ATLANTA � Gardner Minshew wanted to play a game that they could be proud of and show they are united and still are giving their all.
They know the possible consequences if they don't with Coach Doug Marrone on the hot seat after top football executive Tom Coughlin was fired by owner Shad Khan last week.
Their season has slipped away but not their passion.
Yet their willpower still was no match for the Atlanta Falcons. The Jaguars couldn't overcome a poor start and a 300-yard passing day by Matt Ryan that led to Sunday's 24-12 loss.
In a game Marrone said they needed to have because he and his assistants are fighting to keep their jobs, the Jaguars trailed by a 14-0 deficit before their offense took their first snap.
Minshew did not throw his first touchdown pass until 12 minutes remained in the game with the Jaguars trailing 24-6. He also had only 21 yards passing on 3 of 10 attempts in the first half when the Jaguars trailed 17-3.
Still, Minshew performed much better after halftime. His first touchdown of the game came on a beautiful deep throw to wide receiver Chris Conley on a go-route for a 42-yard touchdown pass.
Minshew saved his best moments of the game again in the fourth quarter like he did last week when he rallied the Jaguars from a 16-6 deficit against Oakland to escape with a 20-16 victory. He escaped out of the pocket and spotted open receivers. On a fourth-and-10 play at the Atlanta 48, he tossed a bullet pass in between the outstretched hands of cornerback Isaiah Oliver for an 14-yard pass completion to Conley.
On the same drive, Minshew also threw a 23-yard completion to Keelan Cole on a fourth-down play. The Jaguars still didn't score, though. Minshew pass in the end zone intended for DJ Chark was broken up on a fourth-and-goal play.
Unlike last week, Minshew couldn't make enough plays and the Jaguars defense couldn't get enough stops.
For nearly three quarters, the Falcons exposed the Jaguars coverage problems on underneath routes between the linebackers and safeties. The Jaguars left too many gaps for the Falcons' running backs, tight ends and receivers to make open catches.
The Jaguars couldn't stop the Falcons from marching down the field on their opening drive � 82 yards on six plays that ended with Freeman going untouched in the end zone for a 17-yard run.
From there, the Jaguars couldn't avoid another kickoff blunder by Michael Walker. He lost a fumble on the kickoff, giving the Falcons' possession at the Jaguars 25.
In their last six quarters in the first half, the Jaguars have combined to score 14 points and just six points in the past two games. Similar to last week when they trailed by a 16-3 deficit to the Raiders, Minshew had no magic. Several of his throws missed the mark, sailed badly behind receivers. The Jaguars were outgained 177-19 in the first half.
The Jaguars' lone successful drive was aided by a 7-yard fake punt pass from Logan Cooke to a Cody Davis for a first down. But the Jaguars red zone touchdown scoring problems reappeared. Fournette was dropped a 1-yard run loss on a third-and-goal play that forced the Jaguars to settle for Josh Lambo's 40-yard field goal.
