It is not over until it is over, however, let’s save the Jacksonville Jaguars fans the misery.
The Jaguars fall in a heartbreaking game to the Pittsburg Steelers 20-16, that if won would potentially give them a lifeline on a disappointing season.
Besides, ten months after the playoffs Jaguars might have to start over at quarterback. It is the best way to erase this season.
The Jaguars had the Steelers right where they had them. Ben Roethlisberger threw two interceptions on his first 12 passes. The Steelers failed to score in the first half for the first time in more than two years, and they still trailed by 10 approaching the 2-minute warning. But the Jaguars found another way to lose.
In comeback fashion, Roethlisberger broke a tackle for the inches he needed with five seconds left to seal the victory over the Jaguars.
“We have to be able to get first downs and close the game out,” Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said. “If you just had one first down on any of those drives, you had a chance to win that football game, and we weren’t able to do that.”
Jacksonville ran only 11 plays in the fourth quarter for minus-7 yards, including three of their six sacks of Blake Bortles.
A reason why Jaguars are a disappointment this season is because of the absence of running back Leonard Fournette. He ran for 95 yards on 28 carries, and he caught two passes for 46 yards that led to the Jaguars’ only touchdown when he launched himself from the 4 and scored for a 16-0 lead with 2:09 left in the third quarter.
Defensively, Jalen Ramsey earned the chips and the dip. With the Steelers trailing 9-0 in the third quarter, Roethlisberger threw to Antonio Brown over the middle. Ramsay reached over Brown’s helmet and juggled the ball before pulling it in. He tried to run out of the end zone, stumbled and kept going until he was ruled down by contact.
“I’ve been pretty pissed off,” Ramsey said after Sunday’s 20-16 loss to Pittsburgh at TIAA Bank Field. “I’m not going to lie to you. I have. S—, man, I’ve been battling with my emotions, trying to hold them in.”
Ramsey had one of his best games against the Steelers. Brown caught five passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, but Brown’s 78-yard touchdown catch came when the Jaguars were in zone and safety Tashaun Gipson tried to jump a shallow route. Brown had four catches for 39 yards with Ramsey in coverage.
Both of Ramsey’s interceptions came on passes thrown to Brown, a diving catch and another he hauled in with one arm. It was the first multi-interception game of Ramsey’s career; however the loss has increased their losing streak to six in a row.
There is the icing to the cake.
Ramsey said he wasn’t bothered by the pregame report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter in which he said league sources believe the Jaguars will entertain the idea of trading Ramsey in the offseason. The Jaguars released a statement within an hour of that report that they “have zero intention of trading CB Jalen Ramsey. There is no truth to this rumor.”
“I didn’t use it as motivation,” Ramsey said. “It is what it is. I don’t control that. All I control is what I put out there on the field. When the offseason comes we’ll have some conversations to have. Either that or I’m going to get a contract extension or something. Something’s going to happen.
The beat goes on for Ramsey’s tenure in “Sacksonville,” and the current state of the Jaguar’s season.
Jaguars take their talents to play the Buffalo Bills.
Steelers take their six-game winning streak on the road to visit the Denver Broncos.
Photo/JalenRamsey/twitter
