The Jaguars took a lead in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field but lost to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers 24-20, their eighth straight loss. There were plenty of positives from the game. Here were my four biggest takeaways from the game:
Luton’s second shot
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Jake Luton threw for just 38 yards in the first half. He threw a pick in the 2-minute drill before halftime that led to a field goal before the break. In the second half, he fit the ball in a tight window on a touchdown pass to Keelan Cole.
That’s a throw Gardner Minshew probably couldn’t have made. Luton didn’t look as comfortable as he did last week, but that’s to be expected against a better defense than the Texans. Luton finished with modest numbers, 18 of 35 passing for 169 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Rookie report
One of the most important storylines of the second half of the season is the development of Jaguars' rookies. In addition to Luton, several others played well, some did not.
- James Robinson continues to be terrific. He had two touchdowns called back on holding penalties. Robinson finished with 109 rushing yards. It’s fair to say that he is having the best rookie season of any undrafted rookie in Jaguars' history.
- DaVon Hamilton continues to be active at defensive tackle. Hamilton recorded a sack of Rodgers and was a major part of the Jaguars defensive front that limited the Packers to 81rushing yards.
- After struggling last week, C.J. Henderson played better. The former Gator forced a fumble
- K’Lavon Chaisson continues to be a non-factor. The second of two first-round picks for the Jaguars, Chaisson was not credited with a tackle.
Keelan Cole’s big day
Last season, Keelan Cole was a forgotten man. Cole caught just 24 passes last season for 361 yards. But this year, he has been a much bigger part of the Jaguars offense. Through the first eight games, Cole had more catches and yards than he did all of last year.
Sunday at Lambeau Field, Cole returned a punt 91 yards for the first scored of the game. It was the longest punt return in franchise history. Then, in the third quarter, Cole hauled in a 12-yard pass from Luton for the second Jaguars' touchdown of the game.
With Laviska Shenault out of the lineup with a hamstring injury, Cole stepped up and finished the game with five catches for 47 yards. It’s also worth noting that Cole is a free agent after this season, so he is playing for his future.
What’s next?
The Jaguars will carry an eight-game losing streak into a matchup with undefeated Pittsburgh Sunday in Jacksonville. The Jaguars will need to beat the Steelers in order to avoid matching the longest single-season losing streak in franchise history. The Jaguars lost nine straight under Gus Bradley during the 2016 season.