Tag: Parker Washington

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Minnesota Vikings: Key matchups

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Minnesota Vikings: Key matchups

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 10 coming off another tough loss on the road to the Philadelphia Eagles and will look to pull off an upset home victory against the 6-2 Minnesota Vikings.

Like last week, the Jaguars will be without some key players, including franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has been nursing a left shoulder injury this week. Losing Lawrence will be a hard blow for a team that has been relatively competitive largely because of his play in recent weeks. 

However, there is a path to success that Jacksonville can follow. The Vikings do not have many weaknesses, but there are some areas the Jaguars can take advantage of to pave the road to an upset. 

Jaguars Wire breaks down the key matchups that could be vital in ensuring win No. 3 for the Jaguars against the Vikings. 

Jacksonville’s run game vs. Minnesota’s run defense

The Vikings own the NFL’s No. 2 rushing defense this season in yards allowed and have allowed the fewest rushing expected points added (EPA) this season. The Jaguars have found success on the ground this season and with Lawrence out, they will have to lean on their new star tailback Tank Bigsby.

A productive day from Bigbsy might be Jacksonville’s biggest key to victory this weekend. He is a tough runner to bring down, forcing a missed tackle on nearly 38 percent of his rushes, according to Next Gen Stats.

That’s good enough for the third-highest rate in football. Minnesota has struggled to tackle in space this season at the fifth-highest rate.

Bigsby has the skill set to handle a hefty workload on a moment’s notice. His downhill rushing ability and shiftiness in space make him a handful to bring down.

To add pressure for Minnesota, Bigsby can be a home run-hitting running back with his second-level explosiveness and quickness in the open field. It won’t be an easy go-around but this is strength vs. strength in this weekend’s matchup.

Jacksonville DE Josh Hines-Allen vs. Minnesota LT Cam Robinson

This matchup could be personal for both players. It was only a few weeks ago that Robinson was manning Lawrence’s blindside.

But after Vikings star left tackle Christian Darrisaw went down with a season-ending injury, they acquired Robinson and a conditional 2026 seventh-round draft choice in exchange for a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick.

The former Jaguar had an up-and-down career in North Florida. Robinson was playing steady football in pass protection with just a 7.1 percent pressure rate before he was traded. But he struggled against Indianapolis in his Vikings debut and is now tasked with slowing down Josh Hines-Allen for the first time as an opponent. 

Jacksonville’s cornerstone pass rusher is tied with teammate Travon Walker for the most pressures on the team with 34. He’s as good as they come coming off the edge and is likely to spend most of his snaps lining up at right defensive end for his one-on-one matchup with Robinson.

Hines-Allen versus Robinson in the trenches is a key individual matchup that fans should have a keen eye on, one that could be a deciding factor in this weekend’s game.

Jacksonville QB Mac Jones vs. Minnesota pass defense

Losing a talent like Lawrence for just one or any number of games is a blow for the Jaguars. He’s the franchise quarterback and has played sound football for most of the season.  

But now, it’s time for former Pro Bowler and once-surmised New England franchise signal-caller Mac Jones to make his starting debut with his hometown team.

Jones never proved to be the prolific quarterback from the incredible 2020 Alabama national championship roster in the NFL. More of a game-manager, a heavy dose of the run game and play-action should allow Jones to be fairly smooth sailing if things go according to plan.

However, the Jaguars might miss the vertical element that has been a staple of their offense with Jones under-center this weekend. 

Jones will face a defense that is second in the NFL in blitz rate and has used split-safety coverage the most of any team this season. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has them playing some sound football and will pose a challenge for Jones this weekend. 

Yet, there is a path where Jones performs well enough to put Jacksonville in a spot to pull off the upset. If he protects the ball and finds answers against pressure while giving receivers like Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington chances for run-after-catch plays, the Jaguars will be one step closer to victory.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Key matchups

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Key matchups

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 9 coming off a rough loss to Green Bay at home and look to get back into the win column in a tough road matchup in Philadelphia.

However, the Jaguars may be without several key players at key positions this weekend. This could pose some issues for a team that is looking to secure their second win in three weeks. A win against the Eagles could boost a ton of confidence into a roster and coaching staff that needs it.

Philadelphia has seemed to right the ship after a rocky start to the season, having played some of its best football in all phases in recent weeks. Jacksonville looks to slow their momentum and steal the home field advantage in this weekend’s late Sunday afternoon bout.

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at a couple of the key matchups against the Eagles that could be critical in securing win No. 3 for the Jaguars.

Jacksonville’s skill players vs. Philadelphia’s secondary

The Jaguars got beat up this past weekend against the Packers.

