They made it more difficult than it should've been, but the Jacksonville Jaguars managed to trounce the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. Despite trailing 6-3 at halftime, they kept fighting and managed to come out on top. And that's definitely worth recognizing.
After all, the Jags could've just thrown in the towel. Nobody would've blamed. Trevor Lawrence was dealing with a cold, and Travis Hunter was placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury just days before the bout. But instead of feeling pity about themselves, Jacksonville kept its sights on the prize and is now 5-3.
It wasn't always pretty, but you don't get extra points for style. What matters is that the Jaguars narrow down the gap in the race for the AFC South crown after the Indianapolis Colts' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. And with this in mind, here are four critical observations for the morale-boosting 30-29 win against Las Vegas.
Trevor Lawrence pushed throw the illness and came through for the Jaguars
Just before the game, the Jaguars announced that Trevor Lawrence was dealing with a sickness, but it didn't prevent him from suiting up. It wasn't his best performance ever. Heck, the former Clemson Tiger struggled at times, but he did enough to help the Jaguars win. He was a solid 23-of-34 for 215 yards with one interception and two rushing touchdowns.
Then again, the issues that have prevented the Jaguars from winning showed up against the Raiders: Penalties, drops, and whatnot. Still, Lawrence did his part, and you could make the case that he would've been even better had he been 100 percent healthy.
The Jaguars were right to trust Cam Little
Even though Cam Little had four misses, head coach Liam Coen showed confidence in him, noting that they weren't planning to bring in competition in the midst of his struggles. Their trust paid off, as the sophomore kicker went on to nail all his attempts against the Raiders, including a record-breaking 68-yard kick. Later, with the game on the line, he came through with a 45-yard field goal.
It's hard to tell what Little was going through before the BYE, but it's clear that he's still the same player who brought stability at kicker in his rookie season.
The Jaguars showed that they need to run the ball more
Before the BYE, the Jaguars chose to put an emphasis on throwing the ball despite the fact that they had success toting the rock early in the season. They went back to the formula that worked, logging a combined 151 yards on 42 carries with three touchdowns.
Although the Jaguars failed to average 4.0 yards per carry, they did a good job of running the football. Both Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tunen were able to move the chains and keep drives alive in a game in which both teams struggled to put points on the scoreboard. If anything, the results should incentivize the coaching staff to put a renewed emphasis on pounding the football.
The Jaguars are still behind hindered by self-inflicted wounds (penalties, drops)
Had the Jaguars faced a more talented team, they might've lost. Again, a win is a win, but many of the issues that have surfaced throughout the year once again emerged in Week 9. Hunter Long had a crucial drop in the end zone. Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown also logged on each. Similarly, they had eight penalties for 72 yards.
As long as the Jaguars don't fix their penalty issue, they won't truly join the playoff conversation.