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New England returned to the playoffs when rookie quarterback Mac Jones threw three touchdown passes and Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for two scores apiece in their 50-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
The victory by the Patriots (10-6) snapped a two-game losing streak and gave Bill Belichick his 20th 10-win season as a head coach, tying Don Shula for the most in NFL history. A loss by Miami at Tennessee secured New England’s first trip to the postseason since Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay following the 2019 season.
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The Jaguars (2-14) have lost eight consecutive games, including three straight since firing coach Urban Meyer. It was their 17th consecutive loss on the road, the longest streak in the league.
Jones finished 22 of 30 for 227 yards and set a franchise record for touchdown passes by a rookie with 21. Stevenson had 107 yards on 19 carries. Harris rushed nine times for 35 yards before leaving in the second half with a hamstring injury.
Patriots receiver Kristian Wilkerson had two touchdown catches — the first of his career — after being elevated from the practice squad for the second consecutive week. He pulled in a 6-yard TD to put the Patriots up 21-3 in the second quarter. His second came on a 20-yard pass on their opening possession of the second half that stretched the lead to 34-3.
New England’s defense also bounced back from a rough outing against Buffalo, holding the Jaguars to 253 yards and 3 of 9 on third downs. Myles Bryant, J.C. Jackson and Kyle Dugger all had interceptions.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) celebrates after a touchdown pass to wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
It was part of the latest rough outing for Jaguars quarterback and No. 1 overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence, who finished 17 of 27 for 193yards. He had a late touchdown pass, his first in five games. But it came against mostly backups.
Jones, the final quarterback taken in the opening round of April’s NFL draft, now has victories over the top two quarterbacks selected in Lawrence and No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson.
Jacksonville came into the game missing eight starters and 13 players in total sidelined because of COVID-19. The list included three starting offensive linemen — left tackle Cam Robinson, center Brandon Linder and guard Ben Bartch — and five backups.
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INJURIES
Patriots: Along Harris’ hamstring injury, S Adrian Phillips also left in the second half with a wrist injury.
MILESTONES
Jackson’s second-quarter interception was the 25th of his career, tying the NFL record for the most by a player in their first four seasons (Emerson Walls, Lester Hayes).
And with his 40-yard completion to receiver Laquon Treadwell in the first quarter, Jacksonville’s Lawrence set a Jaguars single-season rookie passing yards mark. He needed 47 yards to break the mark set by Gardner Minshew, who threw for 3,271 yards in 2019. Lawrence now holds Jacksonville’s rookie records for completions and passing yards.
UP NEXT
Jaguars: host the Colts in their regular-season finale.
Patriots: visit Miami in their finale.
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