The Jacksonville Jaguars lost Trevor Lawrence to an ankle sprain on Monday Night Football. But even without Lawrence, they could've gotten the job done. But they didn't, allowing the Cincinnati Bengals to take the game to overtime and pull off the upset.
Looking back, the Jags let this one get out of hand quickly. They managed to score on their first drive but Cincy was able to keep up with them. By halftime, the game was tied 14-14. Jacksonville was briefly able to get ahead on the scoreboard in the second half but the Bengals had no trouble keeping up with them.
Simply, the Jaguars couldn't handle what was supposed to be an "easy opponent." Their defense couldn't stop the Bengals' running game, allowing 150 rushing yards. Similarly, they made journeyman Jake Browning look like a Pro Bowl quarterback, giving up 354 passing yards with one touchdown.
This was a team loss and several players played a role. Here are five who stood out, and not for good reasons.
Jaguars duds from the loss to the Bengals:
No. 5: Tyson Campbell, CB
Tyson Campbell returned to the lineup after missing the past two games. He wasn't great, giving up a long touchdown to wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. But even if you leave aside Chase's 76-yard touchdown catch, he would still have finished the game with 10 receptions for 73 yards.
Not all was on Campbell, but it's fair to say that he struggled in his first game back from injury, giving up five catches on seven targets for 135 yards. To make matters worse, the former Georgia Bulldog left the game with a quad injury and is currently day-to-day.
No. 4: Rayshawn Jenkins, S
The Jaguars' defense will surely like to skip the film session of the loss to Cincy. They couldn't stop Jake Browning. They let Joe Mixon and a running game that ranked 32nd in the league, amass 150 yards. Looking back, the group lacked discipline and that was in full display in their inability to wrap up tackles.
Tell me the #NFL isn’t rigged #Jags #Bengals pic.twitter.com/frZTUDqIaz
— Walden Berry (@BerryWalden) December 5, 2023
Safety Rayshawn Jenkins exemplified those issues by missing a crucial tackle. He also gave up two receptions on two targets in coverage. Mind you, Jenkins wasn't the only Jaguar who missed tackles but he certainly didn't have a good game.
No. 3: Brandon McManus, K
After failing a pair of field goals in Week 3, Brandon McManus went seventh straight games without a miss. However, his streak ended against the Tennessee Titans, going 3-of-4 in his attempts. The one he missed was from behind the 50-yard line, so you may argue that he deserves a bit of a pass.
On the other hand, it's hard to justify McManus' failed kick against the Cincinnati Bengals under 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. At the time, the game was tied 28-28, and nailing his field goal would've changed the Bengals' strategy. They went on to score, and make it 31-28. McManus made his next attempt, but he had a chance to put Jacksonville on top with the game on the line and didn't.
No. 2 Anton Harrison, RT
All things considered, right tackle Anton Harrison had a solid outing, giving up just two total pressures but no sacks. However, he committed a holding penalty that negated a long completion to wide receiver Calvin Ridley that would've put the Jags on the Bengals' two-yard line.
Harrison's holding wasn't egregious but it was a holding nonetheless. Given that this type of penalty has been called arbitrarily, he needs to put himself in a better position not to get flagged moving forward.
No. 1: Calvin Ridley, WR
Speaking of Calvin Ridley, he had a crucial drop in the second quarter. At the time, the Jags were 14-14 and scoring a touchdown before the half would've been huge. Trevor Lawrence couldn't secure a snap, and briefly dropped the ball. He managed to pick it up and find Ridley wide open.
However, Ridley couldn't come down with the catch. On a day in which Jacksonville could've won had a few plays gone their way, the drop was discouraging.
Jaguars studs from the loss to the Bengals:
No. 3 Trevor Lawrence, QB
Not everything was doom and gloom in the loss to the Bengals. In fact, the offense generally had no trouble moving the ball. Reaching the end zone on the other hand, was a tad more difficult but this wasn't by any means a bad showing by Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the offense.
Heck, before Steezy Trev left the game, he was on pace to record season bests for QB rating(125.4), the highest adjusted yards per attempt (10.28), net adjusted yards per attempt (9.16), and touchdown percentage rate of the year (6.9), h/t: John Shipley of Sports Illustrated.
Before Trevor Lawrence was injured yesterday, he was on track to post his highest QB Rating (125.4), adjusted yards per attempt (10.28), net adjusted yards per attempt (9.16), and touchdown % (6.9%) of the season.
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) December 5, 2023
He was on his way to a terrific performance.
No. 2: Josh Allen, OLB
Outside linebacker Josh Allen will probably tell you that he should've done more to help the Jaguars win but the truth is that there's not much else he couldn't done. On a day in which the defense forgot how to tackle, the former Kentucky Wildcat wreaked havoc in the trenches, registering 1.5 sacks, two tackles for a loss, one pass defensed, and one interception.
While the Jaguars may have trouble finishing the season strong, Josh Allen continues to solidify his case for Defensive Player of the Year honors.
No. 1: Parker Washington, WR
Losing Christian Kirk after he made a 26-yard catch on the Jaguars' first drive of the game could've been a huge blow. However, rookie Parker Washinton made sure that wasn't the case. Stepping in for Kirk, the Penn State product hauled in six receptions for 61 yards and one touchdown.
What makes Washington's performance more impressive is that this was the first time he had playing time on offense this season. He was a healthy scratch the first three games. He then spent time on Injured Reserve. and when he returned, he was mostly relegated to returning punts. Props to Washington for making the most of his chances.