3 takeaways from the Jaguars win vs. the Jets on Thursday Night Football

After experiencing plenty of highs and lows this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars have built some consistency in recent weeks and are peaking at the right time. Following an electrifying win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15, they went into Metlife Stadium and disposed of the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football.

Although the weather didn’t make things easy for the Jags, their offense still found ways to move the ball. Similarly, the defense limited New York to just three points. The win wasn’t nearly as dominant as others Jacksonville has had this year but it showed they can come on top in less-than-optimal conditions and on the road. With that in mind, here are three takeaways from the Jaguars’ win over the Jets in Week 16.

 3. The Jaguars’ investments on offense paid off vs. the Jets

The Jags went into a spending spree in the offseason and made several important additions on the offensive side of the ball. They gave top-market contracts to wide receivers Zay Jones and Christian Kirk and also signed tight end Evan Engram to a one-year deal.

Trevor Lawrence now has a wide arsenal of weapons at his disposal. If opposing defenses try to zero in on Kirk, he can target Engram or Jones. Similarly, the surplus of weapons in the passing games makes it difficult for clubs to stack up the box, which in turn allows running back Travis Etienne to have success on the ground.

Against the Jets, Etienne tallied 83 yards on 22 carries and now has 1,000 rushing yards for the season. On the other hand, Engram hauled in seven receptions for 113 yards and is on the verge of breaking Kyle Brady’s franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end in a season.

Simply, the Jaguars’ offense is built to put points on the scoreboard, and their surplus of options in the passing game was on display against the Jets.

2. The Jaguars showed vs. the Jets they’re built to play in the postseason

Week 16 was the first time this year the Jaguars had to play in the elements and they passed the test with flying colors. Trevor Lawrence didn’t score as often as he did during previous weeks but he still managed to reach the end zone.

Also, the sophomore quarterback had no trouble moving the offense, spreading the ball to Evan Engram, Marvin Jones Jr., and even Dan Arnold. Running back Travis Etienne was also able to rack up a few big runs against a stout Jets front. The defense also had a pretty performance. Besides registering two turnovers, they limited New York to a measly three points.

Chris Streveler provided a momentary spark on offense but once the Jaguars’ offense adjusted, the Jets struggled again. New York went 2-of-13 on third downs and had a paltry 10 first downs. That’s the kind of performance you want from your defense in the playoffs when weather conditions play a role.

Sure, Jacksonville won’t play Zach Wilson every week but they showed in primetime they can travel to other sites and adjust to the conditions, which is precisely what they’ll probably need to do if they qualify for the postseason.

1. The Jaguars lost DE Dawuane Smoot vs. the Jets

For the second straight week, the Jags have lost an important member of the team. Against the Cowboys, it was left tackle Cam Robinson and defensive end Dawuane Smoot left Thursday Night with a foot injury. Head coach Doug Pederson told the media Smoot was going to undergo an MRI and didn’t want to make any early announcements.

However, Smoot confirmed on social media that he indeed tore his Achilles and is out for the year.

A third-round pick by the Jaguars in the 2017 draft, Smoot was one of the longest-tenured players on the roster. This season, he appeared in 15 games and had 21 total tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. The former Fighting Illini is set to become a free agent next offseason, so his injury couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Smoot has been low-key an important contributor upfront. The silver lining is that the Jags will most probably get reinforcements against the Houston Texans in Week 17. Outside linebacker Travon Walker and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, who didn’t suit up on Thursday Night Football, will most likely be available for the division matchup.

It’s never a good thing when a player has to miss an extended period of time but Jaguars should be able to overcome Smoot’s season-ending injury.