Bengals 33, Jaguars 25: Game Balls

Who deserves game balls from the Jaguars for today's performances? John Shipley and Kassidy Hill break it down here.

For the third week in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars will have to turn the film back on and try to find out where it all went wrong. This time, the Jaguars lost 33-25 to the previously winless Cincinnati Bengals, giving the Jaguars an ugly 1-3 record through the first quarter of the season. 

But despite the rough loss, the Jaguars still had a few players put forth performances which are worth pointing out and praising. Which players on each unit fall into this category? We break it down here. 

Offense

Shipley: After the last two weeks, there is zero question of who makes Jacksonville's passing offense really go. DJ Chark missed Week 3 with injuries but he made his return against the Bengals, more often than not serving as a reliable safety blanket for Gardner Minshew. Chark showed off terrific hands, balance and route running on a consistent basis on Sunday, with each of his two touchdowns being terrific focus and effort plays. He caught eight of nine targets for 95 yards (11.9 average) and the two aforementioned scores, and looked everything like the No. 1 receiver the Jaguars thought he would continue to be this season. James Robinson was considered for me, but Chark scored Jacksonville's only touchdowns and thus deserves credit. 

DJ Chark cooked William Jackson here, y'all https://t.co/adsrjBgYV0

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) October 4, 2020

Hill: It would sound like a broken record to say James Robinson yet again—even though it’s true—but we’ll give someone else a turn this week. And to be fair, quarterback Gardner Minshew did earn this game ball. Other than his interception on the first drive (which was tipped), the second-year passer moved the offense efficiently the majority of the game. Of the Jaguars 10 drives, six ended in a score and one in a missed field goal. He went 27-40 (67.5%) for 351 yards, two touchdowns, and the aforementioned turnover. He did take three sacks, one on a blitz, one when his foot was stepped on by a lineman, and one that was in fact his fault. But his decision-making and moving guys around (at one point, he moved Robinson out wide at the last second to help free up a route for Tyler Eifert, a smart decision that got overlooked because Eifert was knocked out of bounds on the catch) showed yet again he is perfectly capable of running Gruden’s offense and his teammates around him.

Defense

Shipley: When a defense gives up 500 net yards, over 150 yards rushing, over 300 yards passing (to a rookie passer), records zero sacks and allows one player to score three times ... it is pretty hard to find a player who is deserving of a defensive game ball. With that said, I am giving this one to Myles Jack (again!). Jack has been Jacksonville's best defender by a big margin this season, and this continued on Sunday. He left the game early with an ankle injury, but he made a huge impact before that point by flying around near the line of scrimmage and once again proving to be a difference-maker in coverage. His interception of Drew Sample is legitimately one of the plays you will see a linebacker make in 2020.

Myles Jack takes it away for an INT! Wow. #DUUUVAL

📺: #JAXvsCIN on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/wvEEn0SFTV pic.twitter.com/zKQt0loxgC

— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2020

Hill: Before he left the game with an ankle injury, weak side linebacker Myles Jack had been the best defensive player on the field, yet again. He left in the second quarter with four tackles and a pass breakup and interception. His interception looked like pure luck at first glance but was more football acumen. With his back turned to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Jack was covering the tight end, Sample. He put his hands up in a perfect coverage move and reacted immediately when the ball came into the basket. Once he went out of the game, there was a palpable difference on the field. Dakota Allen did as well as could be expected in his first real action. But Jack is proving to be a difference-maker at WILL.

Special teams

Shipley: With Logan Cooke only punting twice and the Jaguars recording zero return stats, this one has to go to kicker Aldrick Rosas. Rosas missed his first field goal attempt, but he went on the make the next four, giving him 14 of Jacksonville's 25 points when you factor in his two extra points. It is obvious that he isn't as safe of a kicker as Lambo, but he had a mostly good performance against the Bengals all things considered. 

Hill: It had become an ironic joke during the week that the Jaguars were grabbing anyone they could that wanted to kick for them. With Josh Lambo and then Brandon Wright both on IR, the club brought in Stephen Hauschka. He went too hard during the tryout apparently and was listed out with soreness. So in came the fourth kicker in as many weeks, Aldrick Rosas.

The fourth-year kicker missed his first field goal, a 40-yarder, and the Jags prayed it wasn’t a sign of things to come for the former Pro-Bowler. After getting that one out of his system, however, Rosas nailed three chip-shots (30-20-30) and a long of 50-yards. They were all down the middle and with plenty of leg. If he can do that in the rain, the Jaguars could feasibly keep on Rosas as opposed to Wright and Hauschka, until Lambo returns.