Late pass interference on Travis Hunter costs Jaguars against Bengals

Cincinnati — The Jacksonville Jaguars lost a dramatic Week 2 game at Paycor Stadium on Sunday after a late, highly disputed pass interference flag on rookie two-way player Travis Hunter allowed the Cincinnati Bengals to extend a drive and score the game-winning touchdown, handing Jacksonville a 31-27 defeat. The penalty came with 1:54 remaining on fourth-and-5 and transformed what would have been a turnover on downs into a fresh set of downs at the Jaguars 42-yard line, setting up the Bengals' decisive score.

Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick out of Colorado known for his rare two-way production in college, saw a major increase in defensive responsibility from Week 1. The 21-year-old played 39 offensive snaps and 42 defensive snaps against Cincinnati after logging 42 offensive and only six defensive snaps in Jacksonville's season-opening win over Carolina. Hunter caught six passes for 33 yards in Week 1 and was credited with one tackle across limited defensive duty in that game.

Head coach Liam Coen told reporters Wednesday that the team planned to gradually raise Hunter's defensive workload, a strategy accelerated by the matchup against Cincinnati's veteran receiving tandem of...