Bengals 34, Jaguars 31: Game Balls
It’s hard to imagine Monday night going any worse for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The pride of Duval County could be set to be without quarterback Trevor Lawrence for at least this week and likely lost wide receiver Christian Kirk for the season.
For their efforts, the Jaguars were rewarded with a heart-breaking defeat that muddied their path to the AFC’s top seed. In Week 14, the 7-5 Houston Texans visit the New York Jets and will likely wallop them, meaning Jacksonville’s grip on first place within their own division is shaky at best.
Players across the board will have to step up for the Jaguars to have any hope of remaining afloat until their quarterback returns. If last night’s performance is any indication, they appear to be in capable hands.
Relief quarterback C.J. Beathard was highly efficient, completing nine of his 10 attempts for 63 yards after taking the helm late in the fourth quarter. The six year veteran led a nine-play, 53-yard drive on which wide receiver Parker Washington recovered a crucial fumble and secured an eight-yard catch to help force overtime.
That fateful overtime drive stalled after a holding call on Anton Harrison negated a 43-yard catch from wideout Calvin Ridley. The Bengals, led by quarterback Jake Browning, marched down the field and kicked a field goal to finish the Jaguars.
Panic ensues.
One day later, the reports could be much worse. Though Christian Kirk’s muscle core injury will likely require surgery, he could return for a potential Super Bowl per Ian Rapoport.
As for Lawrence, though his timetable for return is still unclear the prevailing belief is that he could be back as early as week 15. For the second week in a row, albeit for more harrowing circumstances, we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
Despite the loss, the Jaguars have a lot to be excited about as the season nears its finale. The Bengals may have bested Jacksonville, but multiple Jags had strong games in a contest that could’ve ended much worse.
With that, let’s hand out this week’s Game Balls.
Offense: QB Trevor Lawrence
In one of the season’s most bittersweet Game Balls, Lawrence brings home the award for a three-touchdown effort that had the potential to be so much greater. Despite the sack that caused his ankle injury and killed a drive, the former Clemson Tiger would’ve had his chance to win the game the following drive.
I can’t imagine a world in which a quarterback like him doesn’t bring this one home for the teal and black.
Through three and a half quarters, Lawrence was enjoying one of his finest games of the season; his final statline of 22 completions on 29 attempts for over 250 yards and two scores was one of his most complete of the season. He was deadly-accurate, scorching the league’s worst total defense for his fourth 250-plus yard passing game in his last five contests.
It’s admittedly hard to not mention Beathard and Washington when discussing this week’s offensive Game Ball. The two stepped up in massive ways as the injuries mounted for the Jaguars, with Washington making quite the name for himself in one of his first real opportunities.
The former Nittany Lion quickly became a favorite target of Lawrence, and made his day much easier in the wake of Kirk’s first quarter injury. The pair combined for six catches for sixty yards and a score; a promising sign for both the team’s immediate future and long-term planning.
The Jaguars are positioned well to survive a game without their top-flight quarterback, but their playoff-hopes would be in serious jeopardy should he remain sidelined. Without Lawrence, especially considering Jake Browning’s rookie Brady-esque effort, last night’s game isn’t even close.
Be very grateful he should be back sooner than anyone expected when he entered the locker room.
Defense: EDGE Josh Allen
Josh Allen has the unique ability to make each week’s defensive Game Ball seem so boring. Following a monstrous 1.5-sack performance after Cincinnati, who but the team’s leader in sacks could have really gotten it?
Allen is enjoying his finest season in Jacksonville. With 13.5 sacks through 12 games, the former Kentucky Wildcat has made one of the biggest season-over-season leaps of any defensive player in recent memory.
The fifth-year pro is now just one sack shy of tying Calais Campbell’s 14.5-sack franchise record. With Allen set to shatter franchise records, murmurs of his candidacy for Defensive Player of the Year can be heard amongst Duval County.
Before end-of-season awards can be handed out however, the season’s final five games must be played. Allen’s 4.5 sacks in his last three games appear to be the first signs of a stretch that could propel the Jaguars defense to playoff success; and hopefully secure the division.
The tandem of Travon Walker and Josh Allen has been a sight for sore eyes for Jaguars fans across the country, and already paid massive dividends. Time will only tell the degree to which Allen will break Jacksonville’s franchise record, but in the meantime, we can all agree that some recognition from the front office is sorely overdue.
Pay the man.
Special Teams: WR/KR Parker Washington
Call it nepotism, call it preferential treatment, call it whatever you like. Parker Washington deserves a Game Ball for his performance against the Bengals, and as a kick returner he was equally as deserving.
The rookie had two attempts off the foot of Bengal’s kicker Evan McPherson, both from within the confines of his own endzone. The first he returned to the Jacksonville 32-yard line to open the third quarter, just three minutes later he carried the second 18 yards to the 16.
Those two returns resulted in a punt and a touchdown respectively; strong drives to start the second half that started in the hands of Washington. Both kicker Brandon McManus and punter Logan Cooke had holes in their performances, and while Parker’s first return was an ill-advised decision he showed out all night long.
The Jaguars receiving corps appear to be in safe hands for the foreseeable future, that is if Monday night’s performance in multiple phases of the game is any indication.
