JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Following a 28-point loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London last month, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen pulled together highlights of his team’s best plays covering the first five weeks of the season.
It was a reminder of Jacksonville’s prowess and potential.
He probably could have replayed it this week following the worst collapse in franchise history.
Instead, the Jaguars (5-4) will have to rely on their character, chemistry and resolve when they host the red-hot Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) on Sunday.
Jacksonville blew a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter at Houston, got outscored 26-0 in the final frame and flew home with a 36-29 loss that was more gut-wrenching than getting blown out across the pond.
“The message this week is about how you’re going to respond,” Jaguars running back Travis Etienne said. “Going through what we went through last week ... we’ve just got to find ways to finish.”
Coen spent extra time trying to make sure his players put the loss to the Texans behind them. It’s easier said than done considering how much it stung and how much damage it could do to the team’s playoff chances.
“It is part of us,” Coen said. “And we talked a lot about the soul of sport is team. Why do we want our kids to play sport? Because of the lessons that it does and provides you as people, as teammates, as men. And that connection is what’s going to get us over the hump in those moments.”
The Chargers don’t have the same issues. They have won three in a row and four of five, although this could be considered their toughest road test to date after playing at Las Vegas (2-7), the New York Giants (2-8), Miami (3-7) and Tennessee (1-8).
Coach Jim Harbaugh reminded everyone that Jacksonville, which has lost three of four, currently sits as the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs.
“A lot of good players. Really good schemes in all the phases,” Harbaugh said. “They look like they’re tough to beat, so that’s our challenge, that’s our task.”
The teams haven’t played since an epic wild-card game following the 2022 season. Trevor Lawrence rallied Jacksonville from a 27-0 deficit to win 31-30. It has been a fond memory for the Jaguars this week, especially coming off last week’s debacle against the Texans, and one the Chargers would prefer not to relive.
“It was a playoff game that we lost,” quarterback Justin Herbert said. “Not much more to it than that.”
Herbert didn’t want to get into what happened in the second half.
“We’ve had plenty of opportunities to talk about that game,” he said. “I think that’s two or three years in the past. We’ve moved on since then, and we’ve all learned from it, so we’re moving forward.”
Lawrence played some of his best football while digging out of that hole against the Chargers. He completed 23 of 29 passes for 246, with four touchdowns and no interceptions, and directed five consecutive scoring drives to close out the comeback.
But Lawrence has been mostly inconsistent in his first season in Coen’s scheme, a trend the Jaguars want to reverse. Coen asked Lawrence to “cut it loose” and “let it rip” when he has chances to get the ball downfield.
“Yes, we don’t want to turn the ball over. We want to turn it over on defense and we want to keep it on offense. But we can’t be thinking about that or trying to play to not make a mistake at all,” Coen said. “You don’t need to be (Michael) Jordan. Point guards, facilitators, distributors, that’s what we need and that’s what we talked about.”
Herbert was sacked five times last week against Pittsburgh and tweaked an ankle. The Chargers' offensive line has sustained season-ending injuries to Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater and Najee Harris — prompting the team to acquire New Orleans offensive tackle Trevor Penning at the trade deadline.
Penning did not play last week but could make his debut in Jacksonville. Harbaugh said he has done "a phenomenal job settling in, getting up to speed.”
“He’s a smart football player,” Harbaugh added.
Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker have been mostly ineffective for the Jaguars this season. The pass-rush duo has four sacks each, and neither made a play when needed against the Texans.
Coen suggested changes could be coming, potentially giving more snaps to Dennis Gardeck or rookies Danny Striggow and B.J Green.
“We've got to find a way to get better there,” defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said. “And I always put that on myself. You’re coordinating the unit. We’ve got to be better there.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
