Big boy touchdowns: Jaguars' Will Richardson, Jets' Conor McDermott both find the end zone

The first-and-goal play from the New York Jets' 4-yard line on Sunday early in the second quarter didn't exactly come off as scripted and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was a bit red-faced about it.

But the outcome was still a Jaguars touchdown and Lawrence said it warms a quarterback's heart when one of the big guys up front charged with keeping him upright can get a slice of glory.

Fourth-year pro Will Richardson, who was pressed into starting duty at right guard when Ben Bartch was put into the NFL's COVID-19 protocols on Saturday, pounced on a Lawrence fumble in the end zone on the fourth play of the second quarter on Sunday to score a touchdown and give the Jags a 9-6 lead.

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The Jets went on to win 26-21 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

"I don't feel great because I fumbled," Lawrence said of the read-option play in which the Jets' Jason Pinnock stripped the ball, with Richardson diving on it ahead of Pinnock and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. "I told him thanks for saving my butt. A fumble at the 1 is not what you want but I was happy for Will. It's always cool getting to see those guys score. It's a game, and you like to see them enjoy it."

Of course, offensive guards are out of practice with scoring touchdowns. Richardson seemed stunned when surrounded by his teammates when he got up, and after a few seconds, he simply tossed the ball to the referee, passing up on his chance to spike the ball.

Lawrence then had to rescue the precious memento of Richardson's first NFL touchdown — and, given the odds, likely his last. Before the conversion attempt, Lawrence retrieved the ball and gave it to Jaguars equipment managers to hold for Richardson.

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The bad news is that the Jets matched the Jags' big boy touchdown in the fourth quarter. Left tackle Conor McDermott, who had checked in as an eligible receiver on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line, caught a TD pass from Zach Wilson to give the Jets a 23-15 lead with 9:16 left in the game.

According to research by the Elias Sports Bureau, it's the first time that two offensive linemen scored touchdowns in the same NFL regular-season game since it began tracking statistics in 1950. In the 2006 AFC Championship game, Logan Mankins of the New England Patriots and Jeff Saturday of the Indianapolis Colts recovered fumbles for their teams in the end zone for touchdowns.

Lawrence said the touchdown by Richardson wasn't all for the offensive line. He was sacked only once after going to the ground eight times in the previous three games and he finished by going 26-of-39 for 280 yards, his third-best production numbers of the season.

Despite losing James Robinson in the first quarter to an Achilles tendon injury, the Jags gained 132 yards rushing and gained 4.3 yards per carry. Dare Ogunbowale had 57 yards on 17 carries and scored the touchdown with 5:25 left that gave the Jags a chance.

"The guys played great up front," Lawrence said. "Sitting there, trusting myself, having an opportunity to make plays downfield."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars guard Will Richardson, Jets tackle Conor McDermott score TDs