Brian Thomas Jr. among Jaguars studs overshadowed in Week 8 excruciating loss

The Jacksonville Jaguars can breathe a sigh of relief after finding out that the injury wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. suffered in the disappointing Week 8 loss to the Green Bay Packers wasn't as serious as they originally believed. Expected to potentially miss two to four weeks, the rookie sensation is game-to-day. This is great news for the Jags when you take into account that they also lost wide receiver Christian Kirk to a collarbone fracture.

Whereas Parker Washington can step in Kirk's place, nobody on the roster can replicate the element of verticality Thomas brings to the offense, so Jacksonville is likely thrilled he won't miss much time, if any.

Against the Packers, Thomas hauled in three receptions for 60 yards with one touchdown, one that helped Jacksonville draw within 17-13 to the Packers.

On top of that, Thomas was the highest-graded Jaguar in Week 8, posting a Pro Football Focus overall score of 88.1.

Granted, it's not a given that Thomas will play against the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Jaguars will need him with Kirk out for the year. Going back to Week 8, here are a handful of players aside from the rookie wideout that showed out against Green Bay. These four come to mind.

Logan Cooke, punter

It's not often that you see punters get the spotlight, but Logan Cooke most definitely turned heads in Week 8 with a nearly flawless outing. In total, the former Mississippi State Bulldog punted five times. Of those, only one was fewer than 60 yards, and one of them cleared 73 yards.

Basically, Cooke flipped the field position from one side to the field to the other. On a day in which mistakes were rampant, he deserves ample praise.

Jarrian Jones, cornerback

The defense had no answer for Jordan Love, which is frustrating when you take into account that he wasn't at 100 percent. Even though his mobility was limited, the Jaguars couldn't get to him. Even worse, Malik Willis filled in for him for a few plays and also had no trouble moving the football.

Having said that, you cannot blame Jarrian Jones for Jacksonville's inability to contain Love. The rookie cornerback allowed just two passes on four targets for a total of 16 yards. On top of that, he registered an interception. That's the kind of performance the Jags expected when they drafted him 96th overall earlier this year.

It hasn't always been perfect, but Jones has done enough to deserve more playing time moving forward.

Evan Engram, tight end

Evan Engram suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to sit out for games. As soon as he was back on the field, he reminded everyone how much of a difference-maker he is. The past three games, the former Ole Miss Rebel hauled in 19 passes for 173 yards. Four of those came in Week 8, and one of them took place in the clutch.

Trailing 27-20, the Jaguars put together an eight-play, 87-yard drive to tie the game. Engram capped it off with a 14-yard touchdown grab that he reeled in while surrounded by Packers defenders.

Tank Bigsby, running back

Tank Bigsby's bounce-back season continued against the Packers. The former Auburn Tiger toted the rock 18 carries for 78 yards. It wasn't as impressive as some of his other outings in 2024, but he was productive nonetheless, often churning out yards when the Jags needed him.

Bigsby even caught a few passes, so maybe he or the coaching staff are B&T avid readers. Either way, it was encouraging to see him getting involved even more on the offense

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