Jaguars porous defense and mental errors leads to collapse vs. Lions

For the first time this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars looked eerily similar to the team that dubiously earned the No. 1 overall draft pick in back-to-back seasons (2020-2021). Coming off an encouraging win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12, they collapsed and lost 40-14 to the Detroit Lions Sunday.

In the two seasons prior to 2022, the Jaguars were known for not only having inferior talent but also for constantly shooting themselves in the foot with countless penalties, dropped passes, nagging turnovers, and an overall lack of mental fortitude.

The Jaguars’ defense went dormant vs. the Lions in Week 13

Against the Lions, the defense was outplayed from beginning to end. They simply could not slow down Lions quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon Ra St. Brown. The Detroit offense constantly created separation from Jaguars defenders and consistently made big plays with ease.

The Jaguars simply could not stop the pass or the run. Goff completed 31 of 41 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns while St. Brown hauled in 11 receptions for 111 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

When the smoke cleared and the game was mercifully over, the Jags’ defense gave up a total of 40 points and 434 total yards to an undeniably elite offense led by Goff and company.

Of course, you don’t lose a game by more than 20 points unless several things go wrong. Sure, the Jaguars’ defense played poorly but that’s not the sole reason the Lions won by such a wide margin. With that in mind, here are other observations from the embarrassing loss.