Standout slot receiver Christian Kirk went down with a broken collarbone and is out for the season. Rookie sensation Brian Thomas Jr. is said to be a game-time decision with a rib injury but head coach Doug Pederson suggested earlier this week it will likely come down to pain tolerance for team’s top playmaker. Receiver Gabe Davis is also nursing a shoulder injury.

This means second-year wideout Parker Washington, top tight end Evan Engram, Tim Jones, and a practice squad call-up could be the ones trotting out against a sound Eagles secondary.

Philadelphia is getting some quality play from some of their younger talents, including rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. While Darius Slay is out with a groin injury this week, the Eagles have capable depth in Kelee Ringo and Isaiah Rodgers.

Their safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, and Sydney Brown make up the rest of a secondary that is built to take on the vertical stretching ability of the Jaguars offense.

The Eagles 57.1 passer rating against deep targets is the fifth-lowest in football, according to Next Gen Stats. This doesn’t bold well for Trevor Lawrence skill players, especially if Thomas can’t go this weekened.

Yet, should Thomas be healthy, it will be a significant boost for an offense that will need him to continue to be the top playmaker he has been this season. Look for the Eagles to play plenty of disguised coverages from a Cover 3 base alignment that will allow them to rotate to play more match and quarters coverage.

Jacksonville’s defense vs. Philadelphia’s offense

This is seemingly nightmare fuel for a Jaguars defense that is in the bottom-five in most statistical defenses.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley have been terrors on the ground against opposing defenses. These two have allowed the Eagles to field the second-best rushing offense in the NFL behind the juggernaut Baltimore Ravens run game.

It doesn’t help that wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have been outstanding this season in the passing game, posing more trouble for a lowly Jaguars secondary.

Jacksonville has struggled to penetrate the backfield consistently this season despite the talents of pass rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker along with interior linemen DaVon Hamilton and Arik Armstead. Inconsistency has been a constant theme for defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen and his defense overall.

Putting it bluntly, this is not a well-coached defense and a man-heavy system that has put players on all three levels in a disadvantageous position. However, the key to finding some improvement is simple: an increase in zone coverage variations and blitzes.

Jacksonville has the lowest blitz-rate in the league and that must change if they want to give their secondary a chance to make plays on pressure-influenced passes. If this were to happen Sunday and the Jaguars force Hurts into bad decisions with the football, there is a path to a successful day against a strong Eagles offense.

Parker Washington sets Jaguars franchise record with 96-yard punt return for TD

Watch Parker Washington’s franchise record punt return for the Jaguars against the Patriots.

Former Penn State wide receiver [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] has not had too many opportunities to make some big special teams plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. But on Sunday, in London, Washington had the kind of moment every NFL player dreams of.

Late in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Patriots, with the Jaguars already leading 14-10, Washington fielded a punt deep in his end of the field. Typically you would want the punt returner to just let the ball go and likely land in the end zone for a touchback, so Washington’s decision to field the punt should have been a tad alarming in the heat of the moment.

But maybe Washington saw something developing in front of him. Washington took off running up the middle and toward the left sideline for a big return, got a few blocks to help him along the away and raced his way past the punter. There was no stopping him from there.

Washington sped his way all the way to the end zone, he stopped to turn his back to the end zone and dropped backward into the endzone for a touchdown, similar to one of the more famous touchdowns by DeSean Jackson.

The 96-yard punt return by Washington is the longest in Jaguars franchise history, and was one of the key plays on the way to a 32-16 victory over the Patriots.

Here is a breakdown of the return with some analytics to add to the impact of the play.

Washington was a sixth-round draft pick of the Jaguars in 2023. Washington ended his Penn State career with 1,309 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

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Parker Washington returns punt 96 yards for Jaguars touchdown

The Jaguars got a team-record 96-yard punt return from Parker Washington

Everything was going the Jacksonville Jaguars way after they fell behind the New England Patriots 10-0 on Sunday.

Even when Parker Washington made the decision to catch a punt on his four.

The returner took off and was in the end zone 96 yards later for a touchdown.

The play gave the Jaguars a 22-10 lead en route to 25 straight points.

Watch: Jaguars’ Washington explodes on first new-rule kickoff return

Watch: Jaguars’ Washington explodes on first new-rule kickoff return

The NFL’s main objective with its new kickoff rules was to make the play fun again; to limit touchbacks and revitalize returns.

If the Jaguars’ first try at the play is any indication, mission accomplished.

