JACKSONVILLE - Trevor Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown, and the Jacksonville Jaguars held off the Cincinnati Bengals 22-17 at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati to move to 3-1 and take sole possession of the AFC South lead in Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season.
Lawrence, a 2025 MVP finalist who NFL Media and Jaguars Media Analyst Bucky Brooks called “the NFL’s QB1 since the middle of last season,” distributed the ball to seven different receivers and avoided forcing the ball into coverage despite a relentless Bengals pass rush. Running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. added 111 rushing yards, including a 25-yard touchdown run, as Jacksonville rolled up more than 300 total yards against a Cincinnati defense that had bullied opponents at the line of scrimmage.
Tight end Brenton Strange was the game’s offensive standout, finishing with seven catches for 95 receiving yards on eight targets. “Strange’s speed, quickness and slick route-running skills overwhelm middle-of-the-field defenders, while his superior size is too much for slot defenders,” Brooks wrote in his weekly Scout’s Take feature for Jaguars Media.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for more than 400 yards but was intercepted twice at critical moments, each turnover swinging momentum back to Jacksonville. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile deployed umbrella zone coverage and blitz zones to limit explosive plays, holding Burrow and one of the league’s most prolific offenses to 17 points despite the gaudy yardage total.
Head Coach Liam Coen’s blueprint - an aggressive, physical team that outworks and outhits opponents across 60 minutes - was on full display in Cincinnati, though Brooks noted that an unusually high number of penalties, particularly pre-snap infractions, disrupted the game’s rhythm and must be corrected going forward. Despite the flags, the Jaguars controlled field position and clock with a ball-control passing game built on short crossers and spot routes to Strange, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Jacksonville’s next opportunity to extend its AFC South lead comes in Week 5.