The Jaguars vs. Panthers game went about as good as it possibly could for the Jaguars. When the Jaguars need a get-right game, one to rebound from their slowly cratering season, the Jaguars shut down the Panthers.
With a final score of 26 – 0, the Jaguars vs. Panthers game was never close. With a backup at quarterback and a reeling team, the Jaguars were pressed for a win. The Panthers have been sub-par in 2023, and the Jaguars caught a break by facing them when they did.
Jaguars vs. Panthers: Slay
Josh Allen
Jacksonville Jaguars OLB Josh Allen (41) – Kam Nedd/Jacksonville Jaguars
Josh Allen had one of the best games of his young career. In the Jaguars vs. Panthers game, the Jaguars star pass rusher had three sacks, putting his season total at 16.5, breaking the franchise record from Calais Campbell.
With those sacks, Josh Allen cemented himself in the Jaguars record books. Being a free agent, the Jaguars should make resigning him the highest priority in the offseason. It’s been a massive season for Josh Allen, one that could put him near the top of the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Allen has been a huge breakout player for the Jaguars, after already being an incredible pass rusher in years prior.
Travon Walker
Jacksonville Jaguars OLB Travon Walker (44) – James Gilbert/Jacksonville Jaguars
Josh Allen’s pass-rushing mate Travon Walker had one of the best games of his career as well. Walker had two sacks against Bryce Young in the Jaguars vs. Panthers game, to pair with a team-high six tackles.
Those two sacks put Travon Walker at nine sacks, one away from double digits. Walker developing as a pass rusher is what the Jaguars desperately needed to happen, as there aren’t many other players that can generate pressure at a high clip.
Travis Etienne Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. (1) – Kam Nedd/Jacksonville Jaguars
Switching to the offensive side of the ball, the run game in the Jaguars vs. Panthers game emerged at the perfect time. Travis Etienne Jr. had an incredible day, running at one of his best paces all season. On 16 rushing attempts, Travis Etienne Jr. had 102 yards and two touchdowns.
In the third quarter, Travis Etienne Jr. had a 62-yard touchdown and later had a one-yard touchdown. A combination of long and short touchdowns for Etienne, with both being the only two touchdowns of the game for either team. A Jaguars win was made on the back of no one player, but Etienne put things away early in the third quarter and cemented the Jaguars win with his touchdown in the fourth.
Brandon McManus
Jacksonville Jaguars K Brandon McManus (10) – Kam Nedd/Jacksonville Jaguars
A massive turnaround for Brandon McManus right before the playoffs is perfect for him after a very tough stretch. With McManus hitting all four of his field goals, the Jaguars were able to acquire a lead and never relinquish it. While the longest field goal was from 35 yards out, McManus still was perfect.
He also went on two for two on point-after-tries. Being perfect is all that a team can ask for from a kicker, and having McManus bounce back from a rough stretch is a huge boost of confidence with the playoffs within grasp.
Jaguars vs. Panthers: Bomb
No players are truly deserving of a bomb, for the first time in the Jaguars’ 2023 season. The Jaguars vs. Panthers game featured significantly improved discipline from the Jaguars. This is mainly evident in the lack of turnovers from the offense, and the shutout the Jaguars defense had against the Panthers. Putting players in the bomb for this week would be nit-picking.
Jaguars vs. Panthers Final Thoughts
Jacksonville Jaguars OLB Josh Allen (41), DL Roy Robertson-Harris (95) – Kam Nedd/Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars executed a much-needed win to perfection, one that featured incredible performances on and off the field. The Jaguars vs. Panthers game was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Jaguars. Multiple facets of the game worked for the first time in a long while. The pass rush got home, the run game worked better than it has in a while, and the kicking game got back to where it was early in the season.
This might’ve been the easiest game to predict, and when I made my prediction in the preseason, the Jaguars seemed like the infinitely better team. After 16 weeks, the Jaguars proved that by strolling past the Panthers without Trevor Lawrence.
