JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — This was Trevor Lawrence at his finest, a franchise quarterback making plays with his arm and his legs.
Not even longtime teammate Travis Etienne could recall Lawrence playing at such a high level — in college or the pros.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Trev like this, and we won a national championship together,” said Etienne, who played alongside Lawrence at Clemson. “He’s on fire. You’ve seen it. ... The growth that I’ve seen from him is just unbelievable.”
Lawrence accounted for six touchdowns, including a career-high five passing, and the Jacksonville Jaguars overwhelmed the New York Jets from start to finish in a 48-20 drubbing Sunday that extended their winning streak to five.
Lawrence completed 20 of 32 passes for 330 yards and didn’t have a turnover for the third consecutive game. His passer rating of 136.7 was the best of his five-year NFL career.
“Definitely this is as confident as I’ve felt,” Lawrence said. “Just the feeling in our locker room and our team and our offense, it’s been fun. We’ve got to continue to build on that and not get complacent.
“There’s still a lot more ahead for us.”
Lawrence also ran for 51 yards and a score, a 15-yard scramble in the first quarter that helped set the tone. Lawrence rolled left, juked Will McDonald in the backfield and then scampered down the sideline.
Jacksonville (10-4) scored touchdowns on its first three possessions for the first time since 1998 and topped 40 points through three quarters for the first time since 2005. It was a drama-free day for the home team, which reached double-digit victories for just the second time in the last 18 seasons.
The Jets (3-11) allowed their most points since a 54-13 loss to New England in 2021 and prompted questions about coach Aaron Glenn taking over the defensive play calling from coordinator Steve Wilks.
“I brought Steve Wilks in for a reason, and I want him to run his system,” Glenn said. “We have three games left, three games left for our guys to go out there and play. Right now, It’s not about the X’s and O’s. Across the board, it’s about the character of the men on this team. And that’s what I’m evaluating.”
The Jaguars scored on the game’s opening possession, and then the Jets lost 6 yards on a fourth-and-1 play that gave Jacksonville a short field. So the Jets trailed 14-0 before picking up a first down.
It was the worst possible scenario for Brady Cook, who the team said was the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start for the Jets since Bill Demory in 1973. Cook managed a souvenir, but not much else in the loss.
He connected with Adonai Mitchell for a 9-yard TD pass in the first quarter. Mitchell retrieved the ball and gave it to Cook on the sideline. It was one of the few highlights for the Jets.
“We felt ready to win this game,” Cook said. “We all did. I did. Obviously, it’s disappointing.”
Cook completed 22 of 33 passes for 176 yards, with three interceptions. Breece Hall found little room against the NFL’s top rushing defense, finishing with 23 yards on 12 carries.
Mitchell finished with seven receptions for 69 yards.
Etienne was on the receiving end of three of Lawrence’s TD passes. His last came went 45 yards on a screen pass and ended with him performing a flip into the end zone.
“My hands have always been good,” Etienne said. “I feel like I’ve just been working in the shadows, catching balls and doing it in practice over and over again.”
Former Jaguars player ejected
Jets defensive lineman Khalen Saunders was ejected for making contact with an official during an extra point. Saunders, who spent the first two months of the season with Jacksonville before getting released in mid-November, got into a verbal exchange with several Jaguars offensive linemen and then started shoving everyone around him, including an official.
Key injuries
Jets: S Tony Adams (groin), S Isaiah Oliver (knee) and DL Eric Watts (concussion) were ruled out.
Jaguars: RB Bhayshul Tuten (finger) and DE Danny Striggow (ankle) left the game. Striggow was ruled out. ... Lawrence injured his right index finger in the first half and got it examined and taped on the sideline. Clearly, it wasn’t an issue.
Up next
Jets: play at New Orleans next Sunday.
Jaguars: play at Denver next Sunday.
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