11 instant reactions from the Jaguars' gritty win vs. the Bengals in Week 4

The Jacksonville Jaguars faced off against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. A 2.5-point underdog for the game, they deserve praise for bouncing back from a sluggish start and doing just enough to win a game that came down to the wire.

Penalties held the Jags back in their first couple drives, but the offense eventually caught enough fire and managed to make it 13-6 in the second half. Although the Bengals were marching down the field just before halftime, Jourdan Lewis stalled the drive when he picked off Joe Burrow.

Later in the fourth quarter, Foyesade Oluokun also picked off Burrow. In fact, the Jacksonville defense as a whole deserves recognition for slowing down Burrow and stopping Chase Brown with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. On the other hand, the defense lacked rhythm but made enough plays. And in the end, Jacksonville did more than enough to come out on top. With this in mind, here are 11 reactions from the 22-17 win.

11 instant reactions from the Jaguars vs. the Bengals in Week 4

1. Things didn't go well for the Jaguars on their first possession. They were the receiving team to start the game. Tight end Quintin Morris got flagged for offensive holding. During the first offensive drive, Jacksonville committed two penalties: An offensive holding by offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon and a false start.

The Jags were one of the least penalized teams ahead of Week 4. Their start against the Bengals left much to be desired.

2. Penalties kept hindering the Jaguars in their second offensive drive. This time, tight end Nate Boerkircher got slapped with pass interference. Jacksonville did a much better job of moving the football but ultimately wasn't able to reach the end zone. Cam Little nailed his 55-yard attempt to make it 3-0.

3. Nate Boerkircher made up for his penalty by hauling in two catches for 37 yards on the second offensive possession. His two catches were a season high. He later had another one to make it 49 yards.

4. Travis Hunter came close to registering his second interception of the season, but a roughing the passer penalty by Arik Armstead wiped out the play. Later on the same drive, he kind of made up for it a bit, as his pressure allowed teammate Danny Striggow to sack Joe Burrow.

Armstead later had a sack to start the third quarter. Still, it Hunter's pick would have been huge.

5. Bhayshul Tuten would have broken off a big run for a touchdown in the second quarter, but offensive guard Ezra Cleveland was penalized for holding, effectively erasing the score.

6. Once again, Josh Cameron was a big part of the offense. This time, he reeled in a 29-yard catch that put Jacksonville in the Bengals' red zone. Unfortunately, penalties held the offense back again, with center Robert Hainsey getting flagged for holding.

Later in the second half, Cameron had another long game, this time, for 13 yards.

7. Despite having his interception called back, Travis Hunter was dominant throughout the game. He was sticky in coverage and showcased his physicality.

8. While Travis Hunter wasn't able to pick off Joe Burrow (at least officially), Jourdan Lewis did, coming up clutch late in the second quarter to stall the Bengals' last drive before halftime. The play was huge, as Jacksonville was able to score and go 13-3 into halftime.

9. You have to tip your hat to Brian Thomas Jr. He was under scrutiny for having two costly drops in Week 2. Rightly, he had a decreased role in the win over the New England Patriots. However, Liam Coen stated that No. 7 had a strong week of practice ahead of the Bengals game. It showed when he scored his first touchdown of the season just before halftime.

10. As the team's PR account on Twitter noted, the Jaguars haven't given up a touchdown this season and are the first club to pull off the feat since the San Francisco 49ers. Similarly, Jacksonville has given up just nine first-half points this season.

11. The Jaguars were flagged 10 times for 100 yards in the first half. That was the most by any team since the Dallas Cowboys had 13 in 2023. The good news is that the Jags were able to cut down on the flags in the second half. Nevertheless, it remains an issue the team needs to clean up moving forward.

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