O-Zone Late Night, Week 9: Eagles 28, Jaguars 23

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – This felt inevitable, but suddenly it wasn’t.

Jaguars lost to Philadelphia Eagles Sunday’s 28-23 result at Lincoln Financial Field was a bit strange and again very frustrating for a Jaguars team that continues to struggle while continuing to fall short at crucial moments.

This was a tough, tough game for the Jaguars, and they nearly overcame a sluggish, sluggish start for the second straight week. But for the second week in a row, a dramatic and at least courageous effort in the second half fell short.

The Jaguars faced first-and-10 at the Eagles 13 just after the two-minute warning, trailing 28-23, but quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s pass to D’Ernest Johnson, who ran into the end zone, was intercepted by linebacker Nakobe Dean.

That’s why the Jaguars are 2-7 with three losses in their last five games. The schedule won’t get any easier with the Minnesota Vikings playing at home, the Detroit Lions away and the Houston Texans playing at home in the coming weeks.

They’re all teams fighting each other, and the fight for the good guys seems like a long time ago. Sigh.

Andrew from Los Angeles, CA

So what happens now? Are we going to go through another rebuild? No one can bring a spark. I really like Head Coach Doug Pederson, but a change needs to be made.

There are eight games left in the 2024 regular season. The Jaguars are 2-7, so I’m not saying these questions aren’t fair. If the season continues like this, it’s hard to see changes being ignored in many areas. Such is the nature of the NFL. As for the specific nature of such change…that is the main topic for the next eight weeks. Stay tuned.

Is there time yet to get into the play-offs? Do you think they can win the rest of the season?

We have time to make it to the play-offs. I don’t think the Jaguars will “win” the rest of the season.

Haney from Little Elm, Texas

Hmm.. Just really. I don’t know. I don’t even know what question to ask right now.

It’s been a season like this. The Jaguars lost five games by five points or less, with all five losses decided in the final five minutes. This doesn’t mean they are good. Good teams win such matches. It makes this season weird, surprising, and oh-so-frustrating.

Jaguars doing Jaguars’ work. Who is Trammell?

Austin Trammell is a veteran wide receiver who was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday and returned to return punts on Sunday. He fumbled the first punt of the game, which led directly to the Eagles’ first touchdown – a 20-yard pass from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to running back Saquon Barkley. This was Trammell’s first regular season game for the Jaguars, which makes your question understandable and the outcome of the game unfortunate. The Jaguars really needed to get off to a fast start and not commit ridiculous turnovers on Sunday. It was a difficult way to start.

This team is fascinating. It’s like a contagious disease is running rampant in the locker room. Who will be next to make a game-changing mistake on this journey? So how will this happen? Now I watch the matches without passion but with a strange amusement. Interestingly enough, I feel like most of the Jags players look at every game the same way.

This is the NFL. Most games are close. The good guys with big players find a way to win enough to make it to the postseason. Bad teams find a way to be well below .500.

Alex, St. from Augustine, FL

Why doesn’t Montaric Brown start over Ronald Darby?

Because coaches believe Darby is better at corner right now.

Scott from Fernandina Beach, Florida

Imagine there would be a Jaguars team playing 4 quarters.

This is a fair thought and an extremely appropriate one. Slow starts have become an overriding, maddening trend that has defined the Jaguars’ season. The team has failed to score an offensive touchdown on the first drive in the last 14 games, and the offense managed just one first down in the first half on Sunday. The Jaguars played well, with fire and grit in the second half on Sunday. They did the same in last Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. However, it is difficult to beat opposing teams that are recovering from double-digit deficits. It just is.

We won a lot of coin tosses, so we did that for us.

This was the much-applauded, sometimes gravity-defying, rarely whispered First Email of the Game. The Jaguars appear to have won numerous coin tosses, and they won Sunday’s coin toss as well. Things went wrong a little too quickly after that, so it didn’t seem all that relevant. But the Jaguars are 2-7, so who am I to tell you what this is about?

St. Keith from St. Augustine, FL

A first down in the first half?

Jeff from Atlantic Beach, FL

Jaguars are really good at making simple things seem incredibly difficult.

This goes for losing teams.