Back deep alongside running back Tank Bigsby on Jacksonville’s first kickoff return of the 2024 preseason, wide receiver Parker Washington hauled the ball in, weaved his way between Kansas City defenders and pushed down the field for a massive pickup.

Washington took the kick back 73 yards, the longest kickoff return of the preseason and under the new rules up until that point, per NFL GSIS.

Watch Washington’s return below.

Jacksonville’s offensive quickly capitalized on Washington’s big gain. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence connected with running back Travis Etienne Jr. on a seven-yard touchdown pass four plays later.

Washington returned a Kansas City punt for 13 yards to set up the Jaguars’ second offensive drive shortly after.

Lawrence and the Jaguars’ coaching staff have been complimentary of Washington, Jacksonville’s sixth-round draft pick in 2023, throughout his second offseason with the club. He entered the NFL recently removed from an ankle injury suffered at Penn State.

“Parker Washington has looked great. We’ve talked about it before I think, but from last year to this year, such an improvement on just the way he’s played,” Lawrence said on Thursday.

“I mentioned that last time he started off a little injured and it was hard for him to kind of get going because it was straight into training camp and he had to roll and didn’t have [offseason team activities] to get settled in. So, to see him this year, it’s been cool to see his transformation and how good he looks, honestly. I’ve been really impressed.”

Washington caught 16 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns during his rookie season with the Jaguars.

SI names Jaguars’ most underrated player ‘out of left field’

SI names Jaguars’ most underrated player ‘out of left field’

It’s unclear exactly what Parker Washington’s role with the Jaguars will look like in 2024 after Jacksonville reshaped its wide receiver room this offseason. But the club is optimistic that the best is yet to come for the second-year wide receiver, and it might not be alone in taking that stance.

Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr named Washington as the Jaguars’ most underrated player on Tuesday — a projection, he admitted, but one he believes is warranted following Washington’s performance as a sixth-round rookie with Jacksonville last season.

O.K., this may be a tad out of left field and more of a projection. Washington had some difficult moments last year, but did rise to the occasion when getting worked into the offense toward the end of the season. The catches he did make were often difficult ones and showed some clear finesse on his part. Having a solid contested catch reputation as a rookie is always worth noting. Relative to his draft slot—Washington was a sixth-round pick out of Penn State in 2023—the Jaguars asked a lot of him. All indications from this offseason seem to be that he’s growing in the offense, and while the Jaguars imported a lot of talent at the position, Washington is healthier than he’s ever been. Plus, the great John Shipley, the king of the Jaguars beat, likes him, too. Isn’t that enough?

Washington appeared in nine games and started one during his rookie campaign with the Jaguars. He stepped into the wide receiver rotation meaningfully in Week 13 and logged 20+ offensive snaps in every game through the end of the year, after starting slot receiver Christian Kirk suffered a season-ending core muscle injury.

Washington posted 16 receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns offensively and added value as a return specialist, averaging 10.5 yards per punt return attempt and 25.5 yards per kick return attempt.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor praised Washington for the growth he displayed throughout Jacksonville’s offseason workout program last month, noting his rookie year was impacted by an ankle injury suffered during his final college season at Penn State.

“Parker is playing a lot more confidently. I think he’s a lot healthier than he was this time last year when we got him,” Taylor said on June 11. “[He’s] not worried every time they break the huddle about, ‘What I’m doing, where is my stance, how does this route change?’ Now it’s he’s heard it a hundred times. So we give a play call, we give a route, we move him around. He knows the expectations of that particular player in that particular concept and so now you just see the skill set start to come out.

“That confidence is a big thing. He’ll continue to grow. He was put in the fire last year was moved around a couple spots, made some plays. I think that certainly contributes to some confidence from the playmaking itself.”

The Jaguars’ free-agent signings of wide receivers Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay, and first-round selection of receiver Brian Thomas Jr. in the 2024 NFL draft, make it difficult to predict how often Washington will be utilized in Jacksonville’s offense moving forward.

Still, he showed promise across his opportunities as a rookie and appears to be on an upward trajectory entering his second season with the club.

John Harbaugh says Ravens anticipated Jaguars’ play that ended 1st half

Ravens coach John Harbaugh says they expected the Jaguars to throw a short pass to the flat after not spiking.

On a night filled with Jacksonville Jaguars mistakes, perhaps none was more devastating than the brutal clock management in the final seconds of the second quarter.

After a 36-yard pass to Zay Jones put the Jaguars five yards away from goal line, the Jacksonville scrambled to the line of scrimmage, but inexplicably decided not to spike the ball with 12 or 13 seconds left. Instead, quarterback Trevor Lawrence fired a short pass to Parker Washington, who was tackled in bounds, killing off the remaining seconds.

