CINCINNATI - The Jacksonville Jaguars overcame 13 penalties for 125 yards, including 10 for 100 in the first half alone, to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 22-17 at Paycor Stadium in a Week 4 game that erased a nullified touchdown run, a negated interception return, and a voided kick return before the Jaguars finally put the game away.

Tight end Brenton Strange carried the offense early, finishing with a season-high seven receptions for a season-high 95 yards. His 23-yard tackle-breaking catch and run on third-and-18 from the Jaguars’ own 11-yard line converted a critical first down in the first quarter, and a subsequent 14-yard reception set up kicker Cam Little’s 55-yard field goal that gave Jacksonville a 3-0 lead with 2:18 remaining in the opening quarter. “He does a lot for our team,” quarterback Trevor Lawrence said of Strange. “He can block in the run game and in the pass game, and you see what he can do with the ball in his hands. He’s a matchup [issue]. Today was the most he has been involved this season, but that’s our offense. It’s not everyone’s day every Sunday.”

The penalty flags repeatedly stalled Jacksonville’s momentum. A holding call wiped out running back Bhayshul Tuten’s 44-yard touchdown run, forcing the Jaguars to settle for a 28-yard Little field goal and a 6-3 lead. A roughing-the-passer penalty erased a Travis Hunter interception off Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow that Hunter had returned 30 yards to the Bengals 36-yard line. Linebacker Foyesade Oluokun was unbothered. “Gritty not pretty,” Oluokun said. “Whatever it looks like, spot the ball and keep playing. Penalties happen in the game. We have to clean that up ourselves. But penalties happen. Nothing to hang our head about, we get another opportunity to go out there and make the right play.”

The Jaguars’ defense delivered the game’s decisive swing late in the second quarter. Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen bull-rushed Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. into Burrow’s lap, disrupting a pass that cornerback Jourdan Lewis intercepted and returned 45 yards to the Bengals 18-yard line. Lawrence’s 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. four plays later pushed the lead to 13-3 with 1:23 remaining in the first half. “Rush and coverage working together,” Hines-Allen said. “The guys gave me enough time to get back there and I was just in the flow and did what I’m supposed to do. I looked up and saw we were running this way. I’m excited for Jourdan. I didn’t end up with the sack, but we got the win and I think I made some critical plays to help. That’s what it’s all about.”

Oluokun added a red-zone interception in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, stepping in front of a Burrow pass at the Jaguars 10-yard line to preserve a 16-10 lead. The Jaguars have now recorded at least one red-zone takeaway in each of their first four games and totaled six takeaways in the first three weeks of the season. “Catch the ones they throw you,” Oluokun said. “I don’t think Burrow expected me to be there, obviously. He threw me the ball and I took advantage of it. That’s just playing team defense.”

Running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. broke the game open with a 25-yard touchdown run for a 22-10 lead with 6:35 remaining, a play set up by blocks from left tackle Anton Harrison, center Robert Hainsey and rookie left guard Emmanuel Pregnon. “Cincy did a nice job for the most part against our run in a lot of ways,” Head Coach Liam Coen said. “It was kind of grimy. We had to earn a lot of our yards that we did gain. That was a huge one for us to break that thing open a little bit, give us a little breathing room.” Cincinnati scored on the ensuing drive and drove to the Jaguars 21 with a chance to win, but backup safety Rayuan Lane tackled running back Chase Brown for a 9-yard gain on fourth-and-10 to seal the victory. “No panic, just go out and execute all through the game,” Oluokun said.

Jacksonville returns home for Week 5 action at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville.