JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) won their first game of the season, beating the Indianapolis Colts (2-3) 37-34. Today’s victory put an end to QB Trevor Lawrence’s losing streak of nine straight starts, dating back to his last win at Houston on Nov. 26, 2023. The Jaguars wore throwback jerseys today to commemorate their inaugural 1994 expansion team, which is celebrating their 30th anniversary all season long.

The Colts scored on their first drive of the game as QB Joe Flacco, who was filling in for the injured Anthony Richardson, completed a 1 yard pass to WR Michael Pittman Jr. The extra point by K Matt Gay put Indianapolis up 7-0. Later in the quarter, RB Travis Etienne Jr. moved into fifth place on the Jaguars’ all time list of receiving yards for running backs, passing RB James Stewart’s 853 yards.

In the second quarter, the Jaguars put their first points on the board, a 23 yard K Cam Little field goal. But QB Trevor Lawrence later completed an 85 yard touchdown pass to WR Brian Thomas Jr., followed by the XP from Little, putting the Jags ahead 10-7. Matt Gay added a 30 yard field goal for the Colts to tie the score at 10-10. A fumble recovery by DE Josh Hines-Allen after DE Travon Walker got Flacco to drop the ball, marked the first forced turnover by the Jaguars defense this season. That set up Cam Little’s 30 yard field goal, putting the Jags back up 13-10 at halftime.

At the half, the Jaguars’ first and all-time winningest Coach, Tom Coughlin, was inducted onto the Pride of the Jaguars, joining Tony Boselli, Wayne and Delores Weaver, Fred Taylor, Mark Brunell, and Jimmy Smith. Coughlin received the Jaguars Pride teal jacket for his 72 victories, including two division titles and four trips to the playoffs, including a pair of AFC Championship game appearances in 1996 and 1999.

Tom Coughlin gets his Jaguars Pride teal jacket (photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

In the third quarter, RB Tank Bigsby ran for a 19 yard touchdown and Little added the extra point, extending the Jaguars lead to 20-10, which remained the score at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth, Flacco found TE Mo Alie-Cox in the end zone, completing an 18 yard touchdown pass, Matt Gay added the extra point to narrow the Colts’ deficit to 20-17. Trevor Lawrence added a 4 yard touchdown pass to TE Brenton Strange, and Little’s extra point extended the Jags’ lead to 27-17. The Colts’ Matt Gay scored a 37 yard field goal, to narrow their deficit to 27-20. But Tank Bigsby added another impressive touchdown run for 65 yards, and after Little’s XP, the Jaguars were ahead 34-20. Flacco later completed a 45 yard pass to WR Alec Pierce, and RB Trey Sermon ran the ball in for a 1 yard touchdown, followed by Matt Gay’s XP, to make the score 34-27. Flacco added a 65 yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce, and Gay’s extra point tied the game up at 34-34. Cam Little scored a 49 yard field goal late in the 4th to put the Jags ahead again 37-34, securing the victory.

Trevor Lawrence finished with 371 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tank Bigsby led the Jaguars’ rushing with 101 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brian Thomas, Jr. was the leading receiver with 122 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Jaguars head to London to face the Chicago Bears on Sunday, 10/13 and the New England Patriots on Sunday, 10/20. Kickoff for both games will be 9:30 a.m. The Jaguars’ next home game will be against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, 10/27 at 1:00 p.m. Be sure to follow www.FloridaSportsChannel.com and www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars fall to the Cleveland Browns 18-13 in their home opener. The Jaguars are now 0-2 after last week’s loss to the Miami Dolphins.

The Browns were the first to score after an 89 yard drive, capped off by a 1 yard touchdown run by QB Deshaun Watson, who earlier this week denied new sexual assault allegations against him. K Dustin Hopkins added the extra point, to put the Browns ahead 7-0.

In the second quarter, Hopkins added a 53 yard field goal for the Browns. The Jaguars later had an impressive scoring drive which took them as close as the 2 yard line, but they had to settle for a 22 yard field goal by rookie K Cam Little. Hopkins responded with a 38 yard field goal, to keep the Browns ahead 13-3 at the half.

Hopkins kicked off the scoring in the third quarter with a 44 yard field goal, extending the Browns’ lead. Little’s attempted 43 yard field goal in the rain hit the right upright. But QB Trevor Lawrence’s 66 yard pass to WR Brian Thomas, Jr. energized the crowd late in the third quarter, and RB Travis Etienne Jr. followed with a 4 yard touchdown run, while Cam Little redeemed himself with an extra point. Foyesade Oluokun’s sack of Deshaun Watson ended the third quarter, with the Jaguars down 16-10 at the end of the third quarter.

