Lawrence rallies Jaguars from 27 down to hit Chargers 31-30

Lawrence rallies Jaguars from 27 down to hit Chargers 31-30

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) ” Trevor Lawrence™s trust by some means never wavered. Not following the earliest interception. Or the second. Or the third. Or flat the fourth.

The generational quarterback simply delivered a generational comeback.

The No. 1 all-inclusive pick inside the 2021 preliminary report followed quartet interceptions accompanied by quartet touchdown passes ” one of the most improbable turnarounds inside NFL postseason history ” accompanied by every one one other accompanied by rallied the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night.

Lawrence engineered the winning drive, highlighted by Travis Etienne™s 25-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by place the Jaguars inside position for Riley Patterson™s 36-yard meadow goal on the final play. It capped a 27-point comeback, the largest inside franchise history accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the third largest inside playoff history.

You couldn™t place inside writing a crazier script, Lawrence said. We said inside the locker space that™s type of how our season™s going. We™re never not here of the fight. ... I™m type of speechless, honestly, fair to see what belief tin do accompanied by every one one other accompanied by to see when a team believes inside every one one other what you tin accomplish.

Patterson™s gumboot hardly stayed inside the fair upright accompanied by every one one other accompanied by place off a raucous commemoration for a franchise that had won a combined quartet games over the foregoing place of set of two years. The Jaguars (10-8) won their sixth consecutive game accompanied by every one one other accompanied by fifth unswerving at place of residence ” all five inside come-from-behind fashion.

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Nonetheless, no indeed indeed one could have seen this one coming. Maybe not flat Lawrence. But he was the steady hand inside inquire inside remittance following a debacle of a earliest half. He finished 28-of-47 passing for 288 yards, a shocker considering the way he started.

Lawrence was downright dreadful to begin Jacksonville™s earliest playoff game since losing inside the 2017 AFC title game. He became the third quarterback inside the Super Bowl epoch to hurl quartet interceptions inside the earliest fifty per cent of of a playoff game, joining Detroit™s Gary Danielson accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Denver™s Craig Morton.

But he bounced spine while well while anyone inside NFL history. Jacksonville™s comeback goes down inside postseason lore behind only Buffalo™s rally on Jan. 3, 1993 (32 points opposed to Houston) accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Indianapolis™ on Jan. 4, 2014 (28 points opposed to Kansas City).

I didn™t have a choice, Lawrence said. These guys have sacrificed way excessively a a large amount of for me to exist the spring we mislay an opportunity.

The Jaguars, who excessively turned the sphere over when a punt hit Chris Claybrook™s helmet, became the earliest team to go nearer earliest inside a playoff game accompanied by a turnover differential of minus-five or worse. Teams accompanied by that turnover shortfall had been 0-19 inside the Super Bowl era.

Let me tell you something, man. I exist convinced by from playing football, watching football, I know a a large amount of quarterbacks would™ve folded inside that circumstances that he went through, Jaguars receiver Zay Jones said. For him fair to exist while poised accompanied by every one one other accompanied by composed while he was, it showed another side of who we have on this team. I mean, that guy fair there, standing fair there, that™s a exceptional man.

He wasn™t early. Lawrence misfired on 12 of his earliest 16 throws accompanied by every one one other accompanied by started getting booed lengthy earlier to halftime. His trust seemed shot. His swagger appeared gone. All the forward movement he made inside his earliest hour dated accompanied by bus Doug Pederson looked exist fond of it would exist flushed inside the team™s finale.

But Lawrence never gave up. He connected accompanied by Evan Engram, Marvin Jones, Zay Jones accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Christian Kirk for touchdowns that increasingly raised the team™s belief inside its quarterback accompanied by every one one other accompanied by its comeback.

Lawrence added one of the biggest plays when he jumped for a 2-point conversion accompanied by 5:25 to play that made it 30-28 ” accompanied by every one one other accompanied by place the Jaguars inside position to go nearer earliest inside while an different of tie.

Jacksonville™s defence responded by sacking Justin Herbert accompanied by every one one other accompanied by at that hour dated forcing a punt. Lawrence took over from there, accompanied by a significant assist from Etienne ” accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Peterson™s bold amuse oneself call.

I exist inside be in touch exist fond of the running back, when it gets to that point of the game, you™re supposed to exist the closer, Etienne said. Coach believed inside me on that fourth-and-1, to inside attendance accompanied by me the ball. I had to build something occur for my teammates.

CHARGERS COLLAPSE

Herbert threw for 273 yards accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a touchdown lacking an interception, nevertheless the Chargers™ offense was mostly ineffective following a 62-yard TD operate that made it 24-0 midway into with every one other accompanied by not here of the following quarter. Los Angeles (10-8) finished accompanied by 320 yards of offense accompanied by every one one other accompanied by 18 earliest downs, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by it produced only trio points on quartet second-half possessions.

Anytime you™re up 27-7 at halftime accompanied by every one one other accompanied by you™ve got quartet takeaways, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by you extremity up winning the takeaway margin (5-0), you know, it™s it™s gonna exist a killer, Chargers bus Brandon Staley said. I™m hurting for everybody inside that locker room. ... We fair didn™t complete the game.

Staley surely will exist questioned for actuality excessively conservative, both on defence accompanied by every one one other accompanied by offense ” he opted for a meadow goal on fourth-and-3 midway into with every one other accompanied by not here of the fourth quarter that Cameron Dicker missed ” accompanied by every one one other accompanied by for not trying to sprint the sphere more. LA had 23 rushing attempts for 69 yards, a 2.9-yard average, while Herbert threw 43 times.

I needed to perform better, Herbert said. I™ve got to inside attendance accompanied by them additional than trio points inside the following fifty per cent of accompanied by every one one other accompanied by so I exist inside be in touch horrible for the defence for the incredible try they place up there today, nevertheless gotta exist better while a team.

KEY INJURIES

Chargers receiver DeAndre Carter accompanied by every one one other accompanied by left-hand gearwheel Jamaree Salyer left-hand the game accompanied by ankle injuries. Chargers cornerback Michael Davis left-hand accompanied by a pectoral thew injury. Lawrence gash the point of his left-hand digit inside the fourth nevertheless wrapped it up accompanied by every one one other accompanied by played on.

UP NEXT

Chargers: Will have a durable offseason dealing accompanied by this loss. Staley could face questions concerning his position of position of employment security.

Jaguars: Await their main highway divisional opponent, which probable will exist top-seeded Kansas City following weekend. The Chiefs won their regular-season meeting.

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