It seemed the Jacksonville Jaguars were hoping only to get into field goal range in the last 10 seconds of the second quarter Sunday. Facing a third-and-eight situation on their own 42-yard line, the Jaguars need another chunk of yardage to give Brandon McManus a chance.
Instead, they got 57 yards when Christian Kirk got behind the Houston Texans’ defense and stiff-armed Tavierre Thomas for about 15 yards before finally going out of bounds at the 1-yard line.
Suddenly, the Jaguars were faced with a tough call. Go for it on a one-play opportunity to get in the end zone and potentially take a 20-7 lead into halftime, or settle for a field goal and go into the locker room up 16-7. Head coach Doug Pederson chose the former, but Travis Etienne Jr. was stuffed on a pitch play.
Texans stuff the Jags at the goal line with one second left in the half!
📺: #JAXvsHOU on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/1dOevJjoZZ pic.twitter.com/XA4DfJzUZ1— NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2023
Instead of a two-score lead, the Jaguars took a 13-7 lead into halftime and there were no shortage of takes on social media about the final seconds of the second quarter. Here’s a sampling:
Press Taylor on 3rd/4th and short: pic.twitter.com/CCu55hFLje
— DELFONIK (@djDELFONIK) November 26, 2023
Jags continue to disappoint in short yardage offense…they have struggled all year in the areas that depend most on creativity and play design – 3rd down, red zone, short yardage
— Conor Ballantyne (@ConorB76) November 26, 2023
Let’s pitch it to the RB with bruised or broken ribs on 4th and short.
— Yukon Cap (@BoldCityCap) November 26, 2023
Feel like Jaguars thought too hard there, your weakness is short running and yet..
— caleb (@CountCaleb) November 26, 2023
Should’ve just kicked the FG if you were gonna run that man
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) November 26, 2023
Take the field goal, go up two scores with momentum into halftime, and have a chance to double-dip coming out of half.
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) November 26, 2023
"You play to win the game," esp. on the road, so I do like going for it but I would've just Jumpman'd it
— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) November 26, 2023
You have to go up by two scores.
— The System (@tealtalk) November 26, 2023
Trevor Lawrence is 6’6 and has already just put the ball over the goal line. What are you DOING? Just put the ball over?
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) November 26, 2023
I would've gone for the TD there too.
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) November 26, 2023
WHY DIDNT YOU JUST DO THE JUMP THING AGAIN
— Alfie (@AlfieBCC) November 26, 2023
