After one half of play for the Jacksonville Jaguars Saturday night, everyone in the NFL world started to pencil in the Los Angeles Chargers in the Divisional Round. Trevor Lawrence looked like a pumpkin. Jacksonville’s defense couldn’t buy a stop. And Doug Pederson seemingly had no answers in front of a shell-shocked crowd while chasing a 27-0 deficit.
My, my, how quickly matters can shift in just over 30 minutes of play. Instead of surrendering and letting the perennially cursed Chargers cruise and advance, a 36-yard Riley Patterson field goal saw the Jaguars pull off the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history to win 31-30 as time expired. And by the time the dust settles on this one, Brandon Staley might no longer be employed by L.A.
That’s because it’s the first time ever an NFL team has won a playoff game despite having a -5 turnover margin:
this is the FIRST TIME IN NFL PLAYOFF HISTORY a team was +5 in turnover margin and lost the game
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 15, 2023
How did the Jaguars pull off the miracle? And how did the Chargers keep the door open for their own epic collapse? Let’s break the eight essential steps down — in order — as Jacksonville celebrates one of the wildest mid-January victories in pro football lore.
8
Jaguars execute first-half two-minute drill to perfection
After their forgettable first half, the Jaguars could’ve easily mailed it in and tried to regroup for the second stanza. But if you’re down by almost four scores, every possession comes at a premium, regardless of the circumstance. Fortunately, the battle-tested Pederson understood this and kept the pedal to the metal as Jacksonville took over near midfield with 1:49 left in the second quarter.
Seven plays and 47 yards later, Lawrence and friends finally delivered points on the scoreboard with this laser of a nine-yard TD to Evan Engram:
On the board.#LACvsJAX on NBC/Peacock pic.twitter.com/e4kPQyuW7I
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 15, 2023
Suddenly, 27-7 didn’t feel so insurmountable with an entire half left to play. That’s how you use every last tick on the clock to your advantage.
7
Joey Bosa jumps offsides on critical third down
After the Jaguars’ defense quickly got off the field at the start of the third quarter, it was up to L.A.’s defensive unit to stop the bleeding. But Jacksonville, with wind under its sail, would march down the field to get into the red zone while taking up almost half of the third-quarter clock.
Unfortunately for the Jaguars, they would stall on a critical third-down Joey Bosa sack of Lawrence. Except the sack didn’t count … because Bosa jumped offsides. Instead of a long field goal attempt, Jacksonville had third and short.
The Chargers looked like they got off the field with a sack but Joey Bosa gets called for offsides.
Would have been a long field goal.
— Daniel Wade (@dantalkssports) January 15, 2023
Five plays later, Lawrence hit Marvin Jones on an easy six-yard TD:
One play at a time.#LACvsJAX on NBC pic.twitter.com/pWbd7w5zDm
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 15, 2023
Don’t look now, but with just over 20 minutes to go, it was 27-14 Chargers. Bosa will undoubtedly think about this offsides penalty all offseason.
6
The Chargers' offense turtled after entering plus territory
As disaster started to unfold, the Chargers could take solace knowing they had Justin Herbert — a genuine superstar quarterback in his own right — to weather the storm. To begin their drive after the Jaguars’ second touchdown, Herbert found Gerald Everett twice for 46 yards and got L.A. immediately into opposition territory.
Here’s what they did after:
Folks, not only is that a short first-down run (why?), it’s two consecutive short passes … while chasing the down and distance (c’mon). Overall, with time being the Jaguars’ biggest enemy, the Chargers inexplicably threw the ball (again, most of it short) five times instead of churning as much clock as possible.
Cameron Dicker would nail eventually a 50-yard field that L.A. settled for, but the offensive approach kept the Jaguars alive. I’m struggling to remember when a late 30-14 lead last felt more tenuous.
5
Brandon Staley's defense self-combusts on 39-yard Zay Jones TD
Redemption was on the table. The Chargers’ defense and Joey Bosa had the opportunity to flex their muscles and keep the Jaguars’ wave from coming. Any sort of negative play, as Jacksonville took over with a little under three minutes left in the third quarter, would do. Anyone making any quality defensive play at all would be welcome. Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Oh come on.
Instead of pushing the defensive envelope, after stifling Lawrence for most of the night early on, the Chargers, somehow, forgot to cover Zay Jones — who ran past everyone as if they forgot he existed on a perfect offensive design against quarters defense:
Don’t turn that dial.#LACvsJAX on NBC pic.twitter.com/L3YotxjV9S
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 15, 2023
A missed two-point conversion after the score probably didn’t even let L.A. get a chance to gather itself. With the deficit down to 30-20, the “Chargers-ing” was in full swing.
4
Cameron Dicker misses his second kick of the ENTIRE season in the crunch
Finally, after everyone screamed about their mismanagement in a third quarter where they couldn’t stop the bleeding, the Chargers did something right after Jones’ touchdown. They milked clock and a lot of it.
