Well, this is not how the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers wanted to start the season. The Jaguars have postseason aspirations, especially in the lightly-contested AFC South. While the Houston Texans have playoff hopes as well, the Jaguars hope Laim Coen can lead Trevor Lawrence – a former No. 1 pick, after all – back on the right path. As for the Panthers, this could be a big year for their own franchise QB in Bryce Young. After benching Young in favor of Andy Dalton at the beginning of last season, Young eventually re-entered the fray and impressed with a lackluster receiving corps.
Jaguars-Panthers restart time: When will the rain delay end?
The game was delayed due to lightning in the area, so per NFL rules the Jaguars will have to wait until the storm leaves the area. The humidity is brutal in the Jacksonville area, per weather.com, as it feels like over 100 degrees at the stadium.
The game was delayed midway through the second quarter, with 8:32 left in the first half. It's not an ideal time for any game to pause, but the safety of players like Lawrence, Young, Travis Hunter and more were at risk. Unlike in baseball, when a rain delay can lead to mass substitutions, the same stars are likely to stay on the field.
How a weather delay could impact the Jaguars and Jets
The Jaguars held a 10-3 lead at the time of said delay. Lawrence looked much like his old self in Coen's offense, completing 10-of-14 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Travis Etienne Jr. received the majority of the carries despite some suggestions he'd have to split time with the likes of Tank Bigsby.
As for the Panthers, Young struggled early against a stout Jags defense. Young completed half of his passes, but already threw an interception. The Jaguars were dominating time of possession at the time of the delay.
If anything, some time off may benefit Carolina's defense, specifically, as they'll be able to recover from the exhaustion of keeping up with Jacksonville's passing attack.
We'll have more on this story shortly.