What are you doing during Week 7 of the current NFL season for entertainment? He caught a beautiful 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trey Lawrence. Hunter scored his first career touchdown in the league! Unfortunately, that debut coincided with a brutal 35-7 rout loss for the Jacksonville Jaguars at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. While Hunter’s performance was an obvious showcase of his developing talent as a receiver, this game emphasized his increasing importance to the team.
The touchdown occurred with 9:06 remaining in the game, preventing the Jaguars from suffering their first shutout since Urban Meyer’s tenure ended in Week 14 of the 2021 season. Hunter displayed his elite talent for creative yardage when, on a catch at the 7-yard line, he broke a tackle from a defender draped over him. He victimized Kam Curl with a juke and burst into the end zone with ease. Following the game, Hunter expressed his desire for more involvement, stating, “I just told coach to get me the ball [and] I’ll go there and make a play.”
Aside from his one touchdown reception, Hunter was a legitimate life-changer against the Rams. He finished with career-highs in targets (eight), receptions (eight), and receiving yards (90). Along with all of that production, he only saw 12 defensive snaps all season, a clear signal that he would be used more on offense. Coach Liam Coen noted, “There definitely was a plan going into the game that we wanted to utilize him more on the offensive side of the ball, specifically trying to get the ball into his hands.“
Trevor Lawrence knew that Hunter wasn’t the primary target on that play. He saw an excellent matchup against a safety and exploited it. “Could have thrown out the quick out to Parker [Washington], but the corner tied down and I felt like we had a matchup there with the safety,” he explained. Lawrence commended Hunter’s determination, stating, “They were holding him so he got the flag [for defensive pass interference] but fought through the contact, still made the play of the ball.”
Though he delivered an electrifying performance, Hunter wasn’t looking to celebrate his touchdown in a “normal” fashion. Instead, he decided to give the game ball to his two-month-old son, demonstrating the personal nature of the moment. After scoring, he reflected on his thoughts during the play, saying, “I was just thinking about, ‘I put the points on the board for the team.’”
Slaughter’s first game victory took some of the shine off for Hunter’s milestone achievement. Coen, in particular, said he was disappointed the touchdown came with them down 28-0. The team’s efforts to rally fell short, but Hunter’s performance has positioned him as a potential key player moving forward. Eric Moody drew attention to Hunter’s incredible fantasy outing versus the Rams. He’s convinced that Hunter will be finding his way back on the WR2 radar shortly.
Leave a Reply