Fallen patriots wave white flag as they are mauled by hungry jaguars | NFL

HHow the mighty have fallen. The New England Patriots, a name that once struck fear into the core of opponents, can now only pounce as their paper-thin defense allowed the faltering Jacksonville Jaguars to a stunning 32-16 victory filled with rushing runs from the formidable alternate to capture running back Tank Bigsby. He could now move up the depth chart permanently after punishing the Patriots with two touchdowns and 118 yards on the ground.

What was breathtaking wasn't quarterback Trevor Lawrence's brilliant performance, even though the former No. 1 pick played quite well with one touchdown, no interceptions and 193 yards passing, but rather how easy it was once the Patriots took the lead had. Jacksonville was free to do whatever it wanted while the Patriots defense waved the white flag with a loss, nearly ending their season at 1-6. Conversely, the Jags' chances after the season remain razor thin at 2:5, but not yet exhausted. Of the 163 times a club has gone 2-5 after seven games since 1990, 10 have reached the playoffs.

Lawrence's counterpart, rookie QB Drake Maye, did well in just his second start to avoid turnovers and throw risk-averse short passes that moved the chains, while Jacksonville's offense against the Bears last week in Tottenham still appeared smart as the defense allowed Jamycal to rush , a score and a field goal.

The Patriots were on the rise, the simple offensive scheme full of screen passes was enough until the Jags figured out that was all New England had to offer. Jacksonville deftly adjusted to reinforce the line of scrimmage and erase any slight lead Maye had with stifling pass coverage. Let's come to you, Trevor.

Under the pressure of the scoreboard and the shocks of a rapidly declining season, Lawrence shrugged. A 24-yard dart to Christian Kirk on Jacksonville's second drive set the stage for a comeback that the Patriots couldn't stop. Bigbsy and D'Ernest Johnson, filling in for the injured Travis Etienne, repeatedly cut through New England's soft bottom, while rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. finished the drive with the easiest touchdown grab from six yards.

One quick punt later, Lawrence sent a flaming spear through the heart of New England with a massive 58-yard pass. An incredible catch by Thomas was put under extreme pressure by cornerback Christian Gonzalez, showing exactly why the star receiver was so coveted by the Jaguars in the draft. “I knew I would be open,” Thomas said. He was open as he charged through the backfield when his catch allowed Bigsby to dart over the ball for a one-yard score. The lead was regained in just six games.

The Jacksonville brick wall held firm as the inevitable punt sailed into the willing hand of Parker Washington. He made what others would call a fair catch to make the longest punt return in Jaguars history. In a swirl of black and teal, Washington sprinted past all of the Patriots' special teams defenders for a 96-yard score. The Patriots' negligence – which Washington summed up: “They don't want to attack, so I walked through them” – was apparently so pervasive that they were dissatisfied with just giving a huge gift and saw fit to give anything other than a penalty, allowing for an easy two-point win. The Lawrence-to-Thomas conversion capped a quarter in which the Jags scored 23 unanswered points.

At the start of the second half, the Jags marched ahead with an early field goal from Sly. The lead was extended, but it was a significant improvement for New England after giving up three straight touchdowns before halftime. The defense found a crucial stop on fourth down near their goal line to keep the interest of the numerous Patriots fans.

The matchup might have been a home game for the Jags, but the noise that erupted when Maye sent a 33-yard arc to Kayshon Boutte was the loudest of the day. Until the guttural roar that greeted Mayes' second pass hit, this time against KJ Osbourne. With a one-point deficit in sight, the comeback began, so to speak, when a crazy two-point conversion brought them to an irretrievable nine-point deficit with eight minutes left.

Bigsby would put the finishing touches to Jacksonville's offense with a four-yard touchdown run. If Lawrence and the Jaguars can keep that lightning in the bottle, there may only be a glimmer of hope left for the most unlikely playoff runs this season.