Image via BullDawg2021 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). M&T Bank Stadium at night (file photo).
The Jacksonville Jaguars made light work of a wounded Baltimore Ravens side on Thursday Night Football. They won 33-10 at M&T Bank Stadium on a wet night in Baltimore, and the game was never really in doubt after half-time.
Jacksonville moves to 6-2 and stays top of the AFC South. Baltimore falls to 4-5 after a fourth straight defeat, and its season is slipping away fast.
Lawrence stays calm, Jaguars stay in control
Trevor Lawrence went 16 of 26 for 242 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. He did not need to be brilliant. He just needed to be steady, and he was.
The Jaguars scored on their first drive. Bhayshul Tuten ran it in from the 1-yard line, and Jacksonville led for good from there. Parker Washington added a 50-yard touchdown catch just before half-time, and the Jaguars went into the break up 17-3.
Cam Little kicked four field goals on the night, including a 45-yarder in the rain. Chris Rodriguez Jr. added a rushing touchdown after the break. Jacksonville outgained Baltimore 319 yards to 227 and forced three turnovers.
A rough night for Fagnano
Joe Fagnano will want to forget his first NFL start in a hurry. The undrafted rookie went 10 of 18 for 60 yards with two interceptions. He only got the job because Baltimore's quarterback room is empty.
Lamar Jackson is on injured reserve with a thumb injury, and Tyler Huntley is out with a toe injury. Fagnano came on in relief against Buffalo last week and went 10 of 21. This time he got the full start, on a short week, against one of the best teams in the AFC. It showed.
Montaric Brown and Jourdan Lewis both picked him off, and Jalen McLeod recovered a fumble. Baltimore managed only 55 net passing yards and 10 first downs all night. Its only touchdown came late, when Justice Hill ran one in to cut the lead to 33-10 with 7:15 left.
| Jaguars 33, Ravens 10 — the key numbers | |
|---|---|
| Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) | 16/26, 242 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT |
| Joe Fagnano (Ravens) | 10/18, 60 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT |
| Bhayshul Tuten (Jaguars) | 1-yard rushing TD |
| Parker Washington (Jaguars) | 50-yard TD catch |
| Cam Little (Jaguars) | 4 field goals |
| Derrick Henry (Ravens) | 17 carries, 57 yards |
| Total yards | Jaguars 319, Ravens 227 |
| Turnovers | Ravens 3, Jaguars 0 |
Henry passes two legends
The one bright spot for Baltimore came in the first half. Derrick Henry passed Jerome Bettis (13,662 yards) early in the first quarter, then went past LaDainian Tomlinson (13,684) in the second quarter. He now sits seventh on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 13,707 career yards.
Henry grew up idolising Tomlinson. He had a poster and a bobblehead of him as a kid. Passing him on a Thursday night in Baltimore meant plenty, even in a heavy defeat. Next on the list is Curtis Martin, sixth all-time with 14,101 yards.
It was also a milestone night for Jaguars head coach Liam Coen. With the Jaguars scoring 32 or more points, Coen became the third-fastest coach in the Super Bowl era to reach 700 points, in 25 games. Only Mike Martz (22 games) and Sean McVay (23) got there quicker.
What comes next
Jacksonville now gets 10 days off before facing the Tennessee Titans on the road in Week 10. After that, the Jaguars travel to New York to play the Giants in Week 11. At 6-2, they are in a strong spot, and they have won five of their last six.
Baltimore has no such comfort. The Ravens host the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football next, and they have now been outscored 84-10 in the second half during this four-game slide. Reports say the Ravens had already looked at Jacoby Brissett as a possible answer at quarterback before Thursday night. After Fagnano's debut, that move looks more likely, not less.
Before the game, the Jaguars were heavy favourites against a Ravens side down to its third-choice quarterback, and that is how it played out. The Ravens' slide started with the Week 8 loss to Buffalo, the same game in which Jackson hurt his thumb. Monday night gave us another one-sided game too, as the Bears beat the Seahawks 34-17.
Read More: Thursday Night Football Tonight: Jaguars vs Ravens Time, TV Channel and How to Watch on Prime Video
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