Good, Bad and Ugly From Jaguars' Last-Minute Loss to Bills

What were the highs and lows from the Jacksonville Jaguars Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills?

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks to pass the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills in an AFC Wild Card Round game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars took the Buffalo Bills to the brink in the Wild Card, but they weren't able to get the job done.

The Jaguars fell to the Bills in a wild 27-24 loss that saw an NFL-record four forth-quarter lead changes, and there was plenty of good, bad and ugly that was involved. So, what did we see?

The Good

The Offense's Foundation

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen wait to see the result of a challenge during the second quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jaguars turned the ball over three times (two interceptions, once on downs) and also saw Cam Little miss a field goal. If just two of those four plays don't happen, the Jaguars probably score close to 30 points and are getting ready for a trip to New England next week. But that is life in the NFL, and the Jaguars made one or two many mistakes. With that said, it doesn't take away from the foundation the offense has.

When the Jaguars didn't get in their own way, they made massive plays against the NFL's best pass defense. Parker Washington an elite day and it seemed like Liam Coen was hitting the right buttons as a play-caller. With the bulk of the offense set to return, the Jaguars should be excited to build upon what they started on offense.

The Bad

Defensive Letdown

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Wild Card Round game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Jaguars' defense had a fantastic 2025 season. Several role players had career years, young players took massive leaps, and the Jaguars sported the best run defense in the NFL. The run defense carried over into the playoffs, too, as the Jaguars dominated the Bills' running game. But ultimately, the Jaguars created few negative plays (one sack, one tackle for loss, three quarterback hits, zero pass deflections or turnovers) and couldn't stop an elite quarterback.

This wasn't a new issue for the Jaguars, who struggled against the other two elite quarterbacks they faced this year in Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford. Using that context, it is pretty clear what this game meant. The Jaguars' defense played hard all year but they clearly punched above their weight against a second-half schedule of backup and rookie passers. Once an MVP was on the other side, it wasn't enough.

The Ugly

Lack of Tuten

Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) runs the ball against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

While Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said after the game that he didn't understand questioning how much the team ran the ball, it is hard to say the usage of Bhayshul Tuten made much sense. The Bills' top-ranked pass defense played exactly like that, clouding the picture for Trevor Lawrence while erasing throwing lanes over the middle of the field.

The Jaguars seemed to find their answer for it with the ground game and Bhayshul Tuten, who recorded 47 yards on three touches in a row to set up the Jaguars' first touchdown of the game. Tuten ran the ball one more time in the second quarter, and then didn't get another touch on offense. When I think about this game in 10 years, my biggest question would be why the Jaguars went away from Tuten. Yes they scored 24. Yes, it should have been 27. Or even 30 or 34. But it wasn't, and the lack of Tuten stands out.

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