GLENDALE, Ariz. – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars’ 27-24 overtime victory over the Arizona Cardinals in a 2025 Week 12 game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday
John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…
Anyway, anyhow. Little about the Jaguars' victory Sunday was pretty. What was beautiful for this franchise was the score – and the fact that the Jaguars gained a game in the AFC South standings – because winning is the only true beauty in the NFL. The Jaguars on Sunday pulled off the remarkable feat of winning when losing turnover differential 4-0 – and the talk in the post-game locker room focused more on resilience than turnovers, mistakes and style points. But you know what? That locker-room focus was right. "We just keep going no matter what," Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange said. "That's the important thing in a football game: No matter what, in the ups and downs, you just always stay steady. I'm proud of the guys for fighting back and fighting the whole entire game." The Jaguars on Sunday had multiple opportunities to lose. They repeatedly lost momentum and chances to take control of the game, yet they made plays both offensively at defensively at critical times. That's how you win in the NFL. It's how you stay in contention and as mid-November turns into Thanksgiving, the Jaguars are very much in contention. Beautiful.
Credit where it's due. The Jaguars' defense has been criticized plenty this season – and sometimes deservedly so. But on an Arizona Sunday when the Jaguars' theme was finding a way to win however it took, the Jaguars' defense embraced that theme and deserves a ton of credit for the victory. This was a unit playing without safety Eric Murray, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and cornerback Travis Hunter – arguably their three best secondary players entering the season. It also was without defensive end Travon Walker, arguably the defense's best player. The unit held Arizona to 17 offensive points despite four turnovers by the offense. It also registered six sacks after entering the game tied for 30th in the NFL in the category. The unit wasn't perfect Sunday, but how do you expect perfect with half your front-line players out? It played big enough and made enough plays when it mattered – ad it's a huge reason this team is 7-4 and a game behind the Colts in the AFC South.