but the decision created a strange little postgame discussion anyway, one that stood out almost as much as the score itself. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hines-Allen Sideline Scuffle Took A Strange Jaguars Turn
Travis Hunters first career interception was supposed to be the headline from Sunday, but the scene around it quickly turned into something else. On the sideline, Josh Hines-Allen got caught in a brief scuffle over the football, with the moment featuring a tug-of-war and a shove as the plays souvenir became the center of attention.
Liam Coen said the situation appears to be resolved, but the oddest part still hangs out there: even the person on the other end of the exchange has not been clearly identified by either team. An unconfirmed report from TMZ Sports suggested the individual may have been with the Patriots rather than the Jaguars, which only adds another layer to a strange post-interception sequence that left more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Little Just Reminded Jaguars Fans What Might Be Coming
Cam Little gave Jaguars fans a quick reminder of just how far his range can stretch when he sent up a 70-yard field goal try against the New England Patriots. It came up just short, but the attempt itself was eye-catching in its own right, especially coming from the kicker who already owns the NFL record for the longest field goal at 68 yards.
The miss did not change the bigger picture around Little, who has already shown he belongs in rare territory for leg strength. With a new NFL rule about kicking footballs also in the mix, the possibility of even longer field goals is suddenly part of the conversation, and Jacksonville has a front-row seat to whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]