-
Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff Writer
It looked like Jacksonville Jaguars returner/WR Parker Washington made a big mistake, but it turned out to be a game-changing, 96-yard play.
Washington backed up inside his 5-yard line to catch a punt — players usually let those bounce so it hopefully goes into the end zone — and caught the ball at his 3-yard line. He ran to his left, got blocks from Yasir Abdullah and Antonio Johnson inside the 20-yard line and another by Devin Lloyd at the 27-yard line, and got past Patriots punter Bryce Baringer at the 47-yard line and coasted to a touchdown.
PARKER WASHINGTON. 96-YARD PUNT RETURN TD.
📺: #NEvsJAX on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/edk74815KD— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024
That was the longest punt return touchdown in Jaguars history, surpassing the 91-yarder by Keelan Cole against Green Bay in 2020.
It was also the first special teams touchdown in an international game (out of 266 touchdowns scored in the international games), per ESPN Research.
After the Patriots jumped offside on the PAT, the Jaguars went for two and Trevor Lawrence connected with Brian Thomas Jr. in the back of the end zone. That put the Jaguars ahead 22-10, with all 22 points coming in the second quarter to erase a 10-0 deficit.