The Jaguars started the season with an impressive first half in Miami. The next three halves have looked like a team playing together for the first time.
Once again on Sunday, the Jaguars failed to move the ball consistently, didn’t protect QB Trevor Lawrence, struggled to run the ball and dropped passes. Lawrence missed on passes to several open receivers.
The defense gave up a long drive to start the game but ultimately held Cleveland to 18 points (two of which came on a safety).
On the Browns’ first possession, Cleveland drove 89 yards in 16 plays for a touchdown. The drive took 9:14 off the first-quarter clock. The Jaguars aided the drive with a roughing-the-passer call on Devin Lloyd that negated a third-down stop. Browns’ quarterback DeShaun Watson scored a one-yard rushing touchdown two plays later to give Cleveland a 7-0 lead.
The Jaguars followed with a three-and-out. Trevor Lawrence misfired on two passes intended for Gabe Davis on the drive. One was knocked down, the other too high.
By the end of the first quarter, the Jaguars had been outgained 114 yards to 15. By halftime it was 195-81.
When the rain began falling in the second quarter, fans sought shelter from the precipitation and the Jaguars’ poor play. As the team went to the halftime locker room, some fans were booing.
It was, in short, a terrible half of football.
The second half didn’t start much better. The Jaguars drove to within field goal range in the third quarter, but rookie kicker Cam Little’s attempt hit the right upright.
Then a spark.
With just under 2:20 to play in the third quarter, Lawrence connected with rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. on a 66-yard completion to the Browns’ 5-yard line. Jacksonville scored two plays later on a Travis Etienne 4-yard touchdown run that brought the Jaguars to within six points: 16-10.
On the ensuring Browns’ possession, Foye Oluokun sacked Watson on the final play of the third quarter, leading to a Cleveland punt.
Cam Little scored a field goal in the fourth quarter, bringing to Jags to trail 16-13. After forcing another Browns punt, the Jaguars began a drive from their 2-yard line.
On the first play, Lawrence was sacked in the endzone for a safety.
The defense again gave the Jaguars a shot, forcing a punt with 1:27 left. The Jaguars took over on their 10-yard line, needing to go 90 yards for the win.
With the rain falling once again, the Jaguars moved to within striking distance at the Browns’ 33-yard line. But with eight seconds left, Lawrence’s heave to the endzone fell incomplete.
An 0-2 start to the season.
What now for the Jaguars?
The team must play road games in the next two weeks: a Monday Night Football matchup with the Bills followed by a short week of preparation before heading to Houston to face the Texans. An 0-4 start is very much a possibility. Only one team in NFL history started 0-4 and made the playoffs. That came in 1992 when the San Diego Chargers made history.
If the Jaguars don’t figure out the issues with the offense, it will be a long September.