Patriots steamroll Jaguars to clinch playoff berth
Mac Jones passed for 227 yards and three touchdowns as the New England Patriots bounced back from back-to-back losses to clinch a playoff berth with a 50-10 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.
Jones’ second TD pass of the game was his 20th of the season, breaking a tie with Jim Plunkett in 1971 for the most by a rookie quarterback in franchise history. Jones completed 22 of 30 passes in the victory.
Kristian Wilkerson caught his first two NFL touchdown passes and both Rhamodre Stevenson (career-high 107 rushing yards) and Damien Harris added a pair of rushing TDs for New England.
Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson recorded his eighth interception of the season and the 25th of his career, tying Lester Hayes and Everson Walls for the most in a players’ first four seasons in NFL history.
New England (10-6) clinched its 12th playoff berth in 13 seasons following Miami’s loss to Tennessee. Meanwhile, Patriots coach Bill Belichick notched his 20th career 10-win season to tie legendary coach Don Shula for the most in NFL history.
It was the Patriots’ second 50-point game of the season following a 54-13 rout of the New York Jets on Oct. 24.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence finished 17-of-27 passing for 193 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions — giving the reigning No. 1 overall pick an NFL-leading 17 picks. Jacksonville wideout Laquon Treadwell had six catches for a game-high 87 receiving yards.
Jacksonville (2-14) suffered its eighth straight defeat and dropped to 0-7 all-time in Foxborough.
The Patriots led 28-3 at halftime after scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions.
Harris’ 2-yard TD rush with 5:49 left in the first quarter put New England up 7-0. Jacksonville drove to the Patriots’ 11-yard-line on the following drive, but was forced to settle for Matthew Wright’s 29-yard field goal.
New England took control for good with three TDs in the second quarter and scored 43 unanswered points before Lawrence’s 28-yard TD pass to Dare Ogunbowale late in the fourth quarter.
–Field Level Media
