JACKSONVILLE – Call this one a good start.
Cornerback Jourdan Lewis and linebacker Foye Oluokun made clear on Sunday that’s all the 2025 regular-season opener was – and that much work must be done beyond an impressive Jaguars victory and an encouraging defensive performance. But make no mistake:
As starts go, this was close to ideal.
“That’s damned good defense,” Head Coach Liam Coen said, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence adding, “Our defensive played great.”
The Jaguars on Sunday held the Carolina Panthers to 255 yards and 15 first downs in a 26-10 victory at EverBank Stadium. They registered one sack with three takeaways after finishing 32nd in the NFL with nine takeaways – eight defensively – in 2024.
“If everybody’s on the same page, we can be a very dangerous defense,” Oluokun said.
Coen called Sunday’s turnovers “huge.”
“To get three in one game is probably a good start,” Coen said.
The Jaguars, after allowing a field goal on the opening Carolina drive, did not allow another score until Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed a 27-yard swing pass to running back Chuba Hubbard. That made it 23-10, Jaguars, with 4:47 remaining.