Four Takeaways From Jaguars’ Week 4 Win vs. Bengals
The Jaguars eyed a surging Bengals offense that stood on the heels of Jacksonville’s red zone on fourth-and-10 with under a minute remaining in a 5-point game. Jags safety Rayuan Lane III upended Chase Brown just shy of the first-down marker, ending Cincinnati’s hopes of a comeback. The clock read 0:00 after two kneel-downs and Jacksonville took down the Bengals for the first time since 2019.
Sunday marked the first back-to-back 3-1 start for Jacksonville since 1997-99 and was headlined by a stout showing in the trenches. The 22-17 victory also slotted the Jags atop the AFC South standings heading into the two-week London stretch.
Here are four takeaways from Jacksonville’s Week 4 victory:
Jacksonville Boasts a Two-Headed Passing Defense
When a team allows an opposing quarterback to throw for 428 yards, that is typically a good indication of a rough outcome on the scoreboard. Instead, the Jaguars stood tall when the time came and held Cincinnati (2-2) to its fewest points this season.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw his most passing yards (428) since Nov. 7, 2024 and dealt to his receivers with ease for most of the afternoon. He connected with wide receiver Tee Higgins 11 times for 157 yards.
Despite Burrow completing 39 of his 54 passes — both season-highs — Jacksonville’s defense forced turnovers when it mattered most. Jourdan Lewis corralled his second interception of the season with two minutes left in the first half. Wideout Brian Thomas Jr. added his first touchdown of the year four plays later to extend the Jaguars’ lead to 10.
Burrow was picked off again on the Bengals’ opening drive of the fourth quarter. Foyesade Oluokon undercut a pass intended for Mitchell Tinsley and stalled Cincinnati’s 64-yard drive at Jacksonville’s 10-yard line. The linebacker added the Jaguars’ league-leading third red-zone takeaway this season. The interception also marked the club’s 13th contest with multiple takeaways since 2025.
“Those guys are leaders, captains, guys in those times of crisis,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. “Your best players need to step up and make plays, and our defense just keeps doing it.”
While the secondary play was uneasy at times Sunday, one cornerback stood out for all 60 minutes: Travis Hunter.
Hunter logged all 76 snaps on defense and a season-high coverage grade of 86.9, per Pro Football Focus. Hunter has improved each week on the defensive side, increasing his grade with each contest.
He nearly secured his second-career interception with 1:24 left in the first quarter, but the play was nullified by a roughing-the-passer penalty.
“He played his ass off today,” Coen said. “I was very proud of how Travis played defensively today.”
Run Defense Continues to Excel
Twenty-three yards.
Jacksonville held the Bengals to a slim total Sunday, greatly aiding in the one-possession win. Cincinnati’s running back tandem of Brown and Samaje Perine combined for just 17 yards on 12 carries. Brown entered the matchup averaging 65.6 yards per game and was overpowered by the Jags’ front.
The yardage was the fourth-fewest allowed in franchise history in a single game. The Jaguars have also gone 21 consecutive outings without letting up a 75-yard rusher. The streak marked the league’s longest across the last 50 seasons.
Chase’s nine attempts were his fewest since recording eight on Oct. 5, 2025.
Jacksonville linebacker Ventrell Miller paved the way for the big men up front. He was No. 3 on the Jags’ defense with six total tackles and a tackle for loss. The former Gator boasted a season-best run defense grade of 90.1, per PFF. The rating topped his previous best of 81.2 in Week 2.
Penalties a Major Issue
The Jaguars were penalized just 15 times heading into Week 4, but nearly held that total in Sunday’s contest alone.
Jacksonville was tagged with 13 penalties for 125 yards in the win. While it was a flag-ridden affair with the Bengals being called 11 times, the Jaguars faced a handful of drive-ending calls that must be cleaned up moving forward.
Five of Jacksonville’s penalties came solely in the opening frame and 10 were called in the first half.
“It’s wild,” Coen said. “I’ve never been a part of anything like that before in my life. I’m not going to say anything that will get me fined. But that was just mental. I’ve never seen quite that much in the first half of a football game.”
The Jaguars had two touchdowns — both from running back Byashul Tuten — and the aforementioned Hunter interception called back. Tuten would have had a 44-yard scoring rush and a short 3-yarder, but both were nullified due to a holding call on Ezra Cleveland and Anton Harrison, respectively.
Both near-scoring rushes didn’t prove too costly as the latter was followed up by a 7-yard touchdown pass two plays later. Even so, Jacksonville will have to keep a much cleaner sheet as the season progresses.
Trevor Lawrence Spread the Wealth
Jacksonville’s offense has looked like a one-man show as of late, but that all changed Sunday. After leading the club in receptions, targets and yards, wideout Parker Washington was much less effective against the Bengals, logging just one catch for seven yards. While teams would usually want to feed their WR1, Jacksonville’s other weapons stepped up.
Brenton Strange had team-highs in both receptions and yards, with seven catches for 95. He came into the matchup with seven receptions for 72 yards on the season. Also, his 95 yards marked a single-game career high for the 25-year-old.
“That guy just does a lot for our team,” Lawrence said. “It’s not everyone’s day every Sunday. That’s the hard part. There’s only one football and our guys show that they’re ready.”
Strange surpassed the 100-catch mark for his career and moved into fifth place in franchise history among tight ends with 105 (No. 4 is Pete Mitchell with 191).
Outside of the 6-foot-4 tight end, Lawrence connected with six other options. Tuten added 18 receiving yards to go along with his 73 on the ground, and rookie wideout Josh Cameron continued to be a factor in the pass game. The former sixth-round selection reeled in two passes for 42 yards, including a 29-yarder with 5:49 to go in the second quarter.
The Jaguars will look to build upon their two-game win streak as they travel to London in Week 5. Jacksonville is set to face the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Category: Feature Sports News, Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL
