Trevor Lawrence threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, guiding the Jacksonville Jaguars past a severely depleted Baltimore Ravens team 33-10 on Thursday night.
Playing on a rainy evening at M&T Bank Stadium, the Jaguars capitalized on Baltimore’s mounting injuries to secure their fifth win in six games, improving to 6-2 and taking firm command of the AFC South with a 3 1/2-game lead.
The Ravens entered the contest facing a personnel crisis. With star quarterback Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley both sidelined on injured reserve, Baltimore handed the starting job to rookie Joe Fagnano. The 25-year-old, who also dealt with heavy strapping on an injured ankle, struggled to find a rhythm against Jacksonville’s defense, finishing 10 of 18 for 60 yards and two second-half interceptions.
To shield their novice quarterback, the Ravens deployed unconventional formations. Star running back Derrick Henry took multiple direct snaps in a Wildcat scheme throughout the game. Despite the creative play-calling, the strategy yielded limited production, though Henry’s workload allowed him to surpass LaDainian Tomlinson and move into 7th place on the all-time NFL rushing yards list.
Jacksonville established control early, capping a 77-yard opening drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Bhayshul Tuten. The Jaguars maintained a steady offensive approach, avoiding extreme risks while building a 17-3 halftime lead punctuated by Lawrence’s 50-yard scoring strike to Parker Washington with 58 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Jacksonville coach Liam Coen praised Lawrence’s execution when the game remained competitive.
Coen said that when it was mattering and things were going and it was a back-and-forth football game early on, Lawrence was extremely sharp, accurate and played a really solid football game for the Jaguars.
The second half brought further attrition for Baltimore. In addition to losing starting cornerback Nate Wiggins to an illness earlier in the week, the Ravens saw star safety Kyle Hamilton exit due to a hip injury. Offensive struggles compounded the defensive losses. A third-quarter fumble gave Baltimore possession at midfield, but the drive immediately stalled on downs, prompting boos to cascade from the home crowd.
“They have every right to boo or do whatever they want to do. Obviously, us in here, we have to stay together, be on one accord, and just keep on relying on each other,” tight end Mark Andrews said. “You’ve got to be there for your brother. And that’s what we’re going to do is keep it in house and continue to fight for one another. And we’ll see how this thing shakes out.”
Capitalizing on subsequent miscues, including a lost fumble on a kick return, Jacksonville extended their lead to 33-3 following a 2-yard touchdown run by Chris Rodriguez Jr. The Ravens avoided a shutout when Justice Hill broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run with 7:26 remaining. Hill finished with 85 yards on nine carries, snapping Jacksonville’s 24-game streak of not allowing a 75-yard rusher, though the score did little to alter the outcome.
The defeat marked the first time in franchise history that Baltimore has lost three straight games by at least 20 points, following prior losses to Cincinnati and Buffalo. The Ravens dropped to 4-5 on the season and now await the arrival of veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
Baltimore will look to halt its four-game skid when it hosts the Los Angeles Chargers on November 16, while the Jaguars travel to face the Tennessee Titans on November 15.
