The glass slipper has fallen off for the Jacksonville Jaguars; I don’t think they will find it to place it back on a foot.
The Jacksonville Jaguars traveled to London for a needed win after losing three in a row. The game made headlines for the Jaguars before the kickoff.
The American football game was played at Wembley Stadium, joining the Jaguars the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles returned to the win column after a close 24-18 win over the Jaguars. Carson Wentz threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns, all to different players.
The Jaguars were twice held to a field goal in the fourth quarter, and failed to convert on fourth down with 3:41 remaining, they have lost four in a row.
“They were on a roll,” said Jaguars coach Doug Marrone. “They were getting on third down. We were having a tough time containing the quarterback … and obviously, we couldn’t contain the run.”
Jacksonville entered the fourth quarter down 17-12 after a failed 2-point conversion, and a pair of field goals by Josh Lambo kept them within six points even after the Eagles extended the lead on a 5-yard touchdown reception by tight end Zach Ertz.
Blake Bortles restored as the starter despite being pulled in a loss to the Houston Texans a week earlier, ran for 4 yards on fourth down with 4:26 left to prolong what would be the Jaguars’ final drive. But he could not connect with Donte Moncrief on fourth-and-2 four plays later to seal the fate for Jacksonville (3-5).
Philadelphia (4-4) finished with 395 total yards, their third-highest total this season, against the Jaguars, who entered the game with the league’s second-ranked defense. Philly gained 133 rushing.
The sky is falling is “Sacksonville.”
On the field, Marrone said that Bortles was not the reason for the Jaguars’ inability to win. Bortles, who went 24 for 41 with 286 yards and a touchdown, led the team in rushing with 43 yards on eight attempts.
“He gave us a chance,” Marrone said. “He went out there and gave us a chance. He ran the ball well (and made) quick decisions. I don’t think we have a problem. I don’t think he’s the player that cost us the game. He played well overall. A total team effort.”
Off the field, before kickoff, there were reports that Four Jacksonville Jaguars players were involved in an incident at a London nightclub early Saturday morning resulting in them being detained by police before being released.
The four players detained were safety Barry Church, safety Ronnie Harrison, cornerback D.J. Hayden, and safety Jarrod Wilson.
“We are aware that four of our players were detained over restitution of a bill,” the Jaguars said in a statement. “The matter is being resolved and the players are with the team. Any discipline will be handled internally.”
None of the players were charged and the matter was resolved. They were released without any further action taken by the London Police.
After the Jaguars 20-7 loss to the Houston Texans, tempers flared in the postgame locker room at TIAA Bank Field it was the Jaguars third consecutive loss. No punches were thrown but players were yelling at each other and at one point — when the locker room doors were opened prematurely to allow the media to enter — defensive end Calais Campbell was seen restraining defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, and players could clearly be heard shouting.
The Jaguars need more than running back Leonard Fournette at the moment. The Jaguars’ recent struggles run deeper than just injuries, poor quarterback play, a supposed elite defense that suddenly can’t stop the run and turnovers.
“You all walk in here, you all see how it is in here, you all see how we vibe with each other, you all see how we vibe towards the coaches,” cornerback Jalen Ramsey said. “You all see how it is. It is no secret what’s going on here right now. Ain’t nobody going to say it because we can’t, but it ain’t no secret what’s going on and it ain’t right, right now.
The Jaguars will get a bye week to look themselves in the mirror before they try to salvage their season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts.
The game, played before a record, pro-Eagles crowd of 85,870 fans, was the last of three played at Wembley this season. The Jaguars, who have played at the venue since 2013, have a contract to hold one game there annually through the 2020 season.
