The Jacksonville Jaguars continued their impressive run of form with a 31-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Jaguars improved to 5-2 and maintained their lead in the AFC South, while the Saints dropped to 3-4 and fell behind in the NFC South.
The Jaguars were led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who completed 23 of 32 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Lawrence connected with wide receiver DJ Chark for two scores, including a 54-yard bomb in the second quarter that gave the Jaguars a 14-7 lead. Chark finished with six catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
The Saints were without star running back Alvin Kamara, who missed the game with a hamstring injury. Quarterback Jameis Winston tried to keep the Saints in the game, throwing for 312 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw two costly interceptions that led to Jaguars points. The Saints also struggled to contain the Jaguars’ rushing attack, which amassed 149 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries.
The Jacksonville Jaguars Control The Game
The Jaguars took control of the game in the third quarter, when they scored 10 unanswered points to extend their lead to 24-10. Lawrence found tight end James O’Shaughnessy for a 12-yard touchdown, and kicker Josh Lambo added a 43-yard field goal. The Saints responded with a touchdown drive of their own, capped by a 17-yard pass from Winston to wide receiver Michael Thomas, who made his season debut after recovering from ankle surgery.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair, as both teams traded touchdowns and failed to convert two-point conversions. The Jaguars scored first, when running back James Robinson plunged into the end zone from one yard out, making it 30-17. The Saints answered with a 75-yard drive, highlighted by a 44-yard catch-and-run by wide receiver Marquez Callaway, who scored on a 4-yard pass from Winston.
The Jaguars Seal The Win
The Jaguars then sealed the game with a clutch drive that ate up more than six minutes of clock and ended with a 27-yard field goal by Lambo. The Saints had one last chance to tie the game, but Winston’s pass on fourth-and-10 from the Jaguars’ 40-yard line was intercepted by cornerback Shaquill Griffin with 12 seconds left.
The Jaguars have now won four consecutive games for the first time since 2017, when they reached the AFC Championship Game. They will look to extend their streak when they host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, October 29. The Saints have lost two straight games and will try to bounce back when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, October 29.
