New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Final Score: Jaguars 48, Jets 20
Writer: Steven Pintado (@coachstevenp)
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense came out firing in Week 15 against the Jets. Led by Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars scored six touchdowns and looked completely unstoppable throughout the game. Running back Travis Etienne was the star of the afternoon, doing most of his damage through the air with three receiving touchdowns. The Jets simply had no answer for Jacksonville’s passing attack, as the Jaguars carved up the Jets’ secondary from start to finish.
On the other side, it was Brady Cook’s first career start for the Jets, and while he showed flashes and was able to move the offense at times, the situation was far from ideal. The Jets struggled to establish the run early, which forced them to lean heavily on the passing game — an approach that proved costly with a rookie quarterback under center. Mistakes piled up, and the offense couldn’t keep pace with Jacksonville’s scoring.
In the end, the better team clearly won this matchup. The Jaguars look like a team trending upward as they push toward the postseason, while the Jets appear to be heading in the opposite direction.
Three Up
- Trevor Lawrence — The Jaguars’ QB came to play against the Jets, making fantastic throws and running with the ball to contribute to six total touchdowns in this game.
- Travis Etienne — While the veteran running back struggled to get the ball moving on the ground. He was a star in the passing game with three receiving touchdowns.
- Jakobi Meyers — The veteran receiver had a strong outing, leading the team in receptions, and finished with 71 total yards in an early blowout game.
Three Down
- Breece Hall — The Jets’ running back failed to get anything going on the ground and would increasingly split time with the other running back as the game went on.
- Brenton Strange — Just three targets in this game, and he was only able to come up with one catch, and it wasn’t until later in the game.
- John Metchie — After two strong plays a few weeks ago, Metchie has failed to see anything besides short passes and has been unable to do much with those catches.
New York Jets
Quarterback
Brady Cook: 22/33, 176 Yards, TD, 3 INTs | 6 Carries, 39 Yards
Undrafted rookie Brady Cook was forced into the starting role against the Jaguars with Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields both banged up. Cook looked decent early in the game, leaning on quick, short throws to establish some rhythm in the offense. He was at his best on the move, particularly in rollout situations that gave him extra time to scan the field. Cook connected on a sharp strike to his receiver in the first half and showed some early promise.
The second half was a different story, as Cook began to regress and ultimately threw two additional interceptions late in the fourth quarter. Both picks were poor decisions and poorly placed throws that allowed defenders to make easy plays on the ball. While it’s hard to see Cook as a long-term answer for the Jets, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s forced into another start next week given the team’s current quarterback situation.
Running Back
Breece Hall: 12 Carries, 23 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Reception, 14 Yards
Jets star running back Breece Hall did not have a good day against the Jaguars’ run defense. He struggled to get anything going behind the offensive line, as Jacksonville consistently bottled him up at the line of scrimmage. Defenders were getting to Hall quickly, cutting off his momentum and preventing any chances for explosive plays.
As the game wore on, Hall saw his workload steadily decrease. Isaiah Davis began to see more touches, particularly in the second quarter and beyond, and in the second half even Andrew Beck and Khalil Herbert mixed in for carries during the blowout. Hall has continued to struggle for production in this stagnant Jets offense, and at this point, he doesn’t look like a reliable RB2 unless he finds the end zone for the rest of the season.
Isaiah Davis: 9 Carries, 58 Yards, TD | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Andre Beck: 1 Carry, 5 Yards | 1 Target
Khalil Herbert: 2 Carries, 5 Yards | 1 Target
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Adonai Mitchell: 9 Targets, 6 Receptions, 58 Yards, 1 TDs | 1 Carry, -4 Yards
Jets top receiver Adonai Mitchell led the team in every receiving category in the matchup against the Jaguars. Mitchell found the end zone early on a quick seam route, as Cook identified him immediately and hit him wide open for the score.
Mitchell continued to see steady involvement throughout the game, particularly on deep curl routes, where he showed a developing connection with Cook. He made several tough, contested catches and stood out as the only consistent target for the Jets, while other receivers flashed briefly for a series or two before fading. Despite the limitations of this Jets offense, Mitchell continues to show WR4 fantasy value based on volume and role.
Isaiah Williams: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 53 Yards
Second-year receiver Isaiah Williams continues to see an expanded role in the Jets’ offense. He benefited from a bit of luck on a few plays, securing two deflected passes where he was in the right place at the right time. Williams was primarily used as the middle-of-the-field option, leveraging his speed to attack seams in the defense.
Williams also had a punt return touchdown called back on a questionable play, but despite the increased involvement, he isn’t a realistic fantasy option during the playoffs unless you’re in the deepest of leagues.
John Metchie: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 25 Yards | 1 Carry, 4 Yards
John Metchie continues to operate as the short-area and screen-game receiver in the Jets’ offense. Most of his targets from Cook came within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage, limiting any real opportunity for impact plays. Metchie wasn’t able to create much space, leaving him little room to do anything after the catch.