On a 14-play, 58-yard drive, Herbert’s offense took their sweet time to meticulously move downfield, knowing they had to limit the Jaguars’ offense’s next opportunity on the field. When Herbert would miss Joshua Palmer on a third-and-short just outside the red zone with 8:47 remaining, have no fear — Dicker was here.
About that:
Cameron Dicker with just his second missed kick this season.
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) January 15, 2023
When your lights-out kicker is wide left on a relative chip shot, you know the deck is stacked against you. Instead of a 33-20 Chargers lead, NFL history –with yet another Jaguars’ TD answer to Christian Kirk in response — was now really in the making:
It’s obvious what’s being done out here.#LACvsJAX on NBC pic.twitter.com/rrQHynbO2E
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 15, 2023
Oh no, 30-26. What’s next? Yes, there’s more. By golly, with the Chargers, there is always more misery, always another step on a staircase right into embarrassment.
3
Trevor Lawrence goes "Air Lawrence" for two points after Joey Bosa loses his composure
If no one on the Chargers had stepped over the line, Jacksonville would’ve likely kicked the extra point after Jones’ lovely TD. No one in their right mind would go for two from the standard 15-yard-line spot. But when Joey Bosa — in a game he won’t soon forget for the worst individual reasons — took his helmet off and slammed it to the ground, a 15-yard penalty set the Jaguars up from the one-yard line:
Joey Bosa’s reaction to Brandon Staley handing him his helmet back is the funniest thing you’ll see this @NFL playoffs…pic.twitter.com/XUwjIrVIjM
— Tito (@JavierPDJavier) January 15, 2023
Playoff games are quite literally being decided by players like Bosa losing their cool at the worst possible time. Never forget that truism.
Even with their clutch score to Kirk, the Jaguars definitely needed the two-point conversion to put themselves in an eventual winning position. They could’ve called a slant, maybe some sort of direct give to Travis Etienne. Whatever would’ve worked best, you know? Except, the Chargers’ defense would’ve telegraphed such a play. That would’ve been too easy.
Instead, Jacksonville made the best choice: They elected to have the 6-foot-6 Lawrence — that is quite tall — use his length to go over the top and jump-reach the line. It really is just so simple sometimes.
Air Lawrence#LACvsJAX on NBC pic.twitter.com/DFvRJnTUe6
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 15, 2023
Air Lawrence, indeed.
It was 30-28 with just over five minutes left. You could now feel the crushing weight of the Chargers’ epic collapse ready and pure Jaguars’ jubilation on the way.
2
L.A. goes three out and out with a chance to put nails in the coffin
This time of year, the cliche of good “four-minute offense” rings true more than most. When you’re protecting a small margin of a lead near the end of a game, you’ve got to be able to move the ball and ensure the other team doesn’t get another possession. Especially when they’ve shown no signs of being slowed down in a huge comeback.
Once again, in classic Chargers fashion, the worst-case unfolded instead: A first-down sack by Jacksonville’s Roy Robertson-Harris and a quick three and out for the team on its heels.
Down just two points, with 3:09 on the game clock when they regained possession, the Jaguars could execute their offense as their leisure and win with a field goal. A horror movie for Charger-dom in the purest sense loomed over the horizon.
1
Doug Pederson puts his faith in Travis Etienne with season on the line
While stuck at the Chargers’ 41-yard line with 1:27 to go on a fourth and short, the Jaguars weren’t exactly in an ideal spot. Should L.A. have stopped them, the game would end, and the Chargers would’ve mercifully survived.
It was apparent that Jacksonville would run the football in some fashion. Given the way the Chargers’ defense lined up, they even expected a straight run up the middle. Pederson knew this, so he put three players in the backfield and had them charge up to the line of scrimmage at the snap. One problem for the Chargers: They fell for the misdirection. Etienne received a handoff going to the right and romped his way for a cool 25 yards.
An immaculate play-call in a dire back-against-the-wall moment:
Lol u wild Doug keep going#LACvsJAX on NBC pic.twitter.com/8zJhrS3ghY
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 15, 2023
From there, the outcome was elementary. There was no way Riley Patterson would miss a chip shot game-winning field goal as time expired after his team’s overall Herculean effort:
Former @MemphisFB kicker Riley Patterson kicks the game winning field goal for the @Jaguars #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/4kHKBhXZvU
— Grind City Media (@grindcitymedia) January 15, 2023
Game. Set. Match. A 31-30 Jaguars victory.
To complete the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history, a lot had to break in the Jaguars’ favor while down 27 points. In a different dimension, with a few bounces going against them, we’re not talking about them likely playing the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round next weekend. But, in this cosmic sense, we probably will be very soon. Fortune favors … oh, well, I’m not sure who it favors.
Jacksonville never stopped plowing full steam ahead on Saturday night. Even after the face of the franchise threw four quick and devastating picks. This young team — who had never been there and never done that — had no business still winning, facing such lofty odds. Their relentless persistence against an organization patently afraid of its playoff gag reflex paid off with a well-earned, historic, and all-time win.
