Alaina Getzenberg
Michael DiRocco
Michael DiRocco
ESPN Workers Author
Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter at ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He beforehand coated the College of Florida for over a decade for ESPN.com and Florida Instances-Union. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville College and is a a number of APSE award winner. You’ll be able to observe DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Payments’ offense couldn’t be stopped Monday night time towards the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 47-10 win that saved the Payments excellent on the season and handed the Jaguars their third loss.
Quarterback Josh Allen led the Payments to landing drives on all 5 first-half possessions to take a commanding lead at house. The win ended a two-game dropping skid to the Jaguars. That is the fifth time the Payments have scored 30 factors in every of their first three video games of a season.
Listed here are crucial issues to know from Monday night time for each groups:
Buffalo Payments (3-0)
“Excellent” is a tough phrase to throw round, and so hardly ever is it really achieved.
There’s an argument, nevertheless, that the Payments’ offense and Josh Allen (247 first-half passing yards and 4 touchdowns) bought fairly near it within the first half towards the Jaguars.
Allen accomplished 23 of 30 passes for 263 yards and 4 touchdowns within the sport. He additionally rushed for 44 yards on six carries. He handed Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the very best MVP odds, per ESPN BET, and tied his personal report for landing passes in a sport, all within the first half-hour. Till the primary drive of the third quarter, he went 6-of-6 for 77 yards with two passing touchdowns on third down.
The stats are spectacular, together with thriving underneath strain — his 4 passing touchdowns when underneath strain this season lead the NFL.
The Payments have scored 30-plus factors in every of their first three video games of a season for the primary time since 2011. This offense has made it clear to your complete league that stopping it is going to be no simple activity.
Pivotal play: Damar Hamlin’s interception. The Payments’ offense goes to get a number of love for this efficiency, and deservedly so, however the protection did its job. On a tough go from Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on first-and-10 deep within the second quarter — with nobody near the world of the throw — Hamlin picked off Lawrence and returned the ball 19 yards. Hamlin’s first profession decide arrange the group’s fourth landing of the day, with Allen passing to large receiver Khalil Shakir for a rating 5 performs later.
Promising pattern: The offense getting quite a lot of gamers concerned. 4 totally different Payments gamers caught touchdowns vs. the Jaguars, and working again James Cook dinner had a speeding rating. Six Payments have caught touchdowns this season — essentially the most within the NFL. Getting the ball to quite a lot of gamers has been an early pattern for the Payments, and one which offensive coordinator Joe Brady ought to proceed. It solely provides to how harmful this unit might be.
Eye-popping stat: Allen is the primary participant with 4 passing touchdowns within the first half on “Monday Evening Soccer” for the reason that Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger on Nov. 5, 2007, towards the Ravens. The final occasion earlier than that was Brett Favre (2003, Packers vs. Raiders).
Subsequent sport: at Baltimore Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3)
It won’t be time to panic simply but, but it surely’s getting shut for the Jaguars after the thorough beatdown they suffered Monday night time. They’re now 0-3, and that makes the playoffs — which proprietor Shad Khan mentioned earlier than the season was his expectation — extra of an uphill battle.
Solely six groups since 1979 have made the playoffs after an 0-3 begin. Just one has completed it this century: the 2018 Houston Texans. That checklist contains the 1992 San Diego Chargers, the one group to make the playoffs after beginning a season 0-4.
There’s a number of soccer left, and the schedule seemingly will get simpler after subsequent week’s sport in Houston with video games towards Indianapolis, Chicago and New England. However the poor begin after the collapse on the finish of the 2023 season (1-5 end) will definitely enhance the strain on head coach Doug Pederson.
Describe the sport in two phrases: Defensive debacle. The Jaguars allowed 34 factors within the first half, which is essentially the most factors they’ve allowed in a primary half in franchise historical past, per ESPN Analysis, and solely 4 shy of essentially the most they’ve allowed in any half. The Jaguars have been down two starters within the secondary and misplaced one other as properly in linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, however that is no excuse for permitting Allen to throw for 247 yards and 4 TDs within the first half.
Troubling pattern: The Jaguars have been already coping with accidents to cornerback Tyson Campbell (on IR with a hamstring damage) and nickel again Darnell Savage (quad), however now cornerback Jarrian Jones (shoulder) — who changed Savage within the lineup — and Oluokun (foot) are additionally harm. Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen likes to play a number of man protection, however these accidents will severely influence the Jaguars’ skill to try this, particularly going through a brief week and having to go to Houston to cope with C.J. Stroud, Tank Dell, Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs.
Eye-popping stat: The Jaguars lastly bought receiver Christian Kirk extra concerned within the offense. After getting focused seven instances and catching simply two passes for 29 yards within the first two video games, Kirk was focused seven instances and caught six passes for 73 yards by way of the primary two minutes of the fourth quarter. That was partly dictated by the rating and the Jaguars having to go extra to attempt to keep within the sport, however Kirk wanted to be a much bigger a part of the offense.
Subsequent sport: at Houston Texans (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
