3 Lessons We Learned From the Jaguars After Week 3 Destruction of Patriots

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A lot can change in the week. In the NFL, a week is an entire lifetime, as the Jacksonville Jaguars have so often shown us.

This time a week ago, the Jaguars had to lick their wounds after a tough road loss to the Denver Broncos. Now, the Jaguars are back in the win column and are generally feeling good again after a 35-6 domination of the visiting New England Patriots.

So, what lessons did we learn about the Jaguars after their easy win over the Patriots, and what does it all mean moving forward? We break it down below.

There is a Change in BTJ's Role

nbfl — Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) warms up during the Jacksonville Jaguars 14th session of NFL Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla., Monday, August 17, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It feels like Brian Thomas Jr. has been phased out of the offense after just three weeks. After getting eight targets in Denver a week ago, Thomas saw just one target go his way on Sunday and he was tied with sixth-round rookie receiver Josh Cameron with snaps at 23 -- significantly fewer snaps than Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers played. It is clear that Thomas is just not a big fixture in the passing game right now, as tough as that is to imagine after the offseason and training camp he had.

The Jaguars might simply just not run the kind of offense that would afford Thomas the most valuable snaps possible for his skill-set. They just scored 35 points without throwing a single pass 20 yards downfield, and the lack of vertical shots to Thomas in particular over the last 20 regular-season games can no longer be excused away. If Cameron plays more snaps than Thomas on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, it might be time to start making calls.

The Running Game is Legit

chris rodriguez jr — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (24) walks off the field after an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, September 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Remember when the Jaguars' running game felt really strong at the start of a year ago? In the first three games last year, the Jaguars had the eighth-best run offense by EPA/Play and ninth-best in Success Rate. This year, the running game ranks No. 2 and No. 3 in the respective results through three weeks. The running game has simply done its job in terms of taking pressure off of the passing game, with Bhayshul Tuten putting together three impressive games in a row and Chris Rodriguez Jr. having his best game thus far.

Running the ball is back in Jacksonville? pic.twitter.com/xbZyfn6XoG
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) September 28, 2026

"Some of those critical downs, whether it was on the short yardage situation, some of those tough yards in between the tackles, down in the low red zone. Chris [RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.] has been a little bit frustrated with himself in some ways with some of his misreads and maybe some of the things over the last two games that he wasn't as jacked up about," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said after the game. "I think he had a phenomenal week of practice. We were intentional about what runs we really wanted C-Rod on. When he's in the game and when those backs are in the game, just being intentional about what we're calling in some of those situations."

If Rodriguez can get hot for the Jaguars while Tuten continues to ascend, then the Jaguars offense could soon be at its best place in the Coen era. This is looking like the running game the Jaguars and Coen envisioned when they discussed the unit this offseason.

Travis Hunter Needed These Reps

Travis Hunter set career-highs in defensive snaps and defensive snap % on Sunday, and that was maybe the best thing to come out of Sunday's game. The Jaguars did not utilize him much on offense, but that is secondary when they are scoring 35 points a game, already utilize a lot of two tight end sets, and have a rookie receiver in Josh Cameron who really trust. But the Jaguars needed to enter this game with Hunter getting more reps, experience, and confidence at the cornerback position, and exactly that happened.

Even with Hunter's stellar red-zone interception aside, he simply just needs more time on task on that side of the ball. Cornerback is going to be where the Jaguars need him most as long as they have Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers, and every snap he takes at corner is critical for his development -- even on plays where he gives up a catch. That is the nature of the cornerback position, and Hunter is starting to look more and more comfortable with the additional snaps.

If Hunter can continue to play a large rate of snaps on the defensive side of the ball as the season progresses, he can develop and be leaps and bounds better by the end of the year than he is right now. And his "right now" looks pretty good.

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