National Football League

Thursday Night Football top moments: Bengals rally as Jags lose 19th straight

Updated Sep. 30, 2021 11:54 p.m. ET

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The last two No. 1 overall draft picks – Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow – faced each other for the first time in the NFL as the Bengals took down the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-21 in Cincinnati on Thursday night.

The quarterback matchup was a rematch of the 2020 College Football Playoff title game, when Burrow’s LSU Tigers defeated Lawrence’s Clemson Tigers, 42-25. 

Burrow came out on top once again on Thursday night as the Bengals improved to 3-1. They also dropped the Jaguars to 0-4 on the season and extended their losing streak to 19 straight.

Jacksonville is the fifth team ever to lose at least 19 in a row, the first to do it since the Detroit Lions lost 19 straight from 2007-2009.

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Here are the top moments from Thursday's matchup.

Cincinnati Bengals 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 21

FIRST QUARTER

It was trouble early on for the Jaguars. On the third play of the game, star receiver DJ Chark was carted off the field after Jacksonville offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor rolled up on the back of his leg.

Chark, a Pro Bowler in 2019, entered with seven catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns in three games this season.

On the other side, the Bengals were moving early with lots of help from Cincinnati's star wideouts Tyler Boyd and Burrow's former college teammate Ja'Marr Chase, who is one of just nine players in NFL history – and the first since Calvin Ridley in 2018 – to record four or more receiving touchdowns in his first three games.

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Nonetheless, it was the Jags who scored first when James Robinson scampered into the end zone late in the first quarter.

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SECOND QUARTER

With momentum on their side, the Jaguars made it a two-score game midway through the second when Lawrence juked his way into the end zone on this drive. 

After the Bengals got the ball back and went three-and-out, the Jags continued to make big moves. Lawrence, on the run, let it rip to Laviska Shenault for a 52-yard gain on his first play of the new drive.

But in the final seconds of the first half, the Bengals came up with a huge stop on fourth down to keep the margin at 14-0 entering halftime.

Lawrence finished the first half 9-for-13 for 127 yards, picking up a touchdown on the ground. 

Burrow went 8-for-12 for 95 yards. 

THIRD QUARTER

The Bengals were rolling to open the second half, charging downfield and snagging back-to-back TDs to knot things up at 14 heading into the final frame.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Jaguars fired back in the final frame, as Robinson picked up six to put the Jaguars ahead 21-14.

But Jacksonville's lead didn't last long. Midway through the fourth, Cincinnati tight end C.J. Uzomah snagged his second TD of the night to tie things up once again with 8:59 to play.

It came down to the wire, but in the end, it was Evan McPherson who sealed the deal for Cincinnati with a last-second field goal to secure the win.

Burrow went 25-for-32 for 348 yards and two touchdowns, while Lawrence finished the game 17-for-24 for 204 yards.

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National Football League

Jacksonville Jaguars

Cincinnati Bengals

Trevor Lawrence

Joe Burrow

DJ Chark Jr.

Evan McPherson

Ja'Marr Chase

Tyler Boyd

James Robinson

Laviska Shenault Jr.

C.J. Uzomah

Joe Mixon