Now that is how you respond.
One week after leaving Denver frustrated, disappointed and searching for answers, the Jacksonville Jaguars returned home and delivered one of their most complete performances of the young season.
Jacksonville Jaguars 35.
New England Patriots 6.
And this wasn’t close. The Jaguars improved to 2–1 Sunday afternoon at EverBank Stadium by overwhelming the defending AFC champions with opportunistic defense, a physical running game and an offense that consistently finished drives. After everything that went wrong late against Denver, Jacksonville needed a response.
They got one.
Trevor Lawrence Bounced Back. Last week in Denver, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense never found the rhythm they needed. Sunday was different.
Lawrence finished:
19-of-29.
182 yards.
Three touchdowns.
The numbers aren’t going to jump off the page from a yardage standpoint. They don’t have to. Lawrence made the throws Jacksonville needed him to make, protected the football for most of the afternoon and consistently finished drives with touchdowns. His first touchdown came on a 12-yard strike to rookie Josh Cameron. Then he found Jakobi Meyers for a 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
And in the third? He gave Parker Washington a chance to make a play. Washington did the rest. That touchdown pass to Meyers also moved Lawrence past Blake Bortles into second place on Jacksonville’s career touchdown-pass list with 104. Another milestone for No. 16. More importantly? Another win. Parker Washington Did It Again. At this point, what else is there to say? Parker Washington keeps producing.
His stat line Sunday:
3 catches.
40 yards.
1 touchdown.
That touchdown will be the play everybody remembers. Facing third-and-goal from the 17 late in the third quarter, Lawrence put the football up, and Washington made a ridiculous catch at the front of the end zone despite defensive pass interference. Touchdown.
Jacksonville 21.
New England 3.
Ballgame.
Washington’s numbers weren’t as big as the previous two weeks, but his impact was. Through three games, he continues to prove that when Jacksonville needs a play, Trevor Lawrence trusts No. 11.
And yes…
That contract conversation isn’t going away. The Defense Took Over. This game belonged to Jacksonville’s defense. The Patriots actually finished with slightly more total yardage than Jacksonville. It didn’t matter.
Why?
Turnovers.
Jacksonville forced three of them. Drake Maye lost a fumble. He threw two interceptions. And the Jaguars turned those mistakes into momentum throughout the afternoon. The first takeaway came when Maye lost the football in the first quarter. Jacksonville recovered. The offense responded with the Cameron touchdown. Then came one of the biggest plays of the afternoon.
Late in the second quarter, New England drove deep into Jacksonville territory and looked ready to cut into a 14–3 lead. Maye threw toward the end zone. Travis Hunter said no.
Interception.
His first career NFL interception. And it couldn’t have come at a better time. Instead of New England potentially making it 14–10, Jacksonville took the lead into halftime untouched. That was huge. Travis Hunter Gets His First Pick. We’ve talked about Travis Hunter since the day Jacksonville drafted him. His versatility. His athleticism. His potential impact on both sides of the football. Sunday gave Jaguars fans another moment to remember. First NFL interception. In the end zone. Against the defending AFC champions. That is how you announce yourself defensively. Hunter’s interception preserved Jacksonville’s momentum and prevented New England from making this game uncomfortable before halftime. That is the play Jacksonville needs from its stars.
Eighteen Seconds Changed Everything. If you’re looking for the sequence that officially buried New England, look at the end of the third quarter. Jacksonville went on a 15-play, 72-yard drive that consumed 8:42. Washington finished it with his 17-yard touchdown reception.
21–3.
Then, on New England’s very next offensive play, Jarrian Jones intercepted Maye and returned it 32 yards. One play later, Chris Rodriguez Jr. punched it in from five yards. Touchdown.
28–3.
Eighteen seconds. That’s all it took. Game over. That is what good teams do. They don’t just create turnovers. They capitalize on them. Jacksonville Ran the Football. Another encouraging part of Sunday’s performance was Jacksonville’s commitment to the running game. Bhayshul Tuten carried the ball 15 times for 73 yards and a touchdown. Chris Rodriguez Jr. added 37 yards and another touchdown. Jacksonville rushed for 145 yards as a team. That matters because it takes pressure off Trevor Lawrence.
It slows down opposing pass rushers. It controls the clock. And when Jacksonville can run the football effectively, this offense becomes significantly harder to defend. Tuten’s fourth-quarter touchdown put the finishing touches on the afternoon.
35–6. See you next week.
The Pass Rush Returned
Remember what we talked about after Denver? Jacksonville had five sacks against Cleveland. Then zero sacks against Denver. That was concerning. Sunday? Better. The Jaguars got to Maye three times and consistently made him uncomfortable. It wasn’t overwhelming pressure every snap. But Jacksonville didn’t allow Maye to sit comfortably and dictate the game. And when pressure arrived, mistakes followed. That is the formula. Pressure the quarterback. Force bad decisions. Create turnovers. Let the offense capitalize. This Was About the Response. Here is what I liked most about Sunday. Jacksonville didn’t feel sorry for itself. It would have been easy to spend the entire week talking about what happened in Denver. The 10-point lead. The fourth-quarter collapse. The missed opportunities.
Instead, Jacksonville went back to work. And against a team that played in the Super Bowl last season, the Jaguars dominated from start to finish. That matters. Every team loses. The NFL season is too long and too difficult to expect perfection. What separates teams is how they respond. Jacksonville responded with a 29-point victory. I’ll take that. Don’t Overlook What Jacksonville Is Building at Home. Another number Jaguars fans should pay attention to. Six! Jacksonville has now won six consecutive regular-season games at EverBank Stadium. That matters. For years, Jacksonville fans have wanted EverBank Stadium to become a real home-field advantage. A place where teams don’t enjoy coming. A place where the Jaguars expect to win. That identity is starting to develop. The Jaguars are now 2–0 at home this season. If Jacksonville wants to compete for another division championship, protecting Duval has to remain a priority. The Bottom Line - Last week, I said we'd learn something about this team by how it responded to Denver.
We got our answer.
Jacksonville didn’t just bounce back. Jacksonville dominated! Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns. Parker Washington made another big play. Travis Hunter got his first career interception. The defense forced three turnovers.
The running game produced. And the Jaguars held the defending AFC champions without a touchdown. That is winning football. Jacksonville is 2–1. Ten wins in its last 11 regular-season games. Six straight regular-season victories at home.
Plenty to clean up remains. Tougher games are coming. Nobody is handing out trophies in September. But after what happened in Denver, Jacksonville needed to show something Sunday. They did. They showed they know how to respond. And if this team keeps playing complementary football like this? The rest of the AFC better keep paying attention.