The Jacksonville Jaguars wanted a strong response after their loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 2, and they got one. The New England Patriots took on the Jaguars at home in Week 3, and the Jaguars absolutely dominated, winning 35-6 over the 2025 AFC champions.
Jacksonville now improves to 2-1, and showed real complementary football. There were three forced turnovers, as well as touchdowns scored on multiple areas of the offense. While the Jaguars weren't perfect, they turned in a commanding performance, and questions about the team after losing to the Broncos now have some encouraging answers.
Here are three things we learned after Jacksonville's Week 3 victory over New England.
The Jaguars thrived with a more balanced offense
Trevor Lawrence spoke before the game about playing a more simple,
balanced offense, and it clearly paid off. Lawrence didn't need an explosive game to win, and Jacksonville didn't become overly reliant on one player. Lawrence completed 19 of 29 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Josh Cameron, Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington for touchdowns.
Meyers led the Jaguars with seven catches for 64 yards and a touchdown, while Washington added a touchdown of his own. Bhayshul Tuten had a huge day with 73 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and Chris Rodriguez contributed 37 yards and another score on eight attempts.
The offensive line also looked considerably better than it did in Denver. Lawrence faced pressure at times and took a sack, but he generally had enough time to distribute the football and keep the offense moving.
Travis Hunter finally made his expanded role count
All week, the Jaguars have faced questions about why Travis Hunter hasn't been utilized more. And against the Patriots, he finally was given more responsibility, especially on defense.
Hunter spent most of the game on the field at cornerback and made one of Jacksonville's biggest plays, intercepting Drake Maye in the end zone late in the second quarter. Earlier, Hunter broke up another pass in the end zone to prevent a touchdown.
He didn't contribute much on offense, though he did get snaps on that side of the ball, but that almost became secondary to what he provided in coverage.
After two weeks of questions about how Jacksonville planned to use its former No. 2 overall pick, Week 3 offered the clearest glimpse yet of how valuable Hunter can be when given a larger defensive workload.
The defense improved, but one issue still remains
Jacksonville's defense dominated the Patriots, but there is still one recurring concern. The Jaguars once again struggled to stop explosive plays, including a 38-yard completion to DeMario Douglas. New England finished with 315 total yards, while Maye averaged 8.0 yards per pass attempt, despite scoring just six points.
Despite that, Jacksonville was repeatedly able to minimize the damage with game-changing plays.
Hunter intercepted Maye in the end zone, while Jarrian Jones added another interception in the third quarter and returned it deep into Patriots territory, setting up Rodriguez' touchdown on the next play. The Jaguars also recovered a Maye fumble and consistently generated more pressure than they did against Denver. Eventually, Maye was replaced by Tommy DeVito in the fourth quarter.
So while the explosive-pass problem remains something Jacksonville needs to clean up, unlike against the Broncos, the defense compensated by creating negative plays, forcing turnovers, and repeatedly keeping New England out of the end zone. That combination turned what could have been another uneven defensive performance into a rout.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 3 things learned after Jaguars Week 3 win over the Patriots
