The Jacksonville Jaguars’ special teams unit bounced back from a rough showing against the Houston Texans in Week 3 to put together strong performances in London. Brandon McManus was a perfect four-of-four on field goals, Logan Cooke averaged 50.9 yards on nine punts, and opposing punt returners managed just nine yards across the two games.
The only thing that was missing was the Jaguars having a dangerous return game of their own.
After Pro Bowl returner Jamal Agnew missed Week 4 with a quad injury, he returned in Week 5 but managed only five yards on two punt returns against the Buffalo Bills. So what needs to change to get the return game back on track? Not much of anything, according to Agnew.
“Just stay patient and don’t force anything,” Agnew said Friday. “People are scared to kick it to us for a reason. We don’t get a lot of opportunities and, when we do, we get everybody’s best on returns. Obviously, they know who I am. They don’t kick it to me like they kick it to everybody else.
“So we just got to stay patient. That’s one thing I’ve gotten used to in my career is just waiting for the plays to come and not trying to force anything. Ten yards, I’m fine with that. That’s a first down for the offense. The big plays will come, we’ve just got to stay patient.”
Agnew made a big impact earlier this season when he ripped off a 48-yard return in the fourth quarter of a Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts to spark a 14-point quarter for the Jaguars.
The most under-appreciated play of Week 1?
This punt return by Jamal Agnew, which absolutely should not have happened with 40 right there
Down by 4, 11 minutes to go
Flips the field from inside the 5 to the opposing 45-yard line
Drive ends in a touchdown pic.twitter.com/EoGkTjPrMR
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) September 11, 2023
Agnew said that play was starting to feel inevitable after he saw the way the Colts were punting earlier in the game.
“All day they were shanking them, they were scared to punt to me,” Agnew said. “Kick return, they were booting them out of the end zone. I think it was [director of player engagement] Marcus Pollard, said ‘Hey, just wait for it, it’s gonna come.’
“I had a 10-yard one and then it was a plus-50 punt and it was on the ground and I knew ‘this is the play right here.’ Stayed patient for it, grabbed it, and made a play. That’s all it is in the return game, you get one opportunity, you gotta stay patient, and take advantage of it.”
Agnew will get another chance to break a big one against the Colts — who have allowed 150 punt return yards (third most in the NFL) — on Sunday at EverBank Stadium.
