The Jacksonville Jaguars defense got an A for its performance Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers from Florida Times-Union’s sports columnist Gene Frenette.
It’s no surprise after the Steelers offense didn’t get its initial first down until well into the second quarter of Sunday’s rain-soaked game at Acrisure Stadium. And the evidence continues — the Steelers scored just one touchdown in the 20-10 loss, they never had a lead in the game, wide receiver George Pickens had his first catch in the third quarter and the Steelers failed to capitalize on at least one turnover.
Frenette gave the Jags’ “stingy defense” a thumbs up.
“The Jaguars made sure the team’s offensive shortcomings didn’t turn into a heartbreaking loss because their defense never let Pittsburgh’s offense get any traction,” he wrote.
Josh Allen on why #Jaguars grabbed some terrible towels, countering Pickens' hope defense remark: "For us, it was just go out there and assert your dominance. That’s why we grabbed those towels when Dewey caught that pick to let them know that we ain’t nothing to play with.”
— Eugene Frenette (@GeneFrenette) October 29, 2023
With a fifth consecutive win putting the Jaguars’ record at 6-2, the team should be in the Super Bowl conversation this season, Frenette wrote. But the offense is lacking, he said, turning over the ball three times and wasting good field position on several occasions.
“We just got to find ways to finish those drives,” said quarterback Trevor Lawrence. “I had a bad play down in the red zone. That can’t happen.”
News 4 Jax sports anchor Jamal St. Cyr also brought up the Jaguars’ potential to be Super Bowl contenders.
“For those that were scared to buy into this team before the season, now is the time to buy in,” he wrote. “This team is a Super Bowl contender.”
He also praised the defense and criticized the Steelers for being unable to back up trash talk leading up to Sunday’s game.
Jaguars went 0-5 in October last year.
— Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) October 29, 2023
This year Jaguars went 5-0 in October. pic.twitter.com/QzmAWArx9J
That trash talking led to many postgame questions by members of the media and responses from players. Leading up to Sunday, Lawrence called the yellow Terrible Towel that Steelers fans wave the “little yellow towels” and Pickens referred to the Jags defense as a “hope defense.”
Members of the Jaguars defense grabbed Terrible Towels from Steelers fans after an interception and twirled them on the sidelines.
Lawrence after the game called the trash talking and fan response motivating factors. Fans at Acrisure Stadium were loud, which he said made for a great environment in which to play.
“It’s part of what makes this game great,” Lawrence told the media. “It’s fuel. You want to hate your opponent when they come in and make it as hard as possible on them. Totally understand that. I hope our fans do that in Jacksonville too.”
Jags waving terrible towels in Pittsburgh after an INT ???? pic.twitter.com/Wufu9imL58
— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) October 29, 2023
