Trevor Lawrence has to 'live with' costly turnovers in Jaguars' playoff loss to Bills

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — It’s hard to blame Jacksonville coach Liam Coen for relying on quarterback Trevor Lawrence against Buffalo on Sunday.

After all, Lawrence pretty much carried the Jaguars to the playoffs.

But Lawrence looked little like the AFC player of the month for December and January in a 27-24 loss to the Bills that ended one of the franchise’s most surprising seasons.

Lawrence threw two interceptions, including one on the final possession, and turned the ball over on downs early in the second quarter when replays showed his shin touched the ground on a fourth-and-2 run deep in Buffalo territory.

It was a significant momentum swing in the game. The Jaguars (13-5) could have gone up 14-3 and put pressure on Buffalo (13-5). Instead, they failed to score off a turnover and allowed Josh Allen to lead a 92-yard TD drive.

“I wish we played cleaner in certain areas,” Lawrence said. “I wish I had made one or two decisions a little bit differently, threw a better ball here or there. You’ve got to live with it. It’s life. You don’t get do-overs. It’s a bummer.

“But I know that we left everything out there. I know I put everything into this this year. It’s sucks that we don’t get to keep playing. This is a special group.”

Lawrence completed 18 of 30 passes for 207 yards, with three touchdowns to go along with the turnovers. He also ran six times for 31 yards. He was late on several passes and rarely looked crisp, especially early. He found a rhythm in the fourth quarter and put Jacksonville ahead twice.

He became the third quarterback in NFL history to deliver multiple go-ahead TD passes in the fourth quarter of a playoff loss, joining Allen (at Kansas City in 2021) and New Orleans’ Drew Brees (at San Francisco in 2011), according to ESPN Research.

He connected with Parker Washington and Travis Etienne for scores in final frame, putting the Jags up 17-13 and 24-20. But Allen kept carrying the Bills back into the lead — and ultimately the win.

Coen surely will get questioned for leaning on Lawrence instead of running backs Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten. The duo combined for 118 yards on 15 carries, averaging nearly 8 yards a run against one of the NFL’s most porous run defenses.

“Just called the game like I always call the game,” Coen said.

It was an obviously disappointing ending for Jacksonville, which won its most games since 1999 and built a foundation of success in Coen’s debut season. Lawrence was a big reason for it. He accounted for 25 touchdowns in the team’s eight-game winning streak in which it averaged 33.6 points.

He also played fairly cleanly in those games, with just four turnovers. But it ended against the Bills.

“In any playoff game, mistakes are always magnified,” Lawrence said. “It always comes down to the end. You don’t see a lot of blowouts in the playoffs. Everything’s on the line, and everyone’s fighting.

“So whether it’s turnovers or turnovers on downs – we had three of those today, total – those add up and take points of the board. … I got to be better, cleaner there.”

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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence talks to reporters following an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence throws a pass against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is sacked by Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau (50) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is stopped by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Daquan Jones (92) on a keeper during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) stands next to head coach Liam Coen during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Cedric Coward hit two late 3-pointers and scored 21 points to help the Memphis Grizzlies hold off the Brooklyn Nets 103-98 on Sunday.

Jock Landale added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Santi Aldama had 15 points and eight rebounds. Cam Spencer had 12 points and 12 assists in the Grizzlies' last game before their two-game series against Orlando in Berlin and London.

Noah Clowney and Tyrese Martin led the Nets with 17 points each, and Danny Wolf and Jalen Wilson scored 11 points each. Wolf also had 10 rebounds. Martin was 6 of 8, going 5 of 7 from 3-point range.

Brooklyn led 98-90 after Clowney split a pair of free throws with three minutes left. Memphis scored the final 13 points, with Coward's second late 3 giving the Grizzlies a 101-98 lead with just less than a minute to go.

Memphis, which squandered a 21-point second-half lead Friday night in a loss to Oklahoma City, watched the Nets opened the second half with a 17-6 rally to pull even at 67.

Michael Porter Jr., who had 18 points and six assists in Friday's 121-105 loss to the Clippers, sat for the game due to rest. The Nets are playing 17 games this month, and Sunday was the first night of a road back-to-back.

Memphis led by 16 in the first half and had a 61-50 advantage at the break.

Brooklyn only had five free throws in the half, compared to 14 for Memphis — a point Nets coach Jordi Fernandez made clear to the officiating crew several times.

Nets: At Dallas on Monday night.

Grizzlies: Play Orlando on Thursday night in Berlin and Sunday in London.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) passes over Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson, right, shoots against Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) defends Brooklyn Nets guard Terance Mann (14) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) handles the ball against Brooklyn Nets guards Nolan Traore (88) and Cam Thomas, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. shoots over Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)