Trevor Lawrence put together one of the most electric performances of his NFL career on Sunday-and that’s saying something for a quarterback who’s already shown flashes of elite potential. But this?
This was different. This was a franchise QB fully in command, carving up a defense with precision, poise, and a little bit of flair.
Lawrence accounted for six total touchdowns-five through the air, one on the ground-and led the Jacksonville Jaguars to a dominant 48-20 win over the New York Jets. From the opening drive, this game was all Jaguars, all the time. Jacksonville scored touchdowns on its first three possessions for the first time since 1998, and by the time the third quarter wrapped, they’d already crossed the 40-point mark-a feat they hadn’t pulled off that early in a game since 2005.
It was the kind of performance that makes you pause and take notice, not just of Lawrence, but of the trajectory this Jaguars team is on.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Trev like this,” said running back Travis Etienne, who’s shared a backfield with Lawrence since their Clemson days. **“And we won a national championship together.
He’s on fire.” **
Etienne wasn’t exaggerating. Lawrence completed 20 of 32 passes for 330 yards, didn’t commit a turnover for the third straight game, and posted a career-best passer rating of 136.7.
And he wasn’t just doing it with his arm-he added 51 yards on the ground, including a 15-yard touchdown scramble in the first quarter that set the tone early. On that play, he rolled left, shook off Jets rookie Will McDonald with a slick juke, and sprinted down the sideline for six.
“Definitely this is as confident as I’ve felt,” Lawrence said postgame. **“The feeling in our locker room and our team and our offense, it’s been fun.
We’ve got to continue to build on that and not get complacent.” **
With the win, Jacksonville moves to 10-4 and extends its winning streak to five games. It’s just the second time in the last 18 seasons that the Jaguars have hit double-digit wins, and they’re doing it with swagger and balance on both sides of the ball.
Meanwhile, it was another rough outing for the Jets, who dropped to 3-11 and gave up their most points since a 54-13 loss to the Patriots back in 2021. The defense, which has been a point of pride for New York in recent seasons, looked disjointed and overmatched. That’s led to growing questions around whether head coach Aaron Glenn might take over play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
“I brought Steve Wilks in for a reason, and I want him to run his system,” Glenn said. **“Right now, it’s not about the X’s and O’s.
It’s about the character of the men on this team. That’s what I’m evaluating.”
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The Jets’ problems weren’t limited to the defense. Rookie quarterback Brady Cook, making his first NFL start, had a tough welcome. He became the first undrafted rookie to start at QB for the Jets since Bill Demory in 1973, and while he did manage to toss his first career touchdown-a 9-yard strike to Adonai Mitchell-there weren’t many other positives.
Cook finished 22-of-33 for 176 yards with three interceptions. He showed flashes of composure, but turnovers and pressure kept him from finding any real rhythm. After the touchdown, Mitchell retrieved the ball and handed it to Cook on the sideline-a small moment of celebration on an otherwise frustrating day.
“We felt ready to win this game,” Cook said. **“We all did.
I did. Obviously, it’s disappointing.”
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The Jets’ offense struggled to find any traction against Jacksonville’s top-ranked run defense. Breece Hall was bottled up all day, managing just 23 yards on 12 carries. Mitchell led the Jets in receiving with seven catches for 69 yards, but it was clear the offense never found its footing.
Etienne, on the other hand, was a problem the Jets never solved. He caught three of Lawrence’s five touchdown passes, including a 45-yard screen that he took to the house with a flourish-capping it off with a flip into the end zone. His hands, often underrated, were on full display.
“I feel like I’ve just been working in the shadows, catching balls and doing it in practice over and over again,” Etienne said. That work is showing up under the bright lights now.
Things got a little chippy in the second half. Jets defensive lineman Khalen Saunders-who spent time with the Jaguars earlier this season-was ejected after making contact with an official during an extra point.
The play began with a heated exchange between Saunders and several Jaguars linemen, and ended with him shoving multiple players and an official. That moment seemed to encapsulate the frustration boiling over on the Jets sideline.
Injury report:
- Jets: Safety Tony Adams (groin), safety Isaiah Oliver (knee), and defensive lineman Eric Watts (concussion) were all ruled out.
- Jaguars: Running back Bhayshul Tuten (finger) and defensive end Danny Striggow (ankle) exited the game.
Striggow was ruled out. Lawrence briefly had his right index finger examined and taped during the first half, but it clearly didn’t slow him down.
What’s next:
- Jets: Head to New Orleans next Sunday, still searching for answers and some late-season pride.
- Jaguars: Travel to Denver, riding a five-game win streak and playing their best football of the season.
If this is the version of Trevor Lawrence we’re going to see down the stretch-confident, efficient, and in full control-the AFC playoff picture just got a whole lot more interesting.