Quick Thoughts on Jaguars 2024 Week 9 Loss to Eagles

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars’ 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2024 Week 9 game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., Sunday

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…

1. More fight, same result. Jaguars center Mitch Morse said it best late Sunday when he called the recent weeks a “broken record.” He was right, and he might have added that it’s a frustrating broken record following a fifth loss this season by five points or less. Credit the Jaguars for this: You can forget that storyline from a few weeks ago that this team lacks heart or fight – or that there’s “a lot of quit” in this team. The Jaguars in the last two weeks have rallied in dramatic, resilient fashion and nearly upset two NFC postseason contenders. Yes, they did it in a weird way on Sunday – rallying to have a chance to win late after registering just one first-half first down with the help of a strange fumble return for a touchdown by defensive end Travon Walker. But the bottom line was that the Jaguars had a very real chance for one of the more memorable victories in franchise history Sunday until Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean intercepted Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the end zone with 1:38 remaining. The good news for the Jaguars is there’s no issue with heart or desire. The bad news, of course, makes the good news not really matter – and that’s that at 2-7, the playoffs are all-but over and the season is as disappointing as any Jaguars season in recent memory.
2. Can’t do that. You figured the Jaguars needed a fast start against a good Eagles team Sunday – and that they needed to protect the ball. The hopes in those areas faded early in a first half in which the Jaguars again made key mistakes at key times. First, punt returner Austin Trammell – elevated from the practice squad Saturday – fumbled on his first regular-season play with the organization, a turnover that came before the offense ever ran a play and that led directly to a 20-yard touchdown pass from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to running back Saquon Barkley. Later in the half, after an impressive first-half defensive effort, Lawrence’s pass was bobbled into the air by running back Travis Etienne Jr. and linebacker Zack Baun intercepted at the Jaguars 40. Barkley’s 19-yard run on a third-and-17 draw play pushed the Eagles’ lead to 16-0 at halftime. The Jaguars must somehow start faster and stop hurting themselves early. If they don’t, the frustrations of recent weeks will continue.