The Jacksonville Jaguars earned a 26-21 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Despite the road victory, it showed resilience but continued to expose areas that could derail bigger ambitions. Jacksonville left the field with momentum in the standings, yet lingering inefficiencies on third down and a concerning lack of discipline remain the most urgent challenges. Being four games into the regular season, it is up to head coach Liam Coen to get these things cleaned up before the start of their three-game home stretch, starting with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Third Down Still an Achilles’ Heel
One number stands out from the box score: 4-of-14. That was Jacksonville’s third-down conversion rate against San Francisco, a putrid 28.57%. On the season, the Jaguars now rank 25th in the NFL in third-down efficiency, converting just 35.19% of attempts.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence didn’t dodge accountability after the game.
“Thought I could have done even more to be honest today on some of those third downs,” Lawrence said on Sunday, “We weren’t as good as we want to be on third down, and I felt like I could have maybe extended a few more plays. Just got to watch that and keep learning from it and grow.”
His comments echo what the numbers already make clear: Jacksonville is struggling to sustain drives in crucial moments. Some of that falls on protection, some on play design, and some on Lawrence himself. For a team with postseason aspirations, third down is the money down — and right now, the Jaguars are leaving too much cash on the table.
Penalties Painting a Bigger Problem
Even more troubling than missed conversions is Jacksonville’s lack of discipline. One of the worst things you can do is shoot yourself in the foot. The other is to give free mulagins to your opponent. The Jaguars were flagged 12 times for 90 yards against San Francisco, a number that not only stalled their own drives but gifted opportunities back to the 49ers.
Through four games, Jacksonville has committed 38 penalties for 308 yards. That averages out to 9.5 per game — the worst mark in the NFL.
False starts, defensive breakdowns, and special teams errors have become a familiar pattern. Although the Jaguars’ talent and opportunistic defense have helped cover up some miscues, no team can expect to win regularly while surrendering nearly a football field’s worth of free yardage each week.
What Comes Next
The Jaguars’ win over San Francisco showed grit, but it also revealed how thin their margin for error really is. Cleaning up these two problem areas could be the difference between surviving games and controlling them.
Third-down efficiency requires sharper execution across the board, while penalties demand accountability from both the locker room and coaching staff. Winning while flawed can only last so long.
At 26-21, Jacksonville walked off the field victorious. But if the Jaguars want their wins to inspire confidence instead of concern, the improvements must start now.
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