The bye week ended, however, the losing continued.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were down three points to division rival Indianapolis Colts, driving down the field for a potential game-tying field goal.
Jacksonville quickly marched from its 42-yard line into field goal range, and when Rashad Greene Sr. went down at the Colts’ 23, it looked like the Jaguars were already set up for at least a tying field goal. Initially, Greene was ruled down before the ball squirted out.
But just before the Jags (3-6) ran the next play, the whistles blew for a booth review. A few minutes later, the call was overturned, giving the ball and the game to the Colts (4-5), who have won three straight for the first time in three years.
It has been that type of disappointing season for the Jaguars, a team who was ten minutes away from taking down the New England Patriots to play in the super bowl.
“I thought we got the play off, but obviously, we didn’t,” Jags coach Doug Marrone said before elaborating later. “Personally, I thought it wasn’t a fumble. But I see what everybody sees from the sideline.”
Last year’s AFC runner-ups were a popular preseason pick to dethrone the Patriots. Instead, the Jags have lost five straight, six of seven and are last in the division.
Jaguars had an extra point blocked, penalties that benefited the Colts on scoring drives and Jacksonville kicker Josh Lambo missed his first field goal of the season, a 52-yarder, wide left in the third quarter but then made a 55-yarder to cut the deficit to three with 4:03 left.
Blake Bortles was 26 of 38 with 320 yards and two TD passes while Leonard Fournette who the Jaguars have needed at the running back position had 53 yards rushing, 56 yards receiving and his first two scores of the season — one on the ground, one through the air.
It has not been enough and the beat goes with their losing streak. Unfortunately, a hot Pittsburg Steelers team is next for the Jaguars.
The schedule has been tough however they can’t afford to find excuses.
It will be a rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional round matchup. The team will wear the fan-favorite teal jerseys for the second time this season. Fournette had 29 touches, 24 carries, and five receptions, in his third game this season. This is a game where he cannot let Steelers rookie running back James Connor outplay him on their home field.
Steelers have won five in a row, however last season They only lost four times last season. The Jaguars handed them two of those losses, including a 45-42 loss in an AFC divisional round playoff game at Heinz Field.
A Steelers win, the season is arguably over for the Jaguars.
Here is a thought, Only four teams in the modern Super Bowl era have started a season with a 3-6 record and managed to make the playoffs that season. The 1996 Jaguars are one of the four. That season, the team’s second year as an NFL franchise, they won six of their final seven games to not only make the playoffs but advance all the way to the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to New England.
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