On a rainy, windy Thursday night, Trevor Lawrence scored a touchdown, and the Jacksonville Jaguars extended their march into the playoffs with their third consecutive victory, 19-3 over Zach Wilson and the New York Jets.
The second battle between the first two draught picks from the previous year, Lawrence at No. 1 and Wilson at No. 2, was not even close.
Lawrence completed 20 of 31 passes for 229 yards and ran seven times for 51 yards and a touchdown for the Jaguars (7-8), who moved within a half-game of Tennessee in the AFC South. Jacksonville would win the division if it won its remaining two games, including the season finale against Tennessee.
While Lawrence ripped through the Jets’ normally stout defense, Wilson struggled and was frequently jeered to the bench. Late in the third quarter, Chris Streveler, who was promoted from the practice squad before the game, replaced Wilson.
Wilson completed 9 of 18 passes for 82 yards with an interception and a terrible 41.9 rating for the Jets (7-8), whose postseason aspirations were severely damaged by their fourth consecutive loss. This is the worst losing streak under coach Robert Saleh’s second season.
And it occurred in their home finale of the regular season, in front of a national television audience.
Wilson, who returned from a three-game benching last Sunday instead of an injured Mike White, was unable to make plays and received little protection from his offensive line.
Wilson responded, “It’s tough,” when questioned about the booing. “I do not fault them. They come to see us score touchdowns, as they are an ardent fan base. We’re not scoring touchdowns, gaining first downs, moving the ball, and throwing the ball, so it’s clear that we’re struggling. They will be frustrated.”
On the Jaguars’ third play from scrimmage, Quinnen Williams strip-sacked Lawrence, which was a positive start for the Jets. Carl Lawson recovered to get New York within 16 points of Jacksonville. It was Williams’s career-high 12th sack and Lawrence’s NFL-leading eighth lost fumble.
Greg Zuerlein kicked a 37-yard field goal for the Jets on third down after Andre Cisco sacked quarterback Russell Wilson on a safety blitz on third down.
Jacksonville’s second possession ended with a 32-yard field goal by Riley Patterson.
Early in the second quarter, Lawrence leaped over the pile to score the game-winning touchdown from one yard out, capping off an incredible 16-play, 96-yard drive. The Jaguars faced only one-third down during the drive, which led to Lawrence’s touchdown. It was the first touchdown drive of at least 95 yards for Jacksonville since 2018.
Patterson’s 45-yard field goal with 2:55 remaining in the first half increased the Jaguars’ advantage to 13-3.
In the first half, the Jets had only 66 yards of offense and three first downs. When Wilson’s Hail Mary pass was intercepted by Devin Lloyd shortly before halftime, the poncho-clad crowd let Wilson and the Giants have it.
Wilson was again booed when he sprinted onto the field with the offense midway through the third quarter, following Patterson’s 41-yard gain. The Jets immediately substituted Streveler for a quarterback, and the fans went berserk. And eventually, New York’s attack found a brief spark.
After his 30-yard pass that CJ Uzomah caught for a first down, there were shouts. The fans enjoyed Streveler’s runs of 14, 10, and 8 yards in succession before he was stopped for a loss of two yards. Streveler completed a four-yard pass to Garrett Wilson on fourth-and-4, advancing the Jets to the Jaguars 13-yard line.
However, the drive halted when his pass to Wilson sailed over Wilson’s head, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Streveler, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 90 yards and led the Jets to three fourth-quarter comeback victories in the preseason, became a fan favorite during the summer. During the 2019 season, he also led the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a Grey Cup triumph, but he was unable to provide a victory for the Jets in this game.
Lawrence, who lost to Wilson and the Jets by a score of 26-21 last season, and the Jaguars kept control.
