After an 0-2 start to open the NFL season, the Duval Devout hoped the 3rd time is the charm would be a theme for their squad. A Monday Night Football win would be three straight over their opponent, the Buffalo Bills, and help the Jacksonville Jaguars avoid 0-3. That did not happen. The Bills trampled the Jaguars 47-10.

The Good

The return of Christian Kirk was something the real and fantasy football community could appreciate. To see Kirk get two catches in the first half to match his total per game for 2024 to that point was a step in the right direction. Kirk finished with eight catches for 79 yards.

The Bad

As if matters couldn’t get worse for the Jaguars secondary. Safety Andrew Wingard was hurt before the season, they lost their top corner Tyson Campbell during Week 1, Darnell Savage got scratched heading into Monday night, and then in the first drive of the game, Jarrian Jones got injured. The Jacksonville defense had it rough enough battling the Bills run game up front. To see Jones go down was a factor in Buffalo coming out balanced and letting Keon Coleman beat Montaric Brown for his first NFL points.

That Coleman score enabled Buffalo’s quarterback Josh Allen to have four touchdowns — in just the first half. Allen didn’t throw any touchdowns in the second half, but backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky would finish the contest. The biggest humiliation a defense can face in the NFL.

Not to limit it to the defense, Trevor’s interception was the beginning of the end for the Jags in the game despite the awesome story that is Demar Hamlin’s first pick coming back from dying on the field on a Monday Night game two years ago (and somehow not winning the Comeback Player of the Year last year). Nonetheless, an interception to a zombie after a desperate 4th down conversion with a well-run quarterback sneak to try and stop the collapse was a backbreaker for the Duval Devout.

Also, the familiar tune of protection issues on offense popped up. Lawrence was sacked four times before Mac Jones took over to finish the contest down 40-10 where he gave up a sack fumble with terrible protection.

The Spotty

The future of any number of high-level Jacksonville Jaguars entities can’t be described any better than the word, “spotty”. Is it head coach Doug Pederson? Is it a one-year run for new defensive coordinator Rian Nielsen? Is offensive coordinator Press Taylor the head that rolls? Or does owner Shad Kahn say enough is enough and fire general manager Trent Baalke?

For all the claims that Kahn is “hands off”, it’s hard to believe that he stands pat again.