Struggling Jaguars lose 2 prominent defenders to injury vs. Bears

When it pours it rains for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After a promising start in their Week 6 against the Chicago Bears, things have gone south. To make matters worse, they've lost two prominent players on defense to injury early in the second half.

The Jags got off to a strong start to the third quarter. Running back TankBigsby had a nice return but tight end Evan Engram lost a fumble just a few plays later. The defense left the field, and the game had to be paused because cornerback Jarrian Jones and defensive back Darnell Savage were checked by the medical staff. Both of them were evaluated for concussions, per the team's official PR account on Twitter.

Later, the Jaguars' PR account noted that Jones was cleared to return to the game.

On a related note, Travis Etienne suffered a hamstring injury and is questionable to return.

Earlier this season, Savage missed three games while he nursed a hamstring injury. He returned for the Week 5 win over the Indianapolis Colts. A former first-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2019, the former Maryland Terrapin signed with the Jags in free agency.

Jones, a third-round pick in this year's draft, has gotten considerable playing time this season. The first five games, he played in 41 percent of the team's total snaps and subbed in for Savage while he was out.

So far, the Jaguars offense has had trouble stopping the Bears. While they forced them to punt on their first offensive possession, they had barely pressured Caleb Williams. While safety Andre Cisco picked off the rookie quarterback, he also gave up a touchdown and missed several tackles.

The Jaguars are putting a great opportunity to waste vs. the Bears

There's no such thing as an easy game in the NFL, but the Jaguars had a favorable chance to earn their second win of the season in Week 6, but it's quickly slipping through their fingers. A 1.5-point favorite ahead of the game, they've been plagued by self-inflicted wounds. Wide receiver Gabe Davis drew a penalty flag and later dropped a would-be touchdown in the first quarter. As noted before, Evan Engram also had a fumble.

Trailing 21-3 in the third quarter, Davis sort of redeemed himself by catching a touchdown to make it 21-10. Jacksonville still has time to turn things around, but they must cut down on the mistakes, and play like they did against the Indianapolis Colts. If they do, they could take another step in the right direction.

Conversely, a loss against the Bears would decrease the Jaguars' chances of potentially turning the season around. It would also bring the spotlight back to head coach Doug Pederson, who must not be feeling great about his chances of remaining in place in 2025.

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