After the game, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said the team is “going to stay aggressive” in those situations rather than spike. The issue was that the Ravens saw the play coming.

“Their guy running a flat route in bounds – a play we had anticipated,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after the game. “It’s just a play people run in that situation with no huddle, and Marcus [Williams] made a great play.”

“[We’re] anticipating that we’d get out of bounds,” Pederson said. “In that situation right there, you get to the sideline or you score. We did out-leverage the defense. They made a nice play, tackled him inbounds. When the pass was completed, I thought we had a good chance of getting to the front pylon.”

Instead of cutting into Baltimore’s lead, it was the fourth drive of the first half for the Jaguars that went inside the Ravens’ 40-yard line and ended with zero points.

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Jaguars activate returner Jamal Agnew from injured reserve

Jamal Agnew is set to make his return to the Jaguars’ lineup after missing four games on injured reserve.

Jacksonville Jaguars return specialist and wide receiver Jamal Agnew is set to make his return to the lineup Sunday night after getting activated from the injured reserve Saturday.

Agnew landed on IR in November after suffering a shoulder injury on a return. The veteran missed the minimum amount of games required by IR rules and will presumably take back punt return duties from rookie Parker Washington and kickoff return duties from running back D’Ernest Johnson.

The question is how involved Agnew will be on offense with Christian Kirk now on injured reserve. Washington has stepped up as the team’s slot receiver and will likely continue to see time in that role.

Agnew earned Pro Bowl honors as a returner last season and All-Pro honors in his rookie season with the Detroit Lions. He is averaging 10.6 yards per punt return and 27.7 yards per kickoff return so far this year. Agnew has also contributed nine receptions on offense for 90 yards.

The Jaguars released quarterback Nathan Rourke to make room for Agnew on the 53-man roster.

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Jaguars open Jamal Agnew’s 21-day window to return from IR

Jamal Agnew will be back on the practice field this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver and return specialist Jamal Agnew will be back on the practice field this week after his 21-day window to return from injured reserve was opened Wednesday morning.

Agnew, 28, landed on IR in November after suffering a shoulder injury in the Jaguars’ 34-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

In Agnew’s absence, which was coupled with the loss of Christian Kirk due to a core muscle injury, the Jaguars have leaned on rookie Parker Washington as a punt returner and slot receiver. In the past two weeks, Washington has eight receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns.

So far this season, Agnew has averaged 10.6 yards per punt return and 27.7 yards on kick returns. On offense, he has added nine receptions for 90 yards.

Agnew earned All-Pro honors during his rookie season with the Detroit Lions and earned a Pro Bowl nod for the first time last season with the Jaguars.

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Tunnel Vision – Injuries, free agents and Sunday stars

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Lamar Jackson  316-70 3
 Desmond Ridder 347-15 2
 Jake Browning 275-7 3
 Justin Fields 223-58 2
 Joe Flacco 311-(-1) 3
Running Backs Yards TD
Ezekiel Elliott 22-68
7-72		 1
Breece Hall 10-40
8-86		 1
James Cook 10-58
5-83		 1
Rachaad White 25-102
2-33		 1
Joe Mixon 21-79
3-46		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Deebo Samuel 7-149 2
Drake London 10-172 0
D.J. Moore 6-68
3-20		 2
Cooper Kupp 8-115 1
Rashee Rice 7-72 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Evan Engram 11-95 2
David Njoku 6-91 2
Isaiah Likely 5-83 1
Hunter Henry 3-40 2
George Kittle 3-76 1
Placekickers XP FG
Greg Zuerlein 3 3
Justin Tucker 2 3
Lucan Havrisik 2 3
Evan McPherson 4 2
Brandon Aubrey 3 4
Defense Sack – TO TD
Vikings 4-3 0
Saints 4-2 1
Broncos 6-2 0
Browns 4-4 0
Bears 4-3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB C.J. Stroud – Head
QB Justin Herbert – Finger
QB Jake Browning – Cramps
RB Josh Jacobs – Knee
RB Alexander Mattison
WR Mack Hollins – Ankle
WR Devin Duvernay – Back
WR Nico Collins – Calf
WR Tutu Atwell – Concussion
WR Justin Jefferson – Chest

Chasing Ambulances

QB C.J. Stroud –  Landed on his back and his head whipped back to the turf for a concussion. In the protocol now and Davis Mills will fill in this week in Tennessee if needed. The Texans have gone through a rash of injuries and Stroud is the one piece they cannot lose.

