PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trevor Lawrence led Jacksonville to an improbable rally — helped in part by Philadelphia’s aversion to scoring automatic points — and had a necessary road victory in his grasp.

Lawrence instead squandered his last chance to earn the Jaguars’ biggest win of the season.

His pass attempt, intended to running back D’Ernest Johnson, was picked off in the end zone by linebacker Nakobe Dean, a late turnover that erased Doug Pederson’s chance for a win in the coach’s homecoming in Philly, and helped the Eagles win a to maintain the lead. 28-23 victory Sunday evening.

“They made the plays in the back of the end zone,” Pederson said.

Lawrence dropped back from the Eagles 13 and threw a deep pass to Johnson, with the Jaguars going for it first with 1:42 left on the clock.

“It’s just something you have to try to do, right? If you can stay within limits, stay within limits,” Pederson said. “Or if it’s incomplete, you’re downplaying someone else, whatever it is. But the bottom line is we still needed to score and I felt good with the way our defense had played, they were going to give us a chance.

Pederson coached before his job with the Jaguars – named the “ best team put together by the Jacksonville Jaguars, ever,” by owner Shad Khan in the preseason – spiraling toward a season that will require a minor miracle to make the playoffs.

“It’s been the same so many times this season,” Lawrence said.

Pederson led the Eagles to the franchise’s only Super Bowl championship — a 2017 World Champions banner hangs in the Linc — and he was honored with a statue outside the stadium.

Pederson’s bronze likeness was about as effective as Jacksonville’s offense in the first half, allowing just 32 total yards and one first down. Lawrence and the Jaguars didn’t cross midfield until the third quarter, before a series of late scores (two touchdowns in the third quarter and one in the fourth) breathed some life into the team.

The Jaguars have been so bad this season that a game originally scheduled for a Sunday night primetime show was instead moved to a late afternoon kickoff.

As the game drifted deeper into darkness, the Jaguars played like a team that finally seemed close to the one so full of Khan’s early-season promise.

And few coaches know how to pull off late wins in Philly as well as Pederson.

Pederson enjoyed a nice homecoming before kickoff and spoke with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni. Pederson was 42-37-1 in five seasons with the Eagles, including a Super Bowl victory over New England in just his second season, with backup quarterback Nick Foles filling in after Carson Wentz was injured.

The Jaguars were going to be a betting underdog anyway under the circumstances, but injuries and even a trade had them playing from their heels from the start.

The Jaguars are without Christian Kirk for the remainder of the season after his surgery to repair a broken collarbone, forcing second-year pro Parker Washington into the starting lineup. Washington had three catches for 41 yards.

Wideout Gabe Davis was out with a shoulder injury and Brian Thomas Jr. played through sore ribs and caught two passes for 22 yards. Walker Little started at left tackle after Cam Robinson was traded last week and left guard Ezra Cleveland missed the game with an ankle injury.

The Jaguars lost three more players to injuries during the game.

Those are the kind of absences a team like the Jaguars can’t afford against an Eagles team fighting for first place in the NFC East.

The Jaguars showed some fight late in the game.

Lawrence sparked the Jacksonville rally in the second half when he scored on a 1-yard run and threw a 2-point conversion pass late in the third to make it 22-8. Saquon Barkley, who totaled 199 yards for the Eagles, then fumbled on the next possession, and the loose ball was scooped up by Travon Walker and returned 35 yards for a TD. The Jaguars cut the score to 22-16 after another two-point conversion.

Lawrence – 16 of 31 for 169 yards and two interceptions, each to Eagles linebackers – added a 4-yard TD scramble with 4:04 left, making it 28-23.

His choice sealed the deal.

Jacksonville has dropped 12 of its last 15 games, a surprising stretch after opening 8-3 last year. Slow starts, costly mistakes and failure to perform in time are the hallmarks of the Jags’ slide – and they were all on display in Philadelphia.

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