By Jeff Moeller, Florida Spors Wire
JACKSONVILLE – About 4:30 Sunday afternoon, you could feel the confidence being sucked out of the Jaguars and their fans from a devastating defeat to the Packers.
In some ways, it was a microcosm of their season. It began as a season that was billed as a comeback due to a management spending spree and the anticipated contributions from their draft.
Before that, Jags fans had a good feeling when Packers’ starting quarterback Jordan Love went down with a groin injury at the start of the third quarter, but it still was laced with the anxiety that has followed them all season.
They watched their team scramble back to tie the game against the Packers when Evan Engram made a spectacular touchdown catch over three defenders, and it appeared the Jags were on their way to their second straight victory as well as turning the corner.
However, the Jags were once again haunted by their league worst passing defense, and, in turn, the big play.
A breakdown in their secondary led to a 51-yard completion that eventually led to the game-winning field goal as time ran out in their 30-27 loss to the Packers.
Maybe time has run out on the Jags’ postseason plans. Aside from their two wins, the script hasn’t changed for them.
The Jags have spoken constantly about avoiding a slow start in games, yet they went three-and-out on their first three possessions, and Trevor Lawrence threw a bad interception on the fourth.
Yet, they had another strong second quarter for the second consecutive week to close to within 13-10 at halftime.
The Jags took a 17-13 lead on a Lawrence to Brian Thomas touchdown and appeared to have regained momentum. That was until the Packers’ Josh Jacobs broke off a 38-yard run that gave the Packers the lead back for good.
Their 31 big plays allowed are the league’s second worst.
Lawrence can’t totally be blamed for the team’s slow starts, but he did look sluggish at the start.
The Jags did stage a valiant effort especially after losing receiver Brian Thomas Jr., Gabe Davis, and Chrisitan Kirk, guards Brandon Scherff and Ezra Cleveland, and cornerback Ronald Darby to injuries.
That doesn’t help. Kirk looks like he may be lost for a while with a shoulder injury, and the others will be evaluated this week.
At 2-6, the Jags have a difficult road ahead that begins in Philadelphia next Sunday followed by a home date with the Vikings, a trip to Detroit, a bye week, and then a home date with the division-leading Texans.
If they can find a way to solve their issues, the Jags have the Jets, Titans, Titans (again), Raiders, and Colts to finish the season.
Right now, the Jags and their fans can feel themselves on life support.
It’s a current near-death season and postseason situation for a season once filled with plenty of promise.
