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Jacksonville Jaguars 2025 season midseason awards, both the good and the bad
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- Jacksonville Jaguars 2025 season midseason awards, both the good and the bad
The Jacksonville Jaguars have run 590 official offensive plays, 556 defensive plays and around 175 special teams plays through their first nine games.
What were the best and worst moments? Surprises and disappointments?
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Here is my " Jaguars At Basically The Halfway Point Recap" …
Best Win
The Jaguars winning on the West Coast has been an issue since they started playing in 1995, so the expectation for an upset over the 49ers was remote. But in a 26-21 win, the Jaguars outscored San Francisco 26-11 in the second and third quarters, rushed for 151 yards, intercepted Brock Purdy twice (both by linebacker Devin Lloyd ) and got an 87-yard punt return touchdown by Parker Washington . The win improved the Jaguars to 3-1.
Worst Loss
I started writing this story about two hours before the Jaguars' Nov. 9 game against the Texans and my choice was the Week 2 loss at Cincinnati (31-27 to back-up quarterback Jake Browning ). Well, we all know what happened against Houston so this was an easy choice. The Jaguars led 17-0 and 29-10 but lost 36-29, being outscored 26-0 in the fourth quarter. That game is in the running (if not at the top) for worst losses in franchise history; the 19-point squandered lead was the largest.
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Best Play (Offense)
Trevor Lawrence TD vs. Kansas City
It wasn't a work of art, but it was the winning play in the Jaguars' thrilling 31-28 win over the three-time defending AFC champion Chiefs in Week 5. From the 1-yard line, Lawrence's foot was stepped on by right guard Patrick Mekari , but Lawrence got up, gathered himself and rushed for his second touchdown of the game with 23 seconds left.
Worst Play (Offense)
Brian Thomas Jr. drop at Cincinnati
Thomas' first half of the season started to unravel against the Bengals when he didn't attack the football on a pass over the middle early in the game. In the fourth quarter and the Jaguars leading 27-24, Thomas dropped a fourth-and-5 pass from the Cincinnati 7. Had Thomas made the catch and fallen backward over the first-down line, the Jaguars would have likely improved to 2-0. Instead, Cincinnati drove for the winning touchdown. It was one of six drops for Thomas.
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Best Play (Defense)
LB Devin Lloyd's INT TD vs. Kansas City
In a 14-14 game late in the third quarter, the Chiefs had second-and-goal from the 3 when quarterback Patrick Mahomes ' pass was intercepted by Lloyd, who ran 99 yards for the touchdown.
Worst Play (Defense)
Seattle 's Jaxon Smith-Njigba 's 61-yard TD catch
The Jaguars actually led Seattle 6-3 midway through the second quarter in Week 6, but the Seahawks took the lead for good on Smith-Njigba's touchdown catch when he got open after Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard played too shallow in zone coverage. The Seahawks won 20-12.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 02: Cam Little #39 of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates with his team after making a field goal during the second quarter in the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Best Play (Special teams)
Cam Little's 68-yard FG at Las Vegas
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Little was in a slump through seven games (one point-after attempt and four missed field goals) to the point where some (me) were suggesting the Jaguars sign a practice squad kicker to challenge him. The Jaguars didn't do that and Little repaid them with the record-setting field goal to close the first half in Week 9.
Worst Play (Special teams)
Jarrian Jones ' penalty against L.A. Rams
Jones' illegal block above the waist wiped out a 62-yard punt return touchdown by Parker Washington in the Rams-Jaguars Week 7 game. Had it stood, it would have cut the Rams' lead to 14-7 in the second quarter. Instead, the Jaguars missed a field goal on the ensuing possession and the Rams marched down to take a 21-0 lead.
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MVP Offense
The choice would have been tight end Brenton Strange had he not missed Games 6-9 with a hip injury. Etienne has rushed for 656 yards, which is 12th in the NFL and his 135 carries are tied for 14th.
MVP Defense
LB Devin Lloyd
Despite missing most of the Seattle game and all of the Rams and Las Vegas games with a calf injury, Lloyd's four interception are still tied for most in the league with Chicago linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and safety Kevin Byard . Lloyd also has 30 tackles.
MVP Special teams
Washington enters Week 11 leading the NFL in punt return yards (266), average per return (16.6) and touchdowns (two). At this pace, Washington will finish with the fifth-best punt return average (minimum 20 returns) in 40 years.
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Biggest Disappointment (Offense)
WR Brian Thomas, Jr.
