5 Takeaways From the Payments' Win Over the Jaguars

[ad_1] Sunday’s Jaguars-Payments sport appeared like a carbon copy of the Panthers-Rams sport the evening earlier than in Charlotte. An upstart division champion with a youthful quarterback tried to carry off a playoff-savvy veteran staff favored on the highway.

The fourth quarter featured 4 lead adjustments, tying for essentially the most in NFL postseason historical past. Ultimately, the Payments' playoff-savvy veteran led the Payments to a 27-24 win.

Listed here are my takeaways:

1. Josh Allen pulls out one other postseason win Identical to Matthew Stafford snatched the hearts of the Panthers with a final-minute rally to win, Josh Allen did the identical after the Jaguars had rallied for the lead with 4 minutes left.

His ultimate drive, which featured a 36-yard move to a wide-open Brandin Cooks, noticed Allen get a "Josh Push" fourth-and-1 keeper that pushed him all the best way to the 1-yard line, after which he scored on one other keeper for a 27-24 lead with 1:02 left.

Buffalo's protection closed it out for Allen, with nook Tre’Davious White tipping a Trevor Lawrence move that security Cole Bishop picked off within the ultimate minute for a clinching interception. The Jaguars acquired to the playoffs with a ball-hawking, turnover-crazy protection, however the Payments eradicated them by beating them at their very own sport when it counted most.

Josh Allen reacts after speeding for a landing throughout the fourth quarter towards the Jaguars that turned out to be the sport winner. (Photograph by Megan Briggs/Getty Photos)

2. Jaguars WR Parker Washington nonetheless vastly underrated It’s straightforward to overlook that almost all of Jacksonville’s success this yr has come regardless of dropping the No. 2 total choose within the draft, receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, to a knee harm seven video games into the season. The largest motive that hasn’t harm them is Washington, who has stuffed a void after which some as a trustable move menace for Trevor Lawrence.

With large receiver Brian Thomas Jr. trying little just like the phenom he was as a rookie, Washington stepped up and led the staff with 58 catches for 847 yards and 5 scores. Down the stretch, he’s been a unique participant solely: Within the ultimate three video games of the common season, he had 19 catches for 347 yards and two scores, outperforming receiver Jakobi Meyers, who acquired a three-year, $60 million extension in December.

On Sunday, it was extra of the identical. Washington had seven catches for 107 yards and a go-ahead landing within the fourth quarter. Not unhealthy in any respect for a 2023 sixth-round choose from Penn State who will probably be in line for a pleasant contract of his personal a yr from now.

3. Buffalo nonetheless wants a number one receiver That Josh Allen has constant success with no dominant receiver makes his manufacturing all of the extra spectacular. The Payments don’t have a receiver with greater than 4 touchdowns this yr — tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox have 5 and 4 to prepared the ground.

It’s not a nasty receiver group, there’s simply not a singular expertise for defenses to fret about. Broad receiver Khalil Shakir, who had eight catches on his first eight targets Sunday, is a quantity receiver who strikes the chains. Receivers Gabriel Davis and Brandin Cooks aren’t what they was once, and Keon Coleman is the type of participant who will get a 36-yard catch simply earlier than halftime on his lone goal of the sport to remind you he exists.

4. Liam Coen is a run-game resuscitator Jacksonville is best in so some ways in Coen’s first season, together with upgrading their operating assault the identical method he did the Buccaneers’ final season. The Jaguars had a chance Sunday going through a Payments run protection that was backside 5 in speeding yards allowed and yards/carry allowed, and so they made good on that chance.

Travis Etienne was a 1,100-yard rusher this season, however the spark Sunday was rookie Bhayshul Tuten, who ripped off three straight runs for 47 yards to arrange Jacksonville’s first landing. The Jaguars preferred Tuten sufficient to commerce Tank Bigsby to the Eagles early within the season. Tuten rushed for under 307 yards in restricted work however had 5 touchdowns.

Etienne broke free for a 26-yard run within the third quarter and each backs have been over 50 yards for the sport. Lawrence will get a lot of the headlines deservedly, however Jacksonville has an offensive steadiness that retains the stress off him.

5. Nonetheless an enormous step ahead for Jacksonville Very similar to it was for Carolina a day earlier, Sunday was a troublesome, robust loss earlier than an electrical crowd for a shocking playoff staff. Jacksonville exceeded expectations underneath Coen simply to get to a house playoff sport, and like Bryce Younger in Carolina, Lawrence got here up quick towards a troublesome opponent.

It’s nonetheless a significant step ahead for Jacksonville, and the Jaguars open 2026 with the aim of getting again to the playoffs, repeating as division champs and making a much bigger splash in subsequent yr’s playoffs.

Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand spent a decade overlaying the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Occasions and The Athletic. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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