sports
Jaguars thrash depleted Ravens 33-10 for fifth win in six
With Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley injured, the Ravens started a rookie and lost their fourth straight. The Jaguars took command of the AFC South.
Trevor Lawrence threw for 242 yards and a touchdown and the Jaguars beat the Ravens 33-10 on Thursday night, routing a Baltimore team forced to start a rookie quarterback with its top two passers on injured reserve, the AP reported via ESPN.
Joe Fagnano, a 25-year-old making his second career start, completed 10 of 18 passes for 60 yards with two interceptions for the Ravens. Baltimore lost its fourth straight and fell to 4-5.
Jacksonville improved to 6-2 and took a 3.5-game lead in the AFC South. The Jaguars have won five of their last six.
“We practiced Wildcat a ton,” Jacksonville coach Liam Coen said, referring to Baltimore’s creative approach with Derrick Henry taking direct snaps. The Jaguars were ready for it.
What the coverage missed
This is the first time in franchise history the Ravens have lost three straight games by at least 20 points. They lost 35-13 to Cincinnati, 36-10 to Buffalo and now 33-10 to Jacksonville. That is not a slump. That is a collapse.
The quarterback situation is the obvious problem, but it is not the only one. The Ravens lost star safety Kyle Hamilton to a hip injury during the game. Cornerback Nate Wiggins was already out with an illness. The defense that was supposed to carry the team while the quarterbacks were down has not been good enough. Baltimore is allowing 30 points per game over the losing streak.
Fagnano threw for 60 yards. That is not a typo. Sixty. The Jaguars did not need to do anything special. They ran the ball, took care of it and let the Ravens beat themselves. Lawrence was sharp when the game was still competitive, hitting Parker Washington for a 50-yard touchdown in the final minute of the first half to make it 17-3. After that, the game was over.
The Ravens are waiting for Jacoby Brissett to arrive. He is not the answer, but he is better than Fagnano, and right now better is all Baltimore needs. The season is not mathematically over, but the Ravens are 4-5 with no quarterback and a defense that has given up 104 points in three weeks. It is hard to see a path back.
What I think
The Jaguars are the quietest 6-2 team in the league. Lawrence is healthy, Coen has the offense working and the defense is good enough. They have a 3.5-game lead in the division with eight games to play. That is over. The question is whether they can get a first-round bye, and they can if they keep playing like this.
The Ravens are done. I hate saying it in November, but a team that has lost three straight by 20+ and is starting its fourth-string quarterback is not making the playoffs. Lamar Jackson may come back, but the defense has quit. Jesse Minter said there are “no excuses” and he is right, but that is what coaches say when they are out of answers.
Baltimore’s offseason will be fascinating. Jackson’s contract, the defensive personnel, the coaching staff — all of it will be under review. The Ravens have been one of the best-run organizations in football for 15 years. This is what it looks like when it goes wrong.