JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence followed 4 interceptions with 4 touchdown passes — some of the improbable turnarounds in NFL postseason history — and rallied the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night.
Lawrence engineered the winning drive, highlighted by Travis Etienne’s 25-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play, and put the Jaguars in position for Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal on the ultimate play. It capped a 27-point comeback, the third largest in playoff history.
“You couldn’t write a crazier script,” Lawrence said. “We said within the locker room that’s type of how our season’s going. We’re never out of the fight. … I’m type of speechless, truthfully, simply to see what belief can do and to see when a team believes in one another what you possibly can accomplish.”
Patterson’s kick barely stayed inside the correct upright and set off a raucous celebration for a franchise that had won just 4 games the previous two years. The Jaguars (10-8) won their sixth consecutive game and fifth straight at home — all five in come-from-behind fashion.
Nobody could have seen this one coming. Perhaps not even Lawrence. But he was the regular hand in charge after a debacle of a primary half. He finished 28-of-47 passing for 288 yards, a shocker considering he the way in which he began.
Lawrence was downright dreadful to start Jacksonville’s first playoff game since losing within the 2017 AFC title game. He became the third quarterback within the Super Bowl era to throw 4 interceptions in the primary half of a playoff game, joining Detroit’s Gary Danielson and Denver’s Craig Morton.
But he bounced back in addition to anyone in NFL history.
“I didn’t have a alternative,” Lawrence said. “If we’re going to win that game, digging ourselves a hole like that, you’ve got to attain plenty of points. By doing that, your quarterback’s got to play well. So I clearly didn’t have much of a alternative.
“These guys have sacrificed way an excessive amount of for me to be the explanation we lose a possibility. That’s what I used to be fascinated about. I do know I’m going to make the plays. I’ve just got to get back on target. The fellows around me made plays. It’s not only me.”
The Jaguars, who also turned the ball over when a punt hit Chris Claybrook’s helmet, became the primary team within the Super Bowl era to win a playoff game with a turnover differential of minus-five or worse. Teams with that turnover deficit had been 0-19.
Lawrence misfired early and sometimes and commenced getting booed long before halftime. His confidence seemed shot. His swagger appeared gone. All of the progress he made in his first season with coach Doug Pederson looked like it could be flushed within the team’s finale.
But Lawrence never wavered. He connected with Evan Engram, Marvin Jones, Zay Jones and Christian Kirk for touchdowns that increasingly raised the team’s belief in its quarterback and its comeback.
Lawrence added certainly one of the most important plays when he jumped for a 2-point conversion with 5:25 to play that made it 30-28 — and put the Jaguars in position to win as a substitute of tie.
Jacksonville’s defense responded by sacking Justin Herbert after which forcing a punt. Lawrence took over from there, with a major assist from Etienne.
“I feel just like the running back, when it gets to that time of the sport, you’re alleged to be the closer,” Etienne said. “Coach believed in me on that fourth-and-1, to present me the ball. I needed to make something occur for my teammates.”
Herbert threw for 273 yards and a touchdown without an interception, however the Chargers’ offense was largely ineffective after a 62-yard TD drive that made it 24-0 midway through the second quarter. Los Angeles (10-8) finished with 320 yards of offense and 18 first downs, and it produced only three points on 4 second-half possessions.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence followed 4 interceptions with 4 touchdown passes — some of the improbable turnarounds in NFL postseason history — and rallied the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night.
Lawrence engineered the winning drive, highlighted by Travis Etienne’s 25-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play, and put the Jaguars in position for Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal on the ultimate play. It capped a 27-point comeback, the third largest in playoff history.
“You couldn’t write a crazier script,” Lawrence said. “We said within the locker room that’s type of how our season’s going. We’re never out of the fight. … I’m type of speechless, truthfully, simply to see what belief can do and to see when a team believes in one another what you possibly can accomplish.”
Patterson’s kick barely stayed inside the correct upright and set off a raucous celebration for a franchise that had won just 4 games the previous two years. The Jaguars (10-8) won their sixth consecutive game and fifth straight at home — all five in come-from-behind fashion.
Nobody could have seen this one coming. Perhaps not even Lawrence. But he was the regular hand in charge after a debacle of a primary half. He finished 28-of-47 passing for 288 yards, a shocker considering he the way in which he began.
Lawrence was downright dreadful to start Jacksonville’s first playoff game since losing within the 2017 AFC title game. He became the third quarterback within the Super Bowl era to throw 4 interceptions in the primary half of a playoff game, joining Detroit’s Gary Danielson and Denver’s Craig Morton.
But he bounced back in addition to anyone in NFL history.
“I didn’t have a alternative,” Lawrence said. “If we’re going to win that game, digging ourselves a hole like that, you’ve got to attain plenty of points. By doing that, your quarterback’s got to play well. So I clearly didn’t have much of a alternative.
“These guys have sacrificed way an excessive amount of for me to be the explanation we lose a possibility. That’s what I used to be fascinated about. I do know I’m going to make the plays. I’ve just got to get back on target. The fellows around me made plays. It’s not only me.”
The Jaguars, who also turned the ball over when a punt hit Chris Claybrook’s helmet, became the primary team within the Super Bowl era to win a playoff game with a turnover differential of minus-five or worse. Teams with that turnover deficit had been 0-19.
Lawrence misfired early and sometimes and commenced getting booed long before halftime. His confidence seemed shot. His swagger appeared gone. All of the progress he made in his first season with coach Doug Pederson looked like it could be flushed within the team’s finale.
But Lawrence never wavered. He connected with Evan Engram, Marvin Jones, Zay Jones and Christian Kirk for touchdowns that increasingly raised the team’s belief in its quarterback and its comeback.
Lawrence added certainly one of the most important plays when he jumped for a 2-point conversion with 5:25 to play that made it 30-28 — and put the Jaguars in position to win as a substitute of tie.
Jacksonville’s defense responded by sacking Justin Herbert after which forcing a punt. Lawrence took over from there, with a major assist from Etienne.
“I feel just like the running back, when it gets to that time of the sport, you’re alleged to be the closer,” Etienne said. “Coach believed in me on that fourth-and-1, to present me the ball. I needed to make something occur for my teammates.”
Herbert threw for 273 yards and a touchdown without an interception, however the Chargers’ offense was largely ineffective after a 62-yard TD drive that made it 24-0 midway through the second quarter. Los Angeles (10-8) finished with 320 yards of offense and 18 first downs, and it produced only three points on 4 second-half possessions.
