The Jacksonville Jaguars were handed a golden opportunity Sunday when Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow left in the first half with a turf toe injury and never returned.
But even without Cincinnati’s franchise star on the field, the Jaguars couldn’t capitalize. Falling in a game defined by self-inflicted mistakes.
Afterward, quarterback Trevor Lawrence made it clear: the Jaguars have no one to blame but themselves.
Lawrence Calls Out Costly Errors
GettyTrevor Lawrence completed 25 of 43 passes for 294 yards, with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the Jaguars‘ 31-27 loss to the Bengals.
Trevor Lawrence didn’t sugarcoat his frustration, pointing to sloppy play and penalties that derailed drives.
“I think just playing a full 60 minutes with focus and attention to detail and not shooting ourselves in the foot, that’s still showing up. So, that’s stuff that we have to correct and learn from,” Lawrence said postgame.
Jacksonville’s five illegal shifts in a nine play span highlighted the problem.
“Concerned? No. It’s just, but we have to correct it,” Lawrence explained. “It’s just being smart and being on the same page… stuff that we can control, which is frustrating, but also things that we can fix.”
The Jaguars still managed explosive plays, particularly with second year wideout Brian Thomas Jr., but couldn’t sustain consistency. Thomas had a costly fourth down drop late, though Lawrence emphasized that accountability is shared.
“I got to be better for him and vice versa. Like, we got to help each other out… He’s not out there alone. He’s got 10 other guys that got his back and, you know, we’re all in that together,” Lawrence said.
Strong Starts, Weak Finishes
GettyA sideline dispute between Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen after a missed pass went viral in the Jaguars’ 31-27 loss to the Bengals.
Even with Burrow sidelined, Jacksonville couldn’t close the door. Trevor Lawrence noted the positives like scoring early, creating chunk plays, and building chemistry with new head coach Liam Coen. But said those gains mean little without finishing.
“To be able to start the game that way… gives us some confidence as an offense. And then for our defense too, to be able to settle in with a lead, I think that’s also important,” he said. “That’s all great, but still got to go win the game.”
Lawrence’s message was simple: the Jaguars can’t keep beating themselves if they want to be taken seriously. Losing to a Bengals team that played an entire half without Joe Burrow only reinforced that truth.
“I think for us it’s just learning how to close out these games and to make the plays down the stretch,” Lawrence said. “I think guys played hard and believed and we just didn’t get it done today. So, you know, we got to learn from it and watch the tape and get better.”
At 1-1, Jacksonville still has the luxury of competing in a soft AFC South. But if Lawrence and the Jaguars don’t clean things up quickly, they risk wasting the kind of opportunities that separate playoff teams from pretenders.
Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence Doesn’t Hold Back on Team’s Mistakes After Bengals Loss