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5 Winners, 3 Losers From Jaguars' Enormous Win Over Bengals
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- 5 Winners, 3 Losers From Jaguars' Enormous Win Over Bengals
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Jacksonville Jaguars had to fight to the end to earn their latest victory, a thrilling road triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals .
It took a total team effort for the Jaguars to leave Paycor Stadium with the win, but they got the job done and have now won 11 of their last 12 regular-season games.
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The defense gave up a ton of passing yards, but came up with several huge plays when it needed them most, while the offense did just enough to pull out the win.
The Jaguars got standout performance from several players on both sides of the ball.
While many made big contributions to the victory, there were also a few players who had disappointing outings.
Let's check out my five winners and three losers from the Jaguars' enormous win over the Bengals.
Five Winners
1. Travis Hunter:The second-year phenom had probably the best game of his young career, while playing the most snaps (76) of his career.
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Hunter is getting better every week and is becoming a terrific cornerback. On Sunday, he was targeted six times, allowing only three receptions for 21 yards. Hunter recorded a pair of PBUs, registered four total tackles, and had a terrific interception with a huge return, which was wiped out because of a roughing-the-passer penalty.
Hunter is becoming a star for Jacksonville's defense. His outstanding coverage, ball-hawking skills, and ability to time his breaks on the ball perfectly scream future All-Pro.
2. Brian Thomas Jr.:BTJ only had two catches for 17 yards, but his seven-yard touchdown catch was his first of the season, and must have felt like a huge relief after seeing his playing time significantly cut last week.
The score gave the Jaguars a 13-3 lead right before halftime, and Thomas was publicly praised by head coach Liam Coen after the game.
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3. Brenton Strange:Strange led the team in receiving with seven catches for 95 yards. Coming into the game, Strange only had seven catches for 72 yards on the season.
His performance on Sunday was a key factor in the win, as he had several big catches to keep the chains moving. Strange reminded everyone what an important piece of the offense he remains.
4. Arik Armstead:Armstead provided the defense with some much-needed pressure from the interior of the defensive line. He applied steady pressure on Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow and recorded his first sack of the season.
The Jaguars need to find a consistent pass rush outside of edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. If Armstead can provide steady pressure from the interior, the defense can reach a new level.
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5. Foye Oluokun:Oluokun made what was possibly the biggest play of the game, intercepting a Burrow pass with the Bengals having a first-and-goal from the Jaguars' 10.
With Jacksonville up 16–10, Cincinnati looked primed to score a touchdown and take the lead early in the fourth quarter. Instead, Oluokun made a game-changing play to preserve the Jaguars' fragile lead and was the biggest moment from Jacksonville's defense, which bent but never broke against a high-powered offense.
Oluokun earned a 76.6 grade from PFF Sunday, the third-highest on the team.
Losers
1. Parker Washington: For the first time in a very long time, Washington failed to make an impact. He only had one catch for seven yards, and that didn't even come until after the two-minute warning.
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Even worse, the catch was initially credited as good for 39 yards, which would have sealed the game and allowed the Jaguars to line up in victory formation. Instead, replay showed Washington stepped out of bounds three yards shy of the first down, forcing a punt and giving the Bengals one last chance to win.
2. The Offensive Line:The o-line had a very shaky performance on Sunday. Trevor Lawrence was sacked four times and was under pressure throughout the game, but he was able to overcome it in an MVP-level outing full of poise, efficiency, and good decisions.
The line was also flagged several times as it seemed the Jaguars couldn't go more than a couple of plays without committing a penalty in the first half.
Luckily, the Jaguars were able to overcome a disappointing showing from the offensive line, which is still building continuity after being rearranged this offseason.
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3. Bhayshul Tuten:Make no mistake, Tuten is not on this list because he had a poor game. Far from it. Tuten had his fourth straight terrific game as Jacksonville's top running back, rushing 17 times for 73 yards and adding two catches for 18 additional yards.
Tuten is on this list because he was robbed of a much bigger game. He had not one, but two touchdowns called back due to penalties, including a fantastic 44-yard scamper that had his game-breaking ability on full display.
