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In 2017, the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars would’ve been a premier matchup. The pair were atop the NFL, featuring high-end defenses and notable players, while contending to win the AFC.
Oh, how far they have fallen.
Across the pond, the Patriots and Jaguars competed in another evenly matched contest, but under much different circumstances than seven years ago. This time, the two were battling for the worst record in the NFL.
The Jaguars survived the Patriots’ challenge, winning 32-16, holding off dropping to the bottom of professional football.
Surprising Start
The Jaguars, a staple of the NFL international project, remained in London for another week after losing to the Chicago Bears last Sunday. Often, traveling overseas has caused teams to start games slowly. With that in mind, there was a possibility the Jaguars (2-5) held an advantage due to acclimation to Great Britain, while the Patriots (1-6) traveled this week.
The advantage wasn’t noticeable.
The Patriots promoted Drake Maye to to be their starting quarterback last week and he looked impressive with three touchdowns in a loss to the Houston Texans. Early Sunday, it seemed like it would be much of the same.
.@MycHasty dancing to the end zone
: NFLN pic.twitter.com/CzBRrDpqcx
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 20, 2024
On the game’s first drive, Maye led the Pats on a meticulous 11-play, six-minute drive that ended with a 16-yard JaMycal Hasty touchdown reception. After receiving the ball again, they put together another 12-play drive. This time, they added a field goal, holding a 10-0 lead to end the first quarter.
Quick Turnaround
It didn’t take long for Jacksonville to turn things around.
After struggling to put together any offense in their first five quarters in London, the Jags scored on five of their final seven possessions Sunday. Facing the early deficit, Trevor Lawrence executed a strong drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brian Thomas Jr. On their following drive, the Jaguars scored another touchdown behind a 58-yard pass to Thomas Jr. and a 1-yard touchdown run by Tank Bigsby.
Lawrence to BTJ! @Jaguars are on the board
: #NEvsJAX on NFL Network
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/ZwaRwAS5BY— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024
The Jags looked comfortable at their second home overseas, scoring in all fashion, including a punt return. They consistently caught the Patriots’ defense off-guard, taking the battle of 1-6 teams in a dominant fashion.
Looking Forward
While the Jaguars fended off dropping to the worst record in the NFL, there are still challenges. Facing Green Bay, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Detroit (all of which would make the playoffs) before its bye week, Jacksonville may need to grapple with the possibility of playoff elimination in the next few weeks. The next contest comes against the Green Bay Packers (5-2) at home before hitting the road for Philadelphia.
For the Patriots, Sunday’s loss marks a possible turning point. After years of dominance, New England sits atop draft projections and is in a three-way tie for the worst record in the NFL. The Pats will head back to America to face the New York Jets (2-5) in hopes of turning their season around.
