Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars struggled at times, they managed to repel the Arizona Cardinals. There were several moments throughout the game that made you think that the Jags were going to lose but ultimately did enough to win 27-24.
While there were several reasons why Jacksonville came out on top, one that cannot be overlooked was the return of Brenton Strange. The third-year tight end is a mainstay of the offense but missed the past five games with a hip injury. The Jags activated him one day before the game, and his skill set turned out to be invaluable.
Brenton Strange came through for the Jaguars in Week 12
Before the hip injury, Brenton Strange led the Jags with 20 receptions for 210 yards. He picked up where he left off against Arizona, hauling in a team-best five receptions for 93 yards. If that wasn't enough, the former Penn State Nittany Lion played a key role as a blocker, posting a Pro Football Focus grade of 65.4 in that area.
Granted, Strange whiffed a block (in Trevor Lawrence's fumble), but otherwise made enough plays to help the Jaguars win. He had his 21-day window to practice open after Week 10, but it wasn't until one day before the Cardinals game that he was activated from IR.
A second-round pick in 2023, Strange was a non-factor as a rookie. However, he saw an uptick in playing time last year when Evan Engram got hurt and made him expendable.
The Jaguars are hyped up to have Brenton Strange back
The trio of Johnny Mundt, Hunter Long, and Quintin Morris held fort during Brenton Strange's absence, but there's no doubt that the offense works better when he's in the lineup. Trevor Lawrence, for his part, was thrilled to have him back in the fold, pointing out that he made an impact right off the bat.
"Obviously, you see the big plays he made, and just having him out there, missed having him out there," Lawrence told reporters after the game about Strange's return (3:16 mark). "I know he's happy to be back, so he said that locker room, but it's huge having him back, and we'll keep building on it. Obviously, it's the first week, but you see the impact he made. And just keep continuing to get better, all of us."
Brenton Strange returned at a time when the Jaguars are trying to catch up with the Indianapolis Colts and make a playoff push. You could make the case that he couldn't have come back at a better time.