3 takeaways from Jaguars vs Bills
The Jaguars saw their season unexpectedly end in the first round of the 2025 playoffs to the Buffalo Bills. It was a tight game that went back and forth, but the Bills found a way to win in the waning minutes.
Liam Coen showed his inexperience
In week 17 against the Colts, the Jaguars got away with a few errors by Liam Coen, where he appeared to be too aggressive multiple times. Against the Bills, it was a similar story. Early in the 2nd quarter, the Jaguars forced a kickoff return fumble, giving them the ball at the Bills 36-yard line. On 4th and 2 from the Bills 9-yard line, Liam Coen went for it, and the Jaguars failed to convert. In a game that was lost by 3 points, taking the points would have made a massive difference in the outcome of the game.
Unfortunately, not taking the points was only Coen's 2nd biggest blunder, as he consistently opted to pass the ball when the running game was proving to be effective against a poor run defense. Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten averaged 7.7 yards per attempt but only received 14 attempts. Bhayshul Tuten was completely iced from the game the final 3 quarters, receiving just 1 carry for 4 yards. This came after closing the first quarter with 3 straight carries for 47 yards.
Not only was the running game effective and could have led to more points, but it also would have kept Josh Allen off the field for much longer. The Jaguars defense was on the field for 33 minutes, allowing 3 drives of 5 minutes or longer. Instead, Trevor Lawrence dropped back over 30 times against the number 1 pass defense in the NFL.
The secondary needs an upgrade
The Jaguars have been able to skate by with a below-average secondary room for most of the season. Injuries to an already thin group made it a challenge, but some weaker quarterback competition along with forcing turnovers kept the defense afloat. Against an MVP-level quarterback, it finally came back to bite them.
Greg Newsome II was traded for midseason, with the hope that he could finish the season strong and get resigned in free agency. This game, along with his struggles in the regular season, sealed his fate as a Jaguar. Newsome II was targeted 7 times and allowed 6 completions for 74 yards and a touchdown. His biggest blunder was the 36-yard completion to Brandin Cooks on the Bills game-winning drive, giving the Bills a chance to score and wind down the clock.
A typically excellent Jarrian Jones and Montaric Brown also struggled mightily. The pair was targeted 12 times for 100 yards on 9 completions. The loss of Travis Hunter and Jourdan Lewis was apparent all game, and the Jaguars will have some work to do in the offseason to upgrade the defensive backfield.
Trevor Lawrence still has room to grow
Trevor Lawrence had an up-and-down game, throwing for 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. We saw a mix of Lawrence from the first half of the season, not seeing the field and beginning the game with shaky accuracy, as well as the second half of the season, where he threw with pinpoint accuracy as well as quick-decision making.
In 3 playoff games, Trevor Lawrence has thrown 8 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. The signs of an elite quarterback are clear, but his turnovers have proved to be costly, especially with two coming late in the game. The final 7 games of the season were a huge step in the right direction, putting together his talent and experience, but the playoff game showed the levels between quarterbacks. Heading into his 6th year, it appears Lawrence will finally have some stability with his roster as well as who is calling the plays. In 2026, we will see if Lawrence can take another stride in the regular season as well as the playoffs, putting him in the tier of elite quarterbacks.