After a strong stretch of games earlier, Metchie has settled in as an average option at best in this offense, seeing largely low-value and unimportant targets that don’t translate into meaningful production.
Jermey Ruckert: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards
Allen Lazard: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Arian Smith: 2 Targets,
Jacksonville Jaguars
Quarterback
Trevor Lawrence: 20/32, 330 Yards, 5 TD | 5 Carries, 51 Yards, TD
Trevor Lawrence looked like a man possessed in this matchup against the Jets. Early on, Lawrence was slinging the ball all over the field, consistently connecting on deep shots downfield. He benefited from excellent pass protection throughout the game, which allowed him time to progress through his reads and deliver accurate throws.
Midway through the second quarter, Lawrence appeared to bang up his hand, which slightly altered the Jaguars’ passing approach. After the injury, he relied more on shorter throw and took fewer deep shots. While he still connected on a couple of downfield throws, there was visible discomfort at times.
Lawrence finished the game with five passing touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown as well. He also led the team in rushing, making several impressive runs to extend plays and keep drives alive. Many of his touchdowns came off strong misdirection, with at least three scores going to receivers who were either wide open or had significant separation. Lawrence has been playing at a high level, and while he clearly took advantage of an excellent matchup in Week 15, the performance was dominant from start to finish.
Nick Mullens: 3 Carries, -2 Yards
Running Back
Travis Etienne: 12 Carries, 32 Yards | 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 73 Yards, 3 TDs
Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had a big day against the Jets, though most of his impact came through the passing game. As a runner, it was a relatively uneventful performance, but Etienne still commanded the majority of the carries until the game was well out of hand. He showed power and physicality on his runs, yet the rushing production never fully materialized.
Etienne’s real damage came as a receiver, where he scored three touchdowns. Two of those came on wheel routes near the goal line, where he created mismatches and took advantage. His third touchdown was a short catch that turned into a long score, as he picked up the majority of his 45 yards after the catch, shaking off defenders and zig-zagging his way into the end zone.
Etienne remains firmly established as the Jaguars’ RB1. Bhayshul Tuten saw minimal involvement, while LeQuint Allen Jr. only mixed in late during garbage time.
Bhayshul Tuten: 1 Carry, 7 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 16 Yards, TD
LeQuint Allen Jr.: 4 Carries, 11 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jakobi Meyers: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 71 Yards
Jakobi Meyers was clearly Trevor Lawrence’s favored target in the first half of the game. He was targeted early and often, especially on throws over the middle of the field. Meyers consistently created strong separation on his routes, making it easy for Lawrence to connect on several quick 15- or 20-yard gains.
The main downside to Meyers’ day was his inability to find the end zone, but he served as the reliable chain-moving option Lawrence leaned on early. Once the game script flipped in Jacksonville’s favor, Meyers wasn’t asked to do much more. He remains a steady borderline WR2-WR3 fantasy option based on role and consistency.
Brian Thomas Jr.: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 66 Yards, 1 TD | 1 Carry, 5 Yards
From the box score alone, Brian Thomas Jr. appears to have had a big day, and much of that production came in his role as the Jaguars’ primary deep threat. Thomas scored a touchdown on his second catch of the game on a crossing route over the middle and later hauled in one of the biggest deep plays of the afternoon with a 39-yard reception. That play could have gone for a touchdown as well if Lawrence had led him a bit more on the throw.
Outside of the splash plays, Thomas’s drop issues continued to show up. He had two notable drops, including one in the end zone that should have resulted in another touchdown. Because of that inconsistency, Thomas remains a classic boom-or-bust flex option in this offense for the rest of the season.
Parker Washington: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 53 Yards
Parker Washington returned to action this week after missing last game, but wasn’t heavily involved outside of the Jaguars’ 2-minute offense. During that stretch late in the second quarter, he made his impact, catching all three of his targets.
Washington rotated in at times from the slot, but the game script limited his overall usage as Jacksonville played from ahead for most of the contest. In more competitive games, his role could expand, but this matchup didn’t require him to be a focal point of the offense.
Brenton Strange: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 26 Yards
There wasn’t much to take away from Brenton Strange in this game, as he was largely not a part of the Jaguars’ offensive plan. He saw two targets in the first half — one resulting in a drop and the other broken up by the defender. Lawrence wasn’t looking short or underneath for much of the game, which is typically where Strange thrives in this offense.
Strange didn’t record his first catch until the third quarter, a 26-yard reception, and that ended up being his lone notable contribution. He should be in a position to bounce back in more competitive matchups, as the Jaguars played with a lead for most of the game and didn’t need to lean on the short passing attack.
Quintin Morris: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 20 Yards
Dyami Brown: 1 Carry, 4 Yards, Fumble (Lost)