The Jacksonville Jaguars improved to 4-1 after a dramatic win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles had pulled ahead to a 17-16 lead with just 0:08 remaining on the clock, but Ameer Abdullah returned the ensuing kickoff to the Philadelphia 39-yard line. With 0:01 left, Cam Little drilled it for a field goal and the 19-17 win.
Jacksonville now faces the Houston Texans for their second game in London for Week 6. But the buzz around this team is growing, including predictions that the Jaguars could be headed for the Super Bowl.
So following the latest win, where do the Jaguars land in the Week 6 power rankings? Read on.
Nate Davis, USA Today: #5 (+1)
Among AFC QBs, only Lamar Jackson has a better passer rating than Trevor Lawrence, whose connection with WR Parker Washington has become
sublime. But the defense might be the real story here, the Vikings the only team stingier on the scoreboard than the Jags.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: #4 (+1)
They are 4-1, but they have to feel fortunate beating the Eagles in ugly fashion. They can't win a lot of games playing that way.
Conor Orr, SI.com: #2
I’m going to be honest, I did not have Parker Washington Max Extension watch on my bingo card heading into this season. But in all seriousness, will he be making more per year next season than CeeDee Lamb?
Ralph Vacchiano, Fox Sports: #5 (+1)
The Jaguars should send a nice bouquet of flowers to Nick Sirianni for the way he botched the end of the game in London, giving the Jags just enough room to pull off a miracle with a long kickoff return and a last-second, 57-yard Cam Little field goal. It should never have come to that in a game where they out-gained the Eagles 408-232.
Head coach Liam Coen didn’t help his team by passing up two easy field goals because of his over-aggressive nature. He loves his analytics and never met a fourth-down play he didn’t think his team could convert. Maybe at some point he’ll learn that "points are points" and sometimes a coach’s job is just to not take his team out of the game.
Stat To Know: With their win over the Eagles, the Jaguars are now 12-1 over their last 13 regular season games, the best record in the NFL in that span.
Chad Graff and Josh Kendall, The Athletic: #5 (+1)
Even if Sunday’s win required an incredible, 57-yard, walk-off boot from Cam Little, the Jaguars dominated that game (408 yards of offense to Philly’s 232). Jacksonville has put together an awfully impressive resume, and its defense is quietly dominating. The Jags will spend this week in London awaiting the Texans, who could be jetlagged after their trip across the pond.
Michael DiRocco, ESPN: #5
Biggest issue on defense: Getting sacks from the edge
It's nitpicky, considering the Jaguars are No. 1 in run defense and second in scoring defense, but they could do a better job of getting sacks from their edge rushers. Their 80 QB pressures are tied for sixth and 11 sacks rank ninth, but edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker have only 3.5 sacks combined. They each had 1.5 sacks in the season opener against the Browns but a combined half sack since (Walker on Sunday). Both are a large part of the run defense (63.8 yards per game) by setting the edge, but their sack production needs to increase.
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: #5 (-1)
The Jaguars did not play well in London. Head coach Liam Coen's passing on short field goals twice, and the Jaguars' failure to convert on fourth down either time looked like it was going to be the story coming out of a 17-16 loss. Then in the final eight seconds the Jaguars got a long kickoff return and kicked a field goal for a 19-17 win over the Eagles.
"Guys stayed the course and we ended up squeaking away with a win," Coen said, according to the team's site. "It ain't pretty, but it's gritty. That's what it comes down to. It's what this team has been. It's what the team is. I love that group."
That's life in the NFL. Questionable decisions fade away when a team wins, even when it's a miracle. The Jaguars stay in London and face the 1-4 Texans next Sunday in a game that could give Jacksonville a massive lead in the division just six weeks into the season.
Maurice Moton, Bleacher Report, #5
The Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off a late win, though Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni took the blame.
Quietly, the Jags are one of the league's best, and we have taken note, ranking them within our top five.
They are a rock-solid squad that plays complementary football, and they don't beat themselves, which is a hallmark of well-coached teams. This season, Jacksonville has turned the ball over just three times while recording eight takeaways.
The Jaguars are also one of the league's best red-zone operations on offense and defense; they finish drives with six points and keep teams out of their end zone. Aside from Brian Thomas Jr.'s disappearing act, there's little to criticize about the Jaguars.
Mike Florio, NBC Sports: #3
On a Sunday that featured plenty of lessons, Jacksonville’s contribution was to highlight the importance of having a backup long snapper.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Where Jaguars land in Week 6 power rankings after defeating Eagles
