Urban Meyer: Loss to Bengals is ‘devastating, heartbreaking’

The Jaguars had a very good opportunity in Thursday Night Football to earn the first win of the Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence era, but they couldn’t stop a second-half Cincinnati comeback as rookie Bengals kicker Evan McPherson drilled a game-winner as time expired.

To be so close to an emotional win on national television and come up short was difficult, Meyer said after the game.

“That’s devastating, heartbreaking,” he said. “These guys—usually I’m not wrong about stuff like that. I just see a good team in there. I see good guys. I see good hearts. I see guys that work. I told them: ‘I’m not wrong. I’m not wrong about that stuff.’

“We are getting better each week. It’s just sickening that you didn’t win that thing. But like I told you, I’m not wrong about that. I’m not wrong about those guys in that room. They’re going to keep swinging as hard as they possibly can.”

Meyer and Lawrence aren’t a pair that’s very accustomed to losing. Lawrence only lost twice as a starter at Clemson (and never in the regular season), while Meyer compiled a ridiculous 83-9 record during his seven seasons at Ohio State.

With a long week ahead to prepare for Oct. 10’s crucial division matchup at home against the Tennessee Titans. Meyer said the loss against Cincinnati was hard on the team, but that it will bounce back.

“That’s a heartbroken locker room,” he said. “We’ll take a few days off and get ready for Tennessee. There are good people in that locker room.”

The Jags will attempt to lick their wounds and get into the win column for the first time this season against a Tennessee team they haven’t beaten since Week 3 of the 2019 season.