Those five games contributed to the Jaguars' heartbreaking loss in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars' 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in a Week 9, 2024 game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sunday

1. Oh no. The Jaguars were on the verge of a remarkable comeback on Sunday – and one of their most dramatic victories in recent memory. And then it was over — due to the third draw of the day and a play that ended a dramatic rally. After Eagles kicker Jake Elliott missed a 57-yard field goal with 2:11 left, the Jaguars drove from the Jacksonville 47-yard line and found themselves on first-and-10 at the Philadelphia 13 after quarterback Trevor Lawrence passed 22 yards to wide receiver Austin Trammell. On first down, Lawrence threw to running back D'Ernest Johnson in the left side of the end zone, and Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean jumped for an interception that gave the Eagles the victory with 1:38 left. “He’s the first one read,” Pederson said of Johnson. “A great piece from (Dean).” Lawrence added: “I tried to exaggerate it. You have to give the linebacker credit. He did a great job. It was hard to finish like that. He got his eyes back and played the ball. He did a great job making the play.”

2. Oh wow. Games can end quickly in the NFL, and Sunday handled the second half with breathtaking speed. First, Lawrence's one-yard keeper and two-point pass to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. cut the lead from 22-0 to 22-8 with 5:26 left in the third quarter. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley fumbled on the ensuing play, causing the ball to jump out of his hands after falling to the ground. Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker returned the fumble 35 yards for a touchdown, with Lawrence's two-point pass to tight end Evan Engram cutting the three-point lead to 22-16 with 5:12 left in the third quarter. Sixteen points in 14 seconds and a new game. “That’s a great athlete,” Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun said of Walker. “He took the ball in his hands and showed what he could do with it. It was a great play from him personally and I loved how the whole defense started blocking him. I think that's cool.” Defensive end Josh Allen added: “That was huge. That was huge for our team. It gave us confidence. It gave us a bigger spark.”