The Jacksonville Jaguars earned a statement win in Week 3 as they defeated the New England Patriots 35-6, and a massive part of how the Jaguars secured that win was a momentum-shifting interception from Travis Hunter – which marked his first-ever pick in the NFL.
With just a minute left to play in the second half, the Jaguars had a 14-3 lead, but the Patriots were knocking on the door of Jacksonville's end zone. With the ball on the two-yard line, New England dialed up a Drake Maye pass on 3rd & Goal, with Efton Chism III the intended target. But Travis Hunter made an absolutely incredible play on the ball, intercepting Maye in the end zone to prevent a touchdown that would have narrowed the gap to four points entering halftime.
TRAVIS HUNTER
PICKS OFF DRAKE MAYE IN THE END ZONE FOR HIS FIRST CAREER INT 🔥 (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/qBYghZaSko
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 27, 2026
How Travis Hunter's first NFL interception helped shift the momentum for the Jaguars against the Patriots
If New England scores instead of Hunter intercepting the pass, the Patriots cut the Jacksonville lead to less than a touchdown. The Jaguars did not score again before halftime, and the Patriots were set to receive the ball again to start the second half. Without that interception, the Patriots would trail by just four points and get the ball back after halftime with a chance to take the lead and momentum in their favor.
But instead, the Patriots entered halftime down by 11 points and missed a field goal after stalling out on their first drive in the third quarter. The Jaguars then put together a 15-play, 79-yard drive on their first possession of the second half to burn over eight minutes off the clock before scoring and putting themselves ahead 21-3. An interception on the ensuing New England drive set up another quick score, and the game was suddenly out of reach for the Patriots.
So not only did Travis Hunter get his first-career interception in the NFL, but he also made a major impact in a game against the defending Super Bowl runner-up franchise at a critical moment in the game. And as the Jaguars move to 2-1 on the season, they have to be happy with their star cornerback's effort.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: How Travis Hunter’s first NFL pick was a game-changer for the Jaguars
