The Jacksonville Jaguars kept demonstrating that they're one of the best teams in the league when they defeated the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. Sure, not having to face Lamar Jackson or Tyler Huntley — both of them suffered season-ending injuries — certainly made things easier, but the Jags still had to show up and play. They did.
Although Jacksonville had trouble stopping Derrick Henry early in the game, defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile eventually found a way to neutralize the Baltimore offense. Sure, Justice Hill's 65-yard touchdown run left a bit of a stain on an otherwise dominant showing. The silver lining is that the outcome of the score had already been decided, so it didn't matter much.
Then again, a 33-3 score would've looked much better. Heck, as good as the Jaguars were, they left many plays on the field, and the five players below could have played much better.
5 Jaguars whose stock is plummeting after the win vs. the Ravens on Thursday Night
Travis Hunter, the receiver
While Travis Hunter, the corner, erased his half of the field, his receiver counterpart had a fumble on Thursday Night. The good news is that it wasn't a costly mistake, and the Jacksonville defense managed to soften the blow. When you factor in that it was raining, the former Heisman Trophy winner gets a bit of a pass.
Then again, Hunter needs to do a better job of holding onto the football moving forward. He's never had fumble issues, though, so maybe this was likely an outlier.
Bhayshul Tuten, running back
Bhayshul Tuten has proven to be a more than capable replacement for Travis Etienne in his first season as RB1. However, he didn't have his best game against Baltimore, toting the rock 12 times for a measly 29 yards. It didn't help that he was dealing with an ankle injury and was a game-time decision.
Looking back, maybe the Jags should have rested Tut to ensure he's at full strength for Week 10.
Emmanuel Pregnon, offensive guard
Progress isn't linear, and rookies will always have growing pains as they make the transition to the NFL. Such is the case for first-year offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon, who's flashed potential but has also struggled at times this season.
Against the Ravens, Pregnon struggled to contain Calais Campbell and ultimately gave up two total pressures. While the former Oregon Duck more than held his own against the Mayor, he has room for growth.
Josh Hines-Allen, defensive end
On the one hand, Josh Hines-Allen led his team with three pressures against Baltimore. On the other hand, you should expect way more from someone who's supposed to be your best defensive player and a self-proclaimed Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Maybe if Hines-Allen were actually playing at an All-Pro level, there wouldn't be chatter about Jacksonville looking for pass-rush help. Maybe the former Kentucky Wildcat will turn the corner in the second half of the season, but thus far, he hasn't done much of note.
Brian Thomas Jr., wide receiver
The Jaguars have stated countless times that either Brian Thomas Jr. remains a part of the offense or that they expect him to make plays. However, their words don't match their actions. Just one game after the former LSU Tiger took a step in the right direction, scoring a 12-yard touchdown, he only logged 19 offensive snaps and had no targets in the win over Baltimore.
With the trade deadline looming, maybe the Jags will at last give up on Thomas. Then again, there's a chance that they'll keep him to avoid disrupting the locker-room chemistry.
But regardless of what Jacksonville ends up doing, it's clear that Thomas no longer has a role in Duval.
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