Rookie K Cam Little (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Early in the fourth quarter, Lawrence again had fans on their feet after a 30 yard pass to TE Brenton Strange. That drive ended with a 25 yard Cam Little field goal. But the Browns ran the clock down, leaving the Jaguars with only 1:48, and the ball on the two yard line. Lawrence was sacked in the end zone by DE Alex Wright for a safety, securing the Browns 18-13 victory. A late drive attempt by the Jaguars ended unsuccessfully.

Trevor Lawrence finished with 220 yards. Travis Etienne Jr. led the Jaguars’ rushing with 52 yards and 1 touchdown. Brian Thomas, Jr. was the leading receiver with 94 yards. Etienne also surpassed the 3,000 career yards mark during today’s game, and he later tied for the fifth most touchdowns in Jaguars history (18). He also ended as the fifth leading Jaguar in career rushing yards.

Today was the first home game for Trevor Lawrence since signing a five-year, $275 million contract extension. EverBank Stadium was rebranded as “TrEverBank Stadium” for today’s home opener, as a bank collaboration with the Jaguars quarterback.

TrEverBank Stadium (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

It was also the first home game since Josh Hines-Allen revised his last name to honor his maternal family’s athletic legacy, and to differentiate himself from the Buffalo Bills QB, Josh Allen. On 9/20, Josh will host a “jersey swap” event for the first 100 fans who registered, allowing them to swap their old “Allen” jerseys for the new “Hines-Allen” #41 jerseys.

New jerseys for Josh Hines-Allen fans. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Today’s attendance was 60,105. The Jaguars head to Buffalo to face QB Josh Allen and the Bills on Monday night, 9/23. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Be sure to follow www.FloridaSportsChannel.com and www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7) shutout the Carolina Panthers (2-14) 26-0 in their final home game at EverBank Stadium today. The Jaguars had lost four games in a row prior to today’s victory. But with today’s win, the Jaguars secured their second consecutive winning season for the first time since 2004-05. QB Trevor Lawrence missed his first NFL game after starting 51 in a row before today, because of a sprained throwing shoulder. Lawrence left early in three of his last four games with injuries. C.J Beathard made his first start at quarterback in three years.

QB C.J. Beathard. Photo credit: Mike Brodsky (Florida National News)

Beathard looked comfortable leading the Jaguars downfield on the first drive of the game, which ended in a 35 yard K Brandon McManus field goal to put the Jags up 3-0, which remained the score of the end of the first quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, McManus added a 26 yard field goal, extending the Jags lead to 6-0. Soon after, LB Josh Allen sacked Panthers QB Bryce Young to tie Calais Campbell for the Jaguars’ franchise single season record of 14.5 sacks. Late in the second quarter, McManus kicked a 24 yard field goal, to put the Jags ahead 9-0. Shortly afterwards, Allen added another sack of Bryce Young, to claim sole possession of the team record at 15.5 sacks. The Jaguars defense continued to hold the Panthers scoreless, limiting the team to 34 yards in total for the first two quarters, as the score remained 9-0 at halftime.

LB Josh Allen sets Jags’ single season sacks record. Photo credit: Mike Brodsky (Florida National News)

In the third quarter, RB Travis Etienne Jr. ran for a 62 yard touchdown, his tenth of the year. McManus added the extra point, as the Jags led 16-0. Beathard had an impressive 19 yard run midway through the third, but was taken out of the game by officials because he looked a little wobbly getting up, and went to the medical tent for evaluation. 33 year old QB Matt Barkley, who was signed earlier this week, warmed up for the Jaguars. Panthers LB Marquis Haynes Sr., who tackled Beathard, was badly injured on the play, and had to be taken off the field on a golf cart. Barkley led the Jaguars for one play, but Beathard was able to return to the field on the next down. That drive ended with a 34 yard McManus field goal, extending the lead to 19-0, which remained the score at the end of the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Allen added his third sack of the game, taking down Young, and extending his single season record to 16.5 sacks. Etienne added a one yard run for a touchdown on a play that was initially called a fumble, but was reversed on review and ruled a TD. With the XP from McManus, the Jaguars were up 26-0. Jaguars rookie S Antonio Johnson had an impressive interception of a Bryce Young pass late in the game. On the next drive, the Jaguars put in QB Matt Barkley to finish the game, and avoid any risk to C.J. Beathard’s health.

C.J. Beathard finished with 178 yards. Travis Etienne Jr. led the Jaguars’ rushing with 102 yards and 2 touchdowns. Evan Engram was the leading receiver with 60 yards.

The Jaguars head to Tennessee to face the Titans on Sunday, 1/7, for their final game of the regular season. Kickoff time has not yet been scheduled. The Jaguars are trying to make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1998-99. A victory against the Titans will give the Jaguars the AFC South division title. Be sure to follow www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.