The Jacksonville Jaguars were a 3.5-point underdog ahead of their Week 2 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, they have enough pieces to potentially pull off the upset and start 2-0. And for a brief moment in the game, it looked like the Jags were going to come out on top. Unfortunately, they came up short in the end because of self-inflicted wounds.
Make no mistake, there were several reasons for optimism in the 31-27 loss to Cincy. On the other hand, Jacksonville couldn't seal the deal because of several individual performances.
This begs the question: Dating back to Week 1, which Jaguars have seen their stock plummet the most? Here are the three that come to mind.
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars quarterback
"Not great, not terrible" would be the best way to catalog Trevor Lawrence's performance to start the 2025 season. Then again, you want more from a franchise quarterback, which is what No. 16 is being paid to be.
This is certainly disappointing as the team's brass has done everything it can to surround Lawrence with talent. Yet, he's been hot and cold the past two games. There's a chance that he'll hit his stride as the season progresses, but it's fair to say that he's left plenty to be desired.
Had the former Clemson Tiger been a bit more accurate against the Bengals, there's a chance the Jaguars would've won their second game in a row. So for at least another game, there will continue to be questions about whether he's the long-term answer behind center in Jacksonville.
Then again, it would've also helped if his receivers had actually made an effort to catch his passes. Speaking of...
Jarrian Jones, Jaguars cornerback
Jarrian Jones flashed as a rookie, so it was reasonable to assume that he would make strides in 2025. So far, it's been the opposite. The former Florida Seminole struggled against first-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan and ultimately gave up three passes for 33 yards on five targets.
Now, everybody can have a bad game, but Jones once again had a poor performance against the Bengals, giving up four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. If he doesn't bounce back, don't be shocked if Travis Hunter supplants him as the starter.
Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars wide receiver
Players' readiness is variable coming out of the draft, but Brian Thomas Jr. proved to be a playmaker as a rookie despite the fact that he was the fourth receiver off the board. Following a jaw-dropping rookie campaign, he was rightly expected to take a massive leap and join Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson in the upper echelon of wide receivers. So far, the former LSU Tiger has failed to live up to the hype.
Heck, Thomas has been overshadowed by fellow receivers Parker Washington and Dyami Brown. Both of them have quietly come through when called upon, which, in turn, puts the spotlight on Thomas.
Sure, it's two games into the season, but the sophomore wideout has been unremarkable, registering just 60 yards on five receptions. This wouldn't be an issue if Trevor Lawrence didn't look for him, but that's not the case. He's targeted Thomas a head-turning 19 times in two games. Nevertheless, he doesn't have much to show for it.
Perhaps Thomas will get back at some point of 2025, and make everyone who currently doubts him look silly. After all, it's still early. That said, the Jaguars' brass must be feeling fidgety about his lack of impact.