Browns 31, Jaguars 27: Game Balls
The NFL is a week to week league, and as many of us know life comes at you fast under such circumstances. Following a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Jacksonville Jaguars are now losers of two straight after dropped a frustrating game against the Cleveland Browns; their second loss in six days
Now 8-5, the loss all but knocks them out of contention for the AFC’s top seed. In back-to-back contests against AFC North opponents the Jaguars defense has allowed 30 or more points, giving quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the surging Jaguars offense very little to work with.
Lawrence had one of the more inconsistent games of his career, throwing three touchdowns and three interceptions in his return from an ankle sprain. The former Clemson star struggled against a stout Cleveland defense, which held the Jacksonville offense in check throughout the first half.
Of the team’s ten offensive drives in the first two quarters, just four gained more than ten yards. Two ended abruptly with interceptions, while only one ended with points for the Jaguars. As a unit, the Jaguars offense gained only 293 yards, their lowest total since week 10’s massacre in San Francisco.
Defensively, the Jaguars were equally as ineffective. For the fourth time in their last five games, the Jacksonville defense allowed over 350 yards of offense; this time to Joe Flacco, who reverted to the Browns practice squad earlier today.
All around it was one of the biggest missed opportunities of the season for a Jaguars team with genuine championship aspirations. With the 10-3 Baltimore Ravens visiting Jacksonville in week 15 for Sunday Night Football, a win against the Browns would’ve made next week’s contest a bout for the AFC’s number one seed.
Instead, it turned the final quarter of the season into a dogfight. At 8-5 the Jaguars are in a three-way tie with Cleveland and the Kansas City Chiefs for third place in the AFC; six teams are tied at 7-6, putting immense pressure on the Jaguars to maintain their position within the conference.
The season is far from lost, following positive injury updates for offensive guard Ezra Cleveland and safety Andre Cisco. As defensive linemen Dwuane Smoot said during a media availability period earlier today, the Jaguars are ‘definitely still optimistic.’
“There’s no need to panic. We’re still in a good place,” Smoot concluded.
Should they hope to remain in that ‘good place,’ the Jaguars will have to turn their attention to Baltimore and iron out any kinks before Sunday night. In the meantime, we get to spend an extra day reviewing yesterday’s bout with the Browns.
The Jaguars saw strong performances from a host of players despite the losing effort. These three, for whatever it’s worth, stood out the most:
Offense: TE Evan Engram
In New York, Engram developed a reputation as an unreliable player who suffered far too many injuries to be worth a second contract. The Jaguars took a gamble on the former first-rounder out of Ole Miss, and since donning the teal and black he’s been nothing short of a god-send for Lawrence and the offense.
Against the Browns Engram had his most productive game of the season, securing 11 catches for nearly 100 yards and two touchdowns. Entering Sunday, the Browns defense had allowed a league-best 29.75 yards and eight fantasy points per game to tight ends.
Factor in his 82-yard, one-touchdown effort against the Cincinnati Bengals, and you’ve got a recipe for one of the most prolific two-game stretches of his entire career. Over the past two weeks Engram has accumulated 177 and three touchdowns, eerily similar to his 224-yard, two-touchdown stretch from weeks 14 and 15 of last year.
Although I’m not sure it’s fair to call his time in Duval county a career-revival, it was–at the very least–a much needed change of scenery. With wide receiver Christian Kirk lost for the season, Engram’s role within the Jaguars passing game will only continue to grow.
If his last two games are any indication of what’s to come, Engram will likely conclude the 2023-24 season with the most receiving yards of his 7-year career. Through 13 games, he already has 11 more catches than he did last year… when he set a career-high in receptions.
Defense: CB Darius Williams
Before we dive into his performance on Sunday, I’d like to take an opportunity to celebrate the season Jaguars cornerback Darius Williams has put together so far. The former Los Angeles Ram has forced two fumbles and intercepted opposing quarterbacks four times this season, and has been one of the primary reasons the Jaguars rank fourth in the NFL with 13 interceptions.
Against the Joe Flacco-led Browns, Williams again made his presence felt.
Following a four-play, 72-yard drive that saw the Browns extend their lead to 14, a veritable arm-punt by Lawrence gave Cleveland the ball back on their own 25-yard line. On the verge of a total blowout, the Jaguars defense needed to make a play to steal some of the momentum the Browns had built through the first quarter.
On third and 4, Williams was the recipient of Flacco’s worst throw of the ballgame. Though Williams only returned the ball 11 yards, he returned it to the Jacksonville 42-yard line and gave the offense their best starting field position of the game.
Lest we forget, the offense mounted shortly after. Williams, however, was far from satisfied.
The fifth-year veteran tallied two solo tackles and a team-high three of the Jaguars seven pass deflections. As yet another offseason acquisition that has produced massive returns, jolly old Trent Baalke with his cheeks like roses and his nose like a cherry, has given Duval faithful an early Christmas present.
Williams snatched the new toothbrush right out of Flacco’s stocking, and stuffed it with coal.
Special Teams: WR/PR Parker Washington
Through the first quarter, the Jaguars offense had run 17 plays for a grand total of 63 yards. Nothing seemed to work and the scoreboard reflected it; the Browns maintained a 14-0 lead for nearly eight minutes of game time.
The Jaguars desperately needed somebody, anybody, to make a play. Parker Washington answered the call as a punt returner.
Forget the fumble, which was the Jaguars third turnover of the game. That wasn’t the turnover that lost them this game, and without Washington’s contributions as a return man the first half would have been practically unwatchable.
On his five return opportunities, four of which came in the first half, Washington broke free for 20 or more yards twice for a final statline of 63 return yards. Though one was cut short due to an illegal crack-back block, Washington gave the Jaguars offense the ball at their own 16, 18, 32 and 44 yard lines in his four first-half returns.
You heard Washington’s name twice in rapid succession in the second half; a 19-yard touchdown reception–his second in two weeks–was quickly followed by a fair catch by the former Nittany Lion. Clearly Browns punter Corey Bojorquez realized how dangerous a returner Washington is, wisely avoiding him on his two punts of the second half.
