It’s official, the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Miami Dolphins 23-20 in Week 6 and earned their first win of the 2021 season. After getting close and making things interesting in recent weeks, the Jaguars finally won the first game of the Urban Meyer era.
Make no mistake though, this was a team win, made possible by a 53-yard field goal by kicker Matthew Wright with one second left on the clock. Heading into the game, it was uncertain who was going to handle kicking duties, Wright or Josh Lambo. Meyer told the local media ahead of the game that the team had made a decision but kept it under wraps. Based on the results, they made the right call. The Central Florida product was signed to the active roster ahead of the game, it will be interesting to see what the team does with Lambo.
For a moment, it looked like the Jaguars would be headed to overtime. With less than two minutes to score and the game tied 20-20, Lawrence was sacked in back-to-back plays. With six seconds left in the clock on fourth-and-8, the Jags could have attempted a 60+ yards field goal or a hail mary. Instead, Lawrence completed a nine-yard pass to wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. that helped set Wright’s winning field goal.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence didn’t throw an interception and went 25-of-41 for 319 yards with one touchdown. He was sacked by former Clemson teammate Christian Wilkins late in the third quarter and fumbled the ball. However, cornerback Navin Lawson quickly got the ball back, intercepting the ball in the next play. Here are other observations about the Jaguars’ hard-earned victory.
Several players contributed to the Jaguars’ first win of the 2021 season.
The Jaguars have a difference-maker in Jamal Agnew. Whether he lines up out wide or makes a return, he’s a threat to make plays when he has the ball in his hands. He finished the game with five receptions for 78 yards and constantly moved the chains. In Jacksonville’s first drive of the game, he had a 23-yard catch. Later in the game, he had a 27-yard grab. Marvin Jones Jr. also played a big role in the game, hauling in seven receptions for 100 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown reception.
It took cornerback Nevin Lawson eight years to register his first interception in the NFL but he did it at last. A fourth-round selection by the Detroit Lions in 2014, Lawson signed with the Jaguars after being released by the Las Vegas Raiders in late September.
Running back James Robinson ended the game with “just” 17 carries for 73 yards and one trip to the end zone. He also caught three passes for 28 receiving yards. It was refreshing to see the Jaguars not abandon the run even though they didn’t have as much success as they did the last couple of weeks.
Tight end Dan Arnold dropped a key pass on third-and-5 in the Jaguars’ first possession of the game but had otherwise had a solid performance, catching two passes for 27 yards. The former Carolina Panther hauled in a 19-yard pass early in the same drive. Last week, he hauled in six receptions for 66 yards. It may be a bit early but it looks like the team’s brass got it right when they traded for him.
Things weren’t always smooth for the Jaguars in the first half.
The Jaguars had no trouble containing the Dolphins on first and second downs but couldn’t stop them when it matter the most, third downs. Miami moved the ball with ease in their first two possessions of the game and the Jags’ secondary offered little resistance. The Dolphins scored a touchdown in their first drive and a field goal in the second, which gave them a 10-3 lead.
The Jaguars had a forgettable second drive. Guard Ben Bartch made a low block and was flagged for clipping, which moved the offense back 12 yards. Jacksonville went three and out and ended up punting the ball. At last, the Jaguars’ defense forced the Dolphins’ offense to punt the ball in their third possession but the offense couldn’t seize the opportunity and went three and out for the second straight time in the game. Credit defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah for batting the pass that forced Jacksonville to punt the ball.
In the Jaguars’ last drive before halftime, running back James Robinson broke off a 20+ yard run but it was called back due to a facemask penalty by tight end Luke Farrell. Later, wide receiver Laviska Shenault dropped a pass that could give the offense a fresh set of downs and the team ended up punting the ball.
It looked like the Jaguars were going to be trailing by ten points ahead of halftime. But then, they put together a solid drive that ended on a 28-yard reception by wide receiver Marvin Jones. In their first drive of the third quarter, they had a five-play, 75-yard that ended on a one-yard touchdown run by James Robinson. This shift in momentum ended up being big.
The Jaguars should feel good about heading into their BYE after winning their first victory of the season. While there’s still plenty left to do, it’s good to see their hard work pay off. Hopefully, many more wins will come in 2021.