One of the most startling declines in the entire NFL, not just the Jaguars. He has six drops and one touchdown, but still leads the Jaguars in catches (30) and yards (420). Thomas missed the Week 10 Houston game with a left ankle sprain.
Biggest Disappointment (Defense)
Tie: DEs Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker
Hines-Allen and Walker, the Jaguars' starting defensive ends, count a combined $27.1 million on this year's salary cap ... and have a combined four sacks (two piece). Ninety-six players have more than two sacks. The Jaguars' 12 total sacks are tied with San Francisco and Baltimore for fewest in the NFL and the lack of production from Hines-Allen and Walker has forced the Jaguars to blitz more.
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Best Trade
RB Tank Bigsby to Philadelphia
The Jaguars traded the disgruntled Bigsby to the Eagles on Sept. 8 for 2026 fifth- and sixth-round picks. Bigsby was not going to have a role on the offense after the preseason emergence of rookie running backs Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen .
Best Quote
"Keep my name out of your mouth"
After the Jaguars' win over San Francisco, that was coach Liam Coen's message to 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on the field, a brief confrontation stemming from Saleh's comments that the Jaguars were "elite" in their ability to legally "steal" an opponent's defensive signals.
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) gets to his feet during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Biggest Injury
TE Brenton Strange vs. Kansas City
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Strange was leading the Jaguars in catches (20) and serving as a run-blocking enforcer when he sustained a hip injury in the Week 5 win over the Chiefs. He was placed on injured reserve and has missed the required four games, but is eligible to play against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11.
Unluckiest Development
Draft class injuries
Thank goodness for Tuten (fourth round) and Allen (seventh round). On injured reserve are cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter (knee, first round), safety Caleb Ransaw (foot, third round) and linebacker Jalen McLeod (lower body, sixth round). Guard Wyatt Milum injured his knee in the New Orleans preseason game, but remains on the active roster. Sixth-round safety Rayuan Lane has become a core special teams player.
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Problem That Must Be Fixed
Entering Week 11, the Jaguars' 83 penalties are tied with the Denver Broncos for most in the NFL. The total is the Jaguars' second-most in their first nine games of a season (84 in 1996).
The inflated penalty total isn't a result of one monster day. Their game-by-game totals are 11, six, nine, 12, four, 10, 13, nine and nine. It's been a weekly problem except for the win over Kansas City (four penalties).
The pre-snap offensive penalties remain a huge culprit. The Jaguars have been called for 16 false starts, three times apiece for illegal formation and delay of game and twice apiece for offensive offside and illegal motion.
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The team leaders are right guard Patrick Mekari (seven), Lawrence and left tackle Walker Little (five apiece) and Strange, right tackle Anton Harrison and reserve offensive lineman Chuba Edoga (four apiece).
Numbers Of Note
1.The Jaguars' six remaining opponents (8 remaining games, 2 vs. Titans, 2 vs. Colts ) have a combined record of 29-28.
2.Among the 14 teams in playoff position through Week 10, only three had negative point differentials: The Jaguars (minus-15), Pittsburgh (minus-8) and Chicago (minus-6).
3.Since the 17-game season was introduced in 2021, the Jaguars' record after nine games have been 2-7, 3-6, 6-3, 2-8 and 5-4.
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4.The Jaguars' 12 sacks are tied for sixth-fewest through nine games in franchise history.
5.According to Pro Football Reference, Lawrence has had seven passes batted down, tied for fourth-most in the league.
6.Lawrence's completion percentage of 59.5 is 32nd of the 37 quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts. His 128 incompletions are tied for second-most.
7.On first-and-10, the Jaguars' offense has a run rate of 47.88% and pass rate of 52.12%.
8.According to the NFL, the Jaguars rank second in the league in "up the middle" rushes (103) and first in "deep left" pass attempts (35).
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9.The Jaguars have made 55 and allowed 55 explosive plays (rush of at least 12 yards or a pass of at least 16 yards). The Jaguars' season-high is nine against the Rams in Week 7 and their opponent's high is 10 by Houston in Week 10. Individually, Etienne leads with 10 explosive rushes and Thomas with 10 explosive catches.
10.The Jaguars are 4-3 in one-possession games. In the AFC South, Indianapolis is 3-2, Houston 1-4 and Tennessee 1-2.
Contact O'Halloran at rohalloran@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars best, worst of 2025, from Cam Little to penalties
