Jaguars fall 27-3 to Pittsburgh Steelers, Shad Khan nets 100th loss

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the week in a must-win situation, as is the case in throughout the remainder of the season without taking into account draft positioning. At 1-8, the team was, as expected, desperate for a victory.

That, however, will have to wait another week as the Jaguars fall to the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 27-3. This will also mark Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s 100th loss since officially acquiring the franchise in 2012. Since 2012, the Jaguars have lost 99 regular season games and one playoff game. Including the playoffs, Khan’s Jaguars have gone 41-100.

Starting the game for the Jaguars for a third-straight week was rookie sixth round quarterback Jake Luton, who would struggle mightily, especially during the first half of the contest.

Luton would finish the first half by completing seven of 18 of his passes for 87 yards and two interceptions. Rookie running back James Robinson contributed for 65 yards of total offense in the first half,

Following the Jaguars’ first score of the game, head coach Doug Marrone would take a risk by way of a Keelan Cole onside kick to catch the Steelers off guard, but the team wouldn’t be successful.

The Steelers would score with sensational rookie wideout Chris Claypool in the first half, who beat rookie Jaguars cornerback Chris Claybrooks.

What looked to be a solid drive turned cold after Jaguars rookie quarterback Jake Luton was picked off in the end zone by Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The ball was batted into the air by former Jaguars defensive tackle Tyson Alualu. Alualu was selected by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, tenth overall. The Jaguars would go into halftime down to the Steelers by a score of 17-3, an effective 14-point swing with not much more than two minutes remaining in the game.

Following a Steelers touchdown by way of a 1-yard Benny Snell run into the end zone, the Jaguars would have one more possession in the first half.

While driving with less than a minute remaining, Luton was intercepted on an errant pass, high in the middle of the field intended for tight end Tyler Eifert, by Pittsburgh safety Terrell Edmonds. Although it gifted the Steelers a final possession prior to halftime, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would throw an ill-advised pass into the end zone that would be picked off by Jaguars rookie safety Daniel Thomas to end the half.

The Jaguars suffered multiple injuries, including one to left guard Andrew Norwell (arm), defensive end Josh Allen (knee) and Thomas (arm). All three players were later ruled out due to their respective injuries. Tyler Shatley, K’Lavon Chaisson and Andrew Wingard replaced the three players in the second half of the contest.

In the second half, Robinson would become the fifth undrafted rookie to reach 1,000+ scrimmage yards in the common draft era. He would get there with an eight-yard gain near the send of the third quarter. He joined Dominic Rhodes (2001), Phillip Lindsay (2018), Clark Gaines (1976) and LeGarrette Blount (2010).

Neither team would have much success in the third quarter of the contest, ultimately adding zero points to the scoreboard.

There wasn’t much in the way of inspiring football, and aside from the injuries, nothing notable would occur until around 10:30 remaining in the fourth quarter when Jaguars rookie, Chaisson, would tackle Steelers running back James Conner for a loss of two, setting up a Pittsburgh field goal. The Steelers would take a 20-3 lead.

The game would get even uglier for Jacksonville as the team ventured further into the fourth quarter. Luton would go on to throw two more interceptions, both to Edmunds and Fitzpatrick, who finished the game with two interceptions a piece.

The Steelers would end the game scoring another touchdown to tight end Eric Ebron. Without any further movement on offense, the Jaguars wouldn’t score again, and Pittsburgh would simply take knees to end the game at the two-minute warning.

Luton finished the contest having completed 16 out of 37 of his throws for 151 yards and four interceptions.