Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young celebrates after scoring against the Green Bay Packers during Sunday’s game in Charlotte.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram is still optimistic about his team’s postseason outlook.
As dreadful as December has been — the Jaguars have lost all four games in the month — Engram is confident the team’s fortunes will turn in time to win the AFC South and make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1998-99.
“I do know adversity hits everybody,” he said. “Right now, it’s hitting us. … What will you do in the face of adversity? Right now, we’re … face to face with it.”
The Jaguars (8-7) have been hesitant to call any previous game a must-win situation. They don’t have much choice now. Jacksonville is downright desperate heading into its home finale against Carolina (2-13) on Sunday.
The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a victory, coupled with losses by Houston and Indianapolis. A loss could leave them trailing in the division for the first time since Week 3.
“Backs are definitely against the wall,” Engram said, chuckling. “But the smile on my face says it all, too. We’re ready to fight our way out of it, for sure.”
Jacksonville showed little fight last week, losing 30-12 at Tampa Bay after trailing 30-0 late in the third quarter. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence left with an injury for the third time in the last four games — he sprained his throwing shoulder — and is questionable to extend his consecutive games started streak to 52.
“The quarterback, you’re handing the ball off with that right arm, you’re throwing with the right arm, you’re stressing the shoulder a bit more. Those are all things you’ve got to be careful of,” coach Doug Pederson said. “It’s really a tolerance thing more than anything else, but you still want to be careful every day you’re out there.”
The Panthers are coming off their best two-game stretch of the season. They beat Atlanta 9-7 and then rallied to tie Green Bay late before losing 33-30 last week. Those came at home, though. Carolina is 0-8 on the road, with five of those losses being by double digits.
So it might seem like a get-right game for Jacksonville. Then again, Carolina could take the Jaguars’ month of mayhem to a new low.
“Whether they’re in a slump or not in a slump, I just don’t want to be the team to get them back right,” Panthers outside linebacker Brian Burns said. “That’s the main goal. I don’t want to be that team.”
Help on the way?
The Jaguars have left tackle Cam Robinson back after missing the last four games with a knee injury. Robinson brings a much-needed edge to an offensive line that has struggled to create running lanes and keep Lawrence upright.
The Jaguars are 6-1 this season with Robinson in the starting lineup, with the lone loss coming against NFC-leading San Francisco.
“There definitely needs to be a sense of urgency, but not a sense of panic,” Robinson said. “We know what we need to do.”
Jacksonville also expects receiver Zay Jones back, but he’s still dealing with knee and hamstring injuries that have limited him to 28 receptions for 274 yards and two touchdowns.
Young gun
Carolina rookie Bryce Young is coming off the best game of his brief NFL career, throwing for 312 yards and two fourth-quarter TDs to DJ Chark against Green Bay.
It was the second consecutive week Young delivered a promising performance. He directed a 90-yard drive that set up the winning field goal against the Falcons.
“He looks a lot more comfortable,” Burns said. “I feel like it has always been in him because I have seen it from training camp. But him balling now or making plays now is not a surprise. It looks like he has having some fun.”
Milestone moment?
Engram needs two catches to become the second player in franchise history with 100 receptions in a single season. He would join receiver Jimmy Smith (1999, 2001) and be just the eighth tight end in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
“With a division title, that would be nice,” said Engram, who has 98 catches for 824 yards and three touchdowns. “Just trying to be the best I can for the team. Whatever that equals, that’s what it is. Just keep doing that and trying to make a positive impact on my team. That’s all I care about.”