Jacksonville Jaguars beat New England Patriots in London

LONDON – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens provide brief thoughts on the Jaguars’ 32-16 victory over the New England Patriots in a Week 7, 2024 game at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday

John Oehser, Jaguars senior writer…

1. Exactly what they wanted – and needed. The Jaguars needed something good on Sunday – and it came in the form of an impressive win that became one-sided in the middle quarter. The cynics among us might note that a struggling, recovering Patriots team played like a struggling, recovering team on Sunday, but you play whoever is in your schedule – and the Jaguars deserve credit for that did what was necessary to win on Sunday. This is also thanks to the Jaguars: After a listless start that led to a 10-0 lead for the Patriots at the start of the second quarter, they showed one of their strongest phases of the season. Considering how much noise there has been over the past week about the Jaguars’ retirement, culture and fragility, Sunday’s second quarter provided ample opportunity for a team to put its season on the rocks. There was no way the Jaguars were going to let that happen. “This is a time of adversity and adversity shows great character,” Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby said. “It shows who you can be and who you are. Today showed what this team can be when our backs are against the wall and we go through something. Let’s move on.’ Given the team’s record and circumstances this week, it was really important to have a big performance on Sunday. The Jaguars did just that.
2. By the way, really good. If there was one bright spot for the Jaguars through seven games, it was the emergence of wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. as the go-to player – and that rise continued Sunday. Thomas, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has made the winning plays in important Jaguars games more often than ever this season – and that trend continued Sunday. His six-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Trevor Lawrence cut the Patriots’ lead to 10-7, and his 58-yard reception from Lawrence on the ensuing possession set up a one-yard run by Bigsby that gave the Jaguars their first gave a lead. After sophomore wide receiver Parker Washington’s 96-yard punt return shortly after the two-minute warning, Lawrence found Thomas in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion and a 22-10 lead. The Jaguars’ season didn’t go their way. But Thomas was everything they imagined – and more. “Every week he gets better and better,” head coach Doug Pederson said of Thomas. “He and Trevor have a really good connection. There is something we must continue. We must continue to find ways to keep it open. I thought (offensive coordinator) Press Taylor did a good job this week.”