Mac Jones and 3 more losers in the Jaguars pathetic Week 15 loss vs. the Jets

Like many other times this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars gave the New York Jets everything they could handle in Week 15 but ultimately came up short in spite of Brian Thoma's heroics. Late in the game, it looked like the Jags had a realistic chance to start a winning streak after beating the Tennessee Titans one game prior. However, the defense allowed All-Pro receiver Davante Adams to run amok, and Mac Jones proceeded to throw an interception that put an end to the team's comeback attempt.

Following the 32-25 loss, Pederson said that the outcome came down to the Jets making plays when they needed and Jacksonville failing to come through.

"He's a great receiver," the Jaguars head coach responded when asked what allowed Adams to break out in the second half of the game. "Aaron's a great quarterback, he's a Hall of Fame quarterback. So they made plays that we didn't make. That part's unfortunate, you know? I thought we did some good things, but again, it comes down to just a couple of plays that your season or your game or whatever. It could be a little bit different. But give credit, those are two good players."

For context, Davante Adams tallied 196 yards on nine receptions in the second half. He also caught a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.

Regarding Jones' picks in the game, head coach Doug Pederson has been pleased with what he's seen in Jones, pointing out that he must avoid forcing the ball and looking for easy completions when needed.

"I think both of them, he'd like to have back. Quite frankly, his location of the ball, where he threw him was not where he wanted them to be," Pederson responded when asked what his quarterback can do to cut down the number of interceptions moving forward. "And just sometimes in situations, just understand the situation too that you're in: End of the game is different than a third down, the middle of the game. Sometimes, just take what the defense gives you," Pederson continued.

"These are things that he can continue to improve, and we can show him as coaches and just sometimes put the ball in play. If we end up punting, we punt. And it's not a big deal. It's not the end of the day. But those are things that he can do. Take another step, obviously, but he played well yesterday. He played well. He played tough, some good scrambles in there, played physical, got a little chippy in there, which is good to see. But I think those two throws, he definitely wants back."

Leaving aside the ill-timed interceptions, Jones played a relatively solid game, going 31-of-46 for 294 yards with two touchdowns. As Pederson said, there's not much the former Alabama product can do but to keep improving. That said, there's no doubt that his turnovers, especially the one with the game on the line, turned out to be costly.

Then again, Jones wasn't the only Jaguar who failed to deliver against the Jets. With that in mind, here are other players and one coach who didn't show out.

Ryan Nielsen, defensive coordinator

That's right, Ryan Nielsen must shoulder most of the blame for the Jaguars' defensive meltdown in the second half. After all, his unit did a superb job of containing Davante Adams in the first half but allowed him to run amok in the second half. In fact, all his production came in the last two quarters, and the defensive coordinator is at fault.

In one of the plays, one that Adams took for 71 yards in the fourth quarter, he was being covered by linebacker Devin Lloyd with no safety help. That's a matchup that a premier receiver will win nine out of 10 times.

Not long after, Adams was uncovered and hauled in a reception for 41 yards.

The second play was surely miscommunication or something of that sort. But regardless of the reason, the Jaguars' defense wasn't able to adjust for Adams in the second half and that falls on Nielsen.

Tyson Campbell, cornerback

More often than not, Tyson Campbell has held his own and validated the team's decision to give him a four-year deal worth $76.5 million earlier this year. That said, he gave up a huge play when shadowing Davante Adams.

Campbell tried to jam Adams but failed. He then tried to catch up with the Jets receiver but was one step behind.

The silver lining is that the play was the exception and not the norm for Campbell this season. Either way, that's one he will surely want to have back.

Maason Smith, defensive tackle

After a couple of promising outings, Maason Smith took a step back against the Jets. Although he played 29 defensive snaps, he didn't register a single tackle. Sure, he was credited with two hurries, but the Jaguars gave Aaron Rodgers ample time to throw in the Week 15 loss.

One big reason was that they couldn't generate pressure on the interior, and given that Smith got ample playing time, it's fair to say that some of the burden falls on him. On the other hand, this is expected from rookies, who'll go through growing pains while getting acclimated to the NFL.

Even if they show promise, they're bound to take a step back every now and then. Smith is no different. He's certainly trending in the right direction after a slow start to the season.

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