Why the Jaguars’ Nightmare Season Shocked Them to Their Core

If you had told the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday morning that they would hold Justin Jefferson to less than 60 yards, beat Sam Darnold three different times, and fail to score a touchdown, the Jaguars would probably have expected a potential season-changing win.

Instead, the Jaguars suffered perhaps the most maddening and frustrating loss of the 2024 season.

This time, the Jaguars lost their third game in a row, losing 12-7 to the Minnesota Vikings. This was the third straight week the Jaguars lost by five points or less and the Jaguars’ sixth loss in a one-score game in 2024.

When the games came to a close, the inability to win haunted the Jaguars all season long. Now he has led the coaching staff and front office into disaster and shocked a team with only their bare-bones playoff expectations.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said afterward: “I never expected to be here. We had five or six games, they were one-score games. It’s tough. As a team, as coaches, we’re making it tough, very tough.” loss. “And kids are angry and they should be; they are angry and they should be because we all are. But we have to channel it in a positive way and prepare for another one.”

This time, the loss came as a result of the Jaguars’ anemic offense losing its star quarterback. Despite the Vikings giving the Jaguars chance after chance to take over the game, the Mac Jones-led offense faltered on all but one drive.

“It hurts. He’s having a hard time. I just told him this isn’t about one man. “This is a team deal and we couldn’t do enough around Mac offensively – and neither am I – listen, 11 players are needed.” Pederson mentioned Jones.

And for what felt like the first time this season, the Jaguars’ offense completely frustrated the defense. Normally, both sides would take turns. This time the Jaguars’ defense forced three turnovers for which the offense scored zero points.

“I feel like we lost a battle, a good fight, a good fight, but you want to come out on top. So how do I feel? I’m pretty upset. I’ve got to find a way to win these close games,” Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun said. .

“It’s the same message throughout the game, even when the game gets close, in low-scoring games, there are very few games that we don’t win that we need to win to help our team win. So, we have that to find throughout the game.”

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