In his first start in the NFL, rookie QB Brady Cook and the Jets offense had to again try to climb back into a game after falling behind early.

Against Miami last week, Cook entered the game after Tyrod Taylor was forced out with a groin injury, trailing by 21-0. On Sunday in Jacksonville, the Jaguars built a 14-0 lead and then went ahead by 21-7. Try as he did, the UDFA out of Missouri passed, ran and tried to will the Jets back into a game they ultimately lost, 48-20.

"When you give up that many points, that's tough," HC Aaron Glenn said. "It doesn't allow our quarterback to actually get in the groove. Doesn't allow the offense to get in the groove, especially giving up 21 early in the game. It doesn't allow the offense to get going. And obviously our offense didn't play up to par either."

Jacksonville (10-4) QB Trevor Lawrence led his team to a pair of early TDs, one passing and one on a 15-yard scramble. Still in the first quarter, Cook led the Jets (3-11) on an 8-play, 65-yard drive that culminated in his first NFL TD pass -- 9 yards to a leaping WR Adonai Mitchell. After the score, Mitchell did a U-turn after starting to the Jets' sideline and took the ball from an attendant. He ran to the sideline and tucked the ball into Cook's midsection.

"Incredible moment, incredible moment as a player," Cook said about the TD pass with his parents watching in EverBank Stadium to celebrate. "We worked all week. We got the look we wanted. We got the look we wanted and AD ran a great route, got his head around and made a great catch."

In the excitement after throwing the scoring pass that made the score 14-7, Cook said the thought of retrieving the ball never crossed his mind.

"I forgot about the ball," Cook said. "Shout out to AD, that's the type of guy he is. He's selfless. He was looking out for me, and the ball is safe."

The Jets' best opportunity to get back into the game after the Jaguars went up 21-7 was thwarted by a penalty that nullified what would have been Isaiah Williams' third return of a punt for a TD this season.

In the game, Cook completed 22-of-33 passes for 176 yards, a TD and 3 interceptions, thrown more in desperation trying to get his team back into the game. He completed his first 6 passes of the game. He also ran 6 times for 39 yards, but was sacked 3 times. Mitchell, with 6 catches for 58 yards, was his favorite receiver in the game, though Cook completed passes to six other pass catchers. Cook found John Metchie III 4 times for 25 yards.

"I definitely feel that throughout the week his approach was good," Metchie said. "He throws a good ball." He added: "There's a lot of good things that you can improve on."

With Cook getting the start while Taylor (groin) and Justin Fields (knee) were inactive he became the first Jets UDFA to make his first pro start at QB since Ray Lucas in 1999. The task at hand, however, would have challenged even the most seasoned veteran.

"And listen, sometimes you want to see a quarterback put in this situation to see how he reacts and how he can come back," Glenn said. "Last week with him not getting the reps was tough [after being elevated from the practice squad]. And then this week again, seeing exactly how you're reacting, I thought he did some good things trying to get us back as close as he could in that game. But it's just still tough for a rookie in that situation, tough on him."

Ahead of next week's game at New Orleans versus the Saints, it's too early to tell which of the 3 QBs will start against the Saints.

"I don't know how many reps I had today, but there's a lot of plays on tape, and I'm going to go back and watch," Cook said. "And I don