QB Justin Herbert – Fractured the index finger on his throwing hand and that may be season ending with just one month left to play in a year already gone bad. Easton Stick is the next man up. This week is a trip to face the Raiders and looks like another low-scoring affair there.

RB Josh Jacobs – He injured his knee early in the game but continued to play through it until finally giving up with six minutes left because of the pain. Speculation is that he hyperextended his knee and likely damaged ligaments and if so, he will not play on Thursday at the least. Zamir White would replace him versus the Chargers.

RB Alexander Mattison – Left the win over the Raiders with an ankle sprain which HC Kevin O’Connell later confirmed. His status for the Saturday matchup in Cincinnati will be determined after tests on Monday. Ty Chandler will take the start if needed.

WR Nico Collins – Injured his calf on the first series and was ruled out during halftime. Tank Dell was already lost for the season, so if Collins misses games he’ll be replaced by the group of Noah Brown, Robert Woods, and John Metchie, though C.J. Stroud’s status is uncertain this week as well.

WR Justin Jefferson – He suffered a chest injury in the second quarter and was forced to the sideline. He was later sent to a nearby hospital. His prognosis and status should be known on Monday but the Vikes play on Saturday in the early game at the Bengals. The No. 1 pick in nearly every fantasy draft is yet another instance where the best player for a season cannot replicate their success.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB Desmond Ridder (ATL) – Turned in a season-high 347 yards and a score on the visiting Buccaneers that included Drake London’s ten-catch, 172-yard performance for a career-best. Granted – the Buccaneers secondary is one of the worst. But Ridder threw three completions for 57 yards and a score to Kyle Pitts.

QB Jake Browning (CIN) – He left the win over the Colts with what were described as “hand cramps” but returned to the game and ended with 275 yards and two touchdowns, plus ran in a touchdown. He may be no Joe Burrow, but he looks like a guy who needs to be more than an unseen backup.

QB Trevor Lawrence (JAC) – When he was awkwardly bent backward over his ankle last week, it looked like the season was over. But Robo-QB showed few signs of the injury and was one of the best quarterbacks for Week 14 with 257 yards and three touchdowns – though he had three interceptions.

WR Parker Washington (JAC) – The rookie replacement for Christian Kirk only managed two catches for 27 yards, but he’s started his career with a touchdown in his first two games.

RB Chase Brown (CIN) – He only ran for 25 yards on eight carries, but Brown led the Bengals’ receivers with three catches for 80 yards that included a 54-yard touchdown catch. The Bengals still ran Joe Mixon 21 times for 79 yards and a score, but Brown has looked sharp for the last two weeks. The Bengals have a potential out in Mixon’s contract next year and Brown can promote more confidence in him for the final month of the season.

RB Keaton Mitchell (BAL) – He ran for 54 yards on nine carries in the win over the Rams but the Ravens still used Gus Edwards for six rushes for 15 yards. They speak about getting Mitchell more involved and he’s impressed when given the chance. Apparently, getting him more involved is a slow process.

QB Joe Flacco (CLE) -After posting 254 yards and two scores on the Rams, the Browns waited until late in the week before naming him as the starter versus the Jaguars. Flacco ended with 311 yards and three scores for the first 300-yard game by any Browns’ quarterback this year. He was named the starter the rest of the season before he reached the locker room.

TE Isaiah Likely (BAL) –  He took over for Mark Andrews for the last two games and only managed four catches for 40 yards at the Chargers in Week 12 before their bye. Versus the Rams, Likely caught five passes for 83 yards and a touchdown – very Anderson-ish.

Huddle player of the week

Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Evan Engram  – Engram has been involved weekly for four or five catches, but now has two straight weeks as the primary receiver with at least nine catches and a touchdown in each. Engram faced the Browns who had the No. 1 defense against tight ends and caught 11 passes for 95 yards and two scores yesterday. That’s catching fire right when we need it most.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Desmond Ridder 347-15 2 QB C.J. Stroud 91 0
RB Chase Brown 8-25
3-80		 1 RB Josh Jacobs 13-34
2-16		 0
RB Jerick McKinnon 4-19
3-18		 1 RB Zack Moss 13-28
4-28		 0
WR Demarcus Robinson 3-46 1 WR Mike Evans 1-8 0
WR Josh Reynolds 3-44 1 WR Nico Collins 1-13 0
WR Quentin Johnston 3-91 0 WR A. St. Brown 3-21 0
TE Evan Engram 11-95 2 TE Sam LaPorta 2-23 0
PK Greg Zuerlein   3 XP  3 FG PK Cameron Dicker   1 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 154 Huddle Fantasy Points = 32

Now get back to work…