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Jacksonville Jaguars won't apologize for winning ugly vs. Cardinals
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- Jacksonville Jaguars won't apologize for winning ugly vs. Cardinals
A win is a win in the National Football League.
This isn't college football, and winning ugly doesn't make you fall in playoff seeding scenarios. And the Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) are embracing that, especially after a 27-24 overtime win against the Arizona Cardinals (3-8).
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The win moves the Jaguars up to the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs , just ahead of the Buffalo Bills , but behind the Los Angeles Chargers due to three-way playoff tiebreaker scenarios. This would have happened had Jacksonville won 50-0 with zero turnovers.
Instead, they pulled off something only they've done in the last several years (vs. Chargers, 2022-23 playoffs) — they won despite turning the ball over four times, taking it away zero.
RYAN O'HALLORAN: Jaguars win, but do they have a Trevor Lawrence problem?
According to Pro Football Reference, the Jaguars' win marked only the 65th time since the NFL merger that a team has won with a turnover margin of -4 or worse.
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Trevor Lawrence finished the game 18 of 30 for 256 yards , three touchdowns, three interceptions and a fumble that turned into six the other way. His leading receiver was returning tight end Brenton Strange , who caught five passes for 93 yards.
Liam Coen won't apologize for that , either.
"We're not gonna apologize for winning around here. That's just not anything we're gonna do," Coen said when asked if Sunday's result would bring more relief or excitement.
The Jaguars did everything they needed to lose the game. But, they were also able to get the job done to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Despite a four-turnover day for quarterback Trevor Lawrence , the team improved to 7-4, with Coen becoming the fastest coach to reach seven wins in franchise history.
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The Jaguars are now 3-0 on the West Coast and control their own destiny en route to the playoffs as December quickly approaches. Sometimes, the grind-it-out games happen, and Jacksonville came out on the winning side.
It was "just one of those games," Coen said, mentioning the team's first drive of the game when the team drove the ball down for a touchdown in four plays, compared to the one net yard gain in the second quarter that included going 1 of 3 on third downs. While many emotions pour over you after a game, Coen said, "winning is what matters."
Jaguars latest no-quit showcase comes against the Cardinals
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Jacksonville has lost two road games this year — Week 2 ( Bengals ) and Week 10 ( Texans ). They've successfully conquered three out of four of their West Coast competitions — Week 3 ( 49ers ), Week 9 ( Raiders ) and Week 12 (Cardinals) — with the Denver Broncos (Week 16) the last of such trips on the schedule.
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The Jaguars entered the year 4-16 in the Pacific Time Zone through franchise history. While the win over Arizona may not count, it might as well, given the distance traveled (~1,900-2,000 miles).
The adversity the team has faced this season has been great, but in almost every instance, they've found a way to win.
Sunday's win over the Cardinals was another example of that. It's something Coen attributes primarily to the team's resilience, toughness and ability to have each other's backs.
"Guys stepped up. I mean, nobody flinched. Nobody was walking around, head down, disappointed, frustrated. Yeah, you got to keep playing. And that's been the message for the last few weeks is just keep playing. And these guys, they closed it out when we needed to," said Coen.
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Lawrence echoed his coach's sentiments after the game.
"Probably not a recipe to win every week," Lawrence said after the game Sunday, referencing his four turnovers. "But, I think [it] just speaks to this team and the resilience and just finding a way to win. Just play the next play. That's something we preach all the time. [In] this league, stuff's going to happen. You're going to deal with some adversity, you're going to have some bad plays."
Lawrence said that at this point in the season, the team has learned what can happen.
"It happened in Vegas. We've had two overtime wins. We had a tough loss in Houston , where we had a lead and the same thing happened. So, I think we've been on both sides of it, and you just learn as a team and learn how to win. I think we're on our way, and have a lot more work to do," said Lawrence.
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Ultimately, like his head coach, Lawrence said it's all about the wins.
"We're here to win games. Won the game. Never apologize for that and people can watch the tape and think and make their own judgments, and I'll watch it and do the same," he said.
Jaguars set to face Tennessee Titans in Week 13
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks for a receiver against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024.
The Jaguars will begin their first of four divisional matchups to close the season next week. Their first one will come against the Tennessee Titans, who are currently 1-10 and in last place in the AFC South.
Jacksonville faces the Titans twice to close out the season, while also facing the Colts two times, sandwiched between matchups against the Denver Broncos and New York Jets .
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Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars show no quit vs. Cardinals, won't apologize for ugly win
