The Jaguars left plenty of points on the board in the first half against the Ravens on Sunday Night Football.
After two missed field goals and one fumble just outside the red zone, Jacksonville had already been struggling to punch the ball in for points against Baltimore. But right before halftime, the Jags took those struggles to a brand new level.
Having used all of their timeouts on the Ravens’ previous possession, the Jaguars got the ball back with just over a minute to play in the half and no way of stopping the clock. Ideally, a few quick outs could get them into field goal range to cut into Baltimore’s 10–0 lead before the break.
Two penalties got Jacksonville past midfield, and then quarterback Trevor Lawrence connected with receiver Zay Jones on a deep route that got the ball inside the five-yard line.
With the clock running, everyone watching expected the Jaguars to rush to the line and spike the ball. Instead, Lawrence signaled wildly as he ran down the field, calling a play on the fly as Jacksonville got to the line.
Lawrence took the snap and connected with receiver Parker Washington on a flat route. He was well short of the goal line and tackled inbounds as the clock continued to run. Before the Jaguars had another opportunity to spike the ball, the half was over.
WHAT A MISTAKE! Here's the final sequence of the 1st half with Zay Jones' unbelievable catch and then the decision to not spike it by Trevor Lawrence pic.twitter.com/ig27D6DfXL
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) December 18, 2023
The sequence took at least three, and possibly seven, points off the board for Jacksonville. Had the Jags spiked the ball, they would have had time to call at least one, possibly two, passes into the end zone. If those plays failed, they could set up a chip-shot field goal that would cut the Ravens lead to a single score.
Instead, they ran the clock out on themselves.
Fans following the action at home tore into the Jaguars for their mismanagement of the game.
You were at the five yard line @Jaguars. That should have been a touchdown or throw away. Why do you care about field position there? The clock is what you're playing against.
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) December 18, 2023
This is on Trevor.
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) December 18, 2023
Doug calls flat fades.
Throw the fade or throw it out of bounds. You only throw the flat if it’s uncovered. pic.twitter.com/yEl1y52Jnk
Jaguars end of half management pic.twitter.com/PSkpgTVYz7
— Peter Berkes (@peterberkes) December 18, 2023
Watching the Jaguars final drive before the half pic.twitter.com/Yg0rAlRkns
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 18, 2023
Jaguars incompetence is wild
— Zachary Lucas (@ZachALucas) December 18, 2023
That was absolutely awful by the Jaguars at the end of the half. Trevor Lawrence has to throw that pass into the end zone.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) December 18, 2023
HAVE to spike it there, young man!
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) December 18, 2023
blunder. no other way to do put it. Absolute blunder at the end of the half.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) December 18, 2023
If the Jaguars had been able to capitalize on any of the chances they had created through the first half, they could have had the lead heading into the break. Instead, they were shut out through 30 minutes of football.
