Jaguars Week 14 game balls: Offense and defense come through

There’s no such thing as an ugly win. After all, does it really matter whether you beat a team by one point or 50? Having said that, the Jacksonville Jaguars struggled to win many games in previous years but they managed to muster five in 2022 and arguably all of them have been fun to watch.

The one against the Baltimore Ravens marked the arrival of Trevor Lawrence and it was entertaining to see them dismantling the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3. However, you could make the case that beating the Tennessee Titans in Week 14 has been their highest point of the year.

Both the offense and the defense did their part and didn’t let a wounded Titans team come back from behind. Similarly, the Jags weren’t fazed when they were down 14-7. Instead, they fought back and didn’t let go off the foot pedal. With that in mind, here are three players on offense and three on defense that made this win possible.

Jaguars ball games following their dominant win vs. the Titans in Week 14

Trevor Lawrence, quarterback

Trevor Lawrence has made headlines several times this season and he’ll get the spotlight once again following a day in which he threw for a career high 368 and scored four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing). The former Clemson Tiger also posted a Pro Football Focus grade of 92.6, also a career best.

It’s fair to say that Lawrence is living up to his draft billing and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him pop up in the top 10 of most quarterback rankings following a productive five-game stretch.

Travon Walker, edge rusher

Outside linebacker had a strong start to his rookie campaign, logging an interception and a sack in the opener. However, he hadn’t hard nearly as much impact for most of the season until Week 14, when he had arguably his best game as a pro. The former Georgia Bulldog forced a fumble and posted his highest pass-rush win rate of the year.

One of the reasons Walker was so dominant against Tennesse is that he played most of the game in a three-point stance after lining up in a standup position for most of the season. Moving forward, the coaching staff needs to consider letting him play with his hand on the ground.

Evan Engram, tight end

Here’s another Jaguar who had an oustanding outing against Tennessee. Tight end Evan Engram set a career high for yards in a single-game with 162, which is also the single-game record for receiving yards by a tight end in franchise history.

Before Week 14, Engram hadn’t had a 100-yard game in 2022. Against the Titans, he showed how dominant he can be when he’s on a roll.

Tyson Campbell, cornerback

Cornerback Tyson Campbell has had a promising sophomore campaign and he had shutdown performance against the Titans, registering three passess defended on three targets. Not only did he not allow a single reception but he also made a play whenever he was targeted.

Not surprisingly, Campbell posted a PFF overall grade of 90.1 in Week 14, his second-highest in 2022. He’s without a doubt the best cornerback the Jaguars have had since Jalen Ramsey.

Zay Jones, wide receiver

You could argue that wide receiver Zay Jones’ eight receptions for 77 yards with one touchdown against Tennessee aren’t that impressive but he deserves praise for bouncing back from his worst game as a Jaguar.

Against Detroit, Jones caught two receptions for 16 yards on seven targets but he didn’t let it get to his head and focused on bouncing back, which is what he did against the Titans. Moreover, he set a career high for yards in a season with 658. His previous high came in 2018 with the Buffalo Bills.

Shaquille Quartermarn, linebacker

The Jaguars’ defense had an outstanding outing against Tennessee and it’s hard to choose just a handful. However, linebacker Shaquille Quarterman gets the nod because of the hit he laid on running back Derrick Henry.

Quarterman has mostly played special teams this season but when he was called upon, he delivered and was responsible for one of the best highlights of the game.