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Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard makes several clutch plays filling in for Andre Cisco
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- Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard makes several clutch plays filling in for Andre Cisco
The Jacksonville Jaguars weren't really counting on cornerback Tyson Campbell to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers .
But the secondary was depleted even more when safety Andre Cisco turned up as a surprise entry on the Friday injury report with a hamstring injury that was believed to be a cramping issue the last two weeks.
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When Cisco, who has had perhaps the best overall performance this season among Jags defensive backs, was declared inactive before the game, it meant half of the starting defensive backs would be out.
The takeaways: Jaguars hold off Steelers 20-10 en route to best start to season since 1999
Enter Mr. Reliable.
Fifth-year safety Andrew Wingard started in Cisco's place and turned in a clutch performance in the Jaguars' 20-10 victory at Acrisure Stadium — the sixth consecutive victory for the Jaguars in Pittsburgh, counting the 2018 AFC divisional playoff triumph — and the team's fifth in a row this season.
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Wingard gets a pick, waves a Terrible Towel
Wingard's biggest play was his interception of Mitch Trubisky with 9:26 remaining and the Jaguars leading 17-10. Wingard pulled in the deep pass, intended for former Jaguar wide receiver Allen Robinson , at the Jags' 41, giving quarterback Trevor Lawrence a short field.
Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard tried to get his footing after interception Mitch Trubisky during the fourth quarter of Sunday's 20-10 victory over Pittsburgh.
That led to the fourth field goal of the game for Brandon McManus, making it a two-score game with 4:38 remaining.
It was Wingard's fifth career interception. After the pick he raced to the bench and video shows Wingard and K'Lavon Chaisson grabbing Pittsburgh's "Terrible Towels" from fans in the front row of the seats after the fans were waving the towels at the players. The players, in turn, waved the flags about.
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The gesture was in obvious reference to the defensiveness of the Steelers fan base on social media, along with former coach Bill Cowher, after Lawrence referred to them last week as "the little towels."
It isn't clear whether the fans got their towels returned to them. A fan also was seen in the video reaching out and slapping Wingard on the helmet.
Wingard also had five solo tackles and one assist to finish second to Foye Oluokun in tackles.
Secondary blanketed Steelers receivers
With Wingard, second-year pro Buster Brown filling in for Campbell for the second week in a row and Darious Williams playing another stellar game, two Steelers quarterbacks combined for a 59.4 passer rating, with two interceptions (by Wingard and rookie Antonio Johnson on the final play of the game) and eight passes defensed.
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The two interceptions gave the Jaguars 11 for the season, tied with San Francisco for first in the NFL. They remained in the league lead for takeaways with 18.
George Pickens , who had referred to the Jaguars as having a "hope defense," was held to one catch for 22 yards — that went for a touchdown, with Pickens leaping over Wingard's attempt to tackle him.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson took note of the way Brown has played, and added praise for Wingard and Johnson.
"For [Brown] to come in and play like he's done the last couple weeks, Andrew Wingard to come in and play that safety spot," Pederson said. " Antonio [Johnson] gets in there … the guys just hang together. Really proud of the way they performed today."
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Wingard came up in run support
In addition to his interception, there were two other key plays Wingard made at opportune moments.
One play after tight end Evan Engram fumbled a shovel pass from Lawrence at the Steelers' 18 late in the first quarter, the Steelers dialed up a reverse to speedy wide receiver Calvin Austin III.
Jags nickel cornerback Tre Herndon barely missed a tackle for lost yardage, the corner on the same side of the field, Darious Williams , was being double-teamed and Oluokun didn't have the best angle as Austin tried to turn the corner.
Wingard, who initially had dropped back at the snap, came roaring up when the play unfolded, actually sped past Oluokun and nailed Austin for no gain. The Steelers had to punt and the turnover the Jaguars committed was negated.
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Later in the second quarter, the Steelers had moved 89 yards from their own 2-yard line to a first-and-goal at the Jags 9. Two plays later, quarterback Kenny Pickett attempted a shovel pass to Connor Heyward between a gap created when tackle Roy Robertson-Harris was blocked inside by tackle Dan Moore and outside linebacker Josh Allen was taken out on a block by tight end Rod Williams.
Wingard shot through the gap and nailed Heyward at the line of scrimmage. On the next play, Wingard and the rest of the secondary had every Steeler receiver covered and Pickett was incomplete, forcing them to settle for a field goal.
Wingard is last UDFA left from 2019
Wingard got his first start of the season and his fifth over the last two years. He started 15 games in 2021 but as Cisco developed, he took over the starting free safety spot and Wingard was relegated to special teams (where he's among the best in the NFL) and backing up at both safety positions.
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His versatility in being able to play both safety spots and special teams was one of the big reasons the Jaguars signed him to a three-year, $9.6 million contract in March.
He's the only player of the 21 undrafted free agents the team signed in 2019 to still be with the team, let alone get a second contract.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Andrew Wingard comes through in the clutch for Jaguars over Steelers
