The Jacksonville Jaguars faced the Las Vegas Raiders today at Allegiant Stadium, with the stakes high for both teams, albeit not for playoff contention. With their respective records standing at 3-11 for the Jaguars and 2-12 for the Raiders, this matchup is significant mostly for its impact on the NFL Draft positioning.
Kickoff for this Week 16 game took place at 4:25 p.m. ET, where both teams entered with disappointing seasons behind them, having been eliminated from playoff contention long ago. The Jaguars managed to clinch a tight victory over the Tennessee Titans two weeks earlier but struggled to find their footing against the Raiders, who have not won since Week 4.
Unfortunately for Jacksonville, the game turned dire early with injuries sidelining key players. Linebacker Ventrell Miller, who has started eight games this season and emerged as the team's third-leading tackler, left the game with what CBS described as a high ankle sprain. Adding to the complications, left tackle Walker Little entered the game already dealing with ankle issues, re-aggravated his injury, and safety Darnell Savage was also ruled out with what was initially reported as concussion protocol.
Miller's performance has been commendable; he had 79 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and had become quite integral after being thrust from backup to starter following Foye Oluokun's injuries earlier this season. "The Jaguars are bad, but the Raiders are worse. Or should be," remarked Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union, encapsulating the sentiment around both teams' struggles this season.
On the other side, the Raiders were without star defensive end Maxx Crosby for the rest of the season. Despite these setbacks, many observers noted the potentially interesting quarterback battle, with Aidan O'Connell anticipated to start for the Raiders against Jacksonville's Mac Jones. But the matchup between these two quarterbacks never materialized as injuries kept Trevor Lawrence on the sidelines.
Initially, the Jaguars found some momentum, highlighted by Tank Bigsby's touchdown, which put them up 7-0 at one point, thanks primarily to excellent field position following Devin Duvernay's return. Unfortunately, as has been the theme for Jacksonville this season, the momentum didn't last long.
Despite some promising drives, the Jaguars once again struggled offensively, failing to keep drives alive and giving way to turnovers. The second quarter saw another fumble, this time from Brenton Strange, recovered by the Raiders. The Jaguars seemed to be lacking rhythm, with their offense unable to capitalize on potential scoring opportunities.
"It's safe to say the Jags are lacking rhythm on both sides of the ball," noted Clayton Freeman during his live reporting, as penalties and miscommunication plagued the squad. They continued to falter, unable to gain traction as Las Vegas capitalized on these weaknesses.
Jacksonville's precarious situation was underscored by their draft positioning, as they entered the game needing to maintain place for the fourth overall pick. Meanwhile, the Raiders aimed to solidify their grip on the No. 1 overall pick, leading to heightened anticipation for the outcome of this game.
The Jaguars' roster also faced other setbacks with their injury report, which included limitations on players like tight end Brenton Strange, and offensive linemen Brandon Scherff and Ezra Cleveland. The Raiders, grappling with injuries to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and guard Jordan Meredith, signaled challenges for both teams as the game unfolded. With every quarter, the tension mounted, unresolved until the final whistle.
With players and coaches reflecting on the dismal campaigns, the focus will now start shifting toward offseason preparations, restructuring, and the potential draft capital their poor performance could yield. The game against the Raiders not only acted as a scope for introspection for the Jaguars but also reaffirmed the huge voids left by injured players.
Considered as the 'battle for the basement' as one analyst put it, the showdown may not have provided fans with the excitement typical of later-season matchups but did signify two franchises recalibrated for the future. With weeks left before the NFL Draft, the outcomes of games like this will be etched prominently on each team's scouting report.
