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The defense fails, Trevor Lawrence's problems persist

The defense fails, Trevor Lawrence's problems persist

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Times-Union sports columnist Gene Frenette evaluates the Jacksonville Jaguars' performance in their 30-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at EverBank Stadium based on effort, execution and game circumstances.

Attack – C-plus

Another slow start put the Jaguars in a 10-point hole for the second straight game. Green Bay turned a Trevor Lawrence interception into its only touchdown of the first half, while the Jaguars waited until 5:26 left in the second quarter to get their first first down. Although top receivers Christian Kirk, Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis were sidelined with injuries during various parts of the game, the offense tied the score late in the fourth quarter, thanks in no small part to tight end Brenton Strange, who made the four Caught passes for 52 yards on the final two series. A 33-yard pass to Kirk sparked the Jaguars' first TD drive of the second quarter, and Lawrence (21 of 32, 308 yards, 2 TDs, 104.7 rating) needed just 51 seconds to make a quick three before halftime Scoring perfect sideline throws of 23 yards for Parker Washington and 28 yards for Thomas. But two crucial mistakes in the fourth quarter proved to be fatal blows. Lawrence, who has had problems with ball security in recent years, had the ball poked out by linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, leading to a Packers recovery that included a 3-yard TD pass from Malik Willis to Tucker Kraft for a 27-17 -Lead with 14 prepared: 06 left. The Jaguars later had a promising drive, but a third-down snap from up the middle went past tight end Josiah Deguara who was on the move, forcing them to settle for a 47-yard field goal from Cam Little admit. With so many weapons missing, it was a valiant effort by Lawrence to drive 87 yards for the game-winning touchdown, capped by Evan Engram's brilliant leap and 19-yard catch between two defenders. But the Jaguars, who shot 1 of 9 in the third, can't wait until midway through the second quarter to match such a potent offense.

Defense – F

After playing seven games with just one interception, nickelback Jarrian Jones picked off Jordan Love in time by cutting in front of Romeo Doubs at the Jaguars' 6, denying the Packers a chance in the red zone. Green Bay racked up 231 yards in the first half but converted just one of four red zone chances into touchdowns. The Packers had to settle for two field goals from former Jaguar Brandon McManus, the first time because of an illegal shift penalty and the next when Tyler Lacy pressured Love so hard that he couldn't throw a pass to a wide-open Bo Melton could get near the end zone. Unfortunately, even though the Packers played almost the entire second half without starting QB Jordan Love, a scolded defense by Ryan Nielsen couldn't prevent Green Bay's backup Willis from winning the game. He completed 4 of 5 passes for 56 yards, his only incompletion being a drop by a wide-open Doubs. Running back Josh Jacobs shredded the defense for 127 rushing yards, including a 38-yard TD that saw both linebacker Ventrell Miller and cornerback De'Antre Prince miss tackles. The Packers converted just 3 of 11 third downs, but the Jaguars allowed 422 yards and too many damaging big plays ultimately proved costly.

Special Teams – B

The Jaguars' most underrated weapon, punter Logan Cooke, played a big role in winning the field battle in the first half. He managed a career 73-yard punt that went out of bounds at the Green Bay 2, surpassing his previous mark of 72 yards against the Washington Commanders in December 2018. He also forced a fair catch at the Packers' 8, but The Jaguars couldn't take advantage of the position. Cooke's five punts averaged 59.5 yards. Cam Little, who had just one miss all season, hit field goals of 39 and 47 yards. Parker Washington couldn't provide a similar spark after a 96-yard punt return TD last week against New England, as his longest return came 30 yards from a kick. His two punt returns only netted him 17 yards.

Coaching – C-minus

Once again, it's becoming a hallmark of a Doug Pederson team that they can sometimes make big plays, but rarely in game-winning moments. Aside from Engram's spectacular 19-yard catch for the game-winning touchdown, the Jaguars simply wait too long to capitalize on any momentum and then often find themselves in trouble trying to get back into the game. Whether it was Lawrence's brutal fumble or defensive lineman Andre Cisco cramping and falling to the ground after Jayden Reed's 51-yard catch to set up the game-winning field goal, the Jaguars have become completely unreliable in key moments. Like it or not, this impacts Pederson and the coaching staff. Admittedly, it was impactful that Kirk, Davis and Thomas were unavailable in the fourth quarter, but there's nothing these playmakers can do to help a vicious defense. This is still a team that is struggling to get itself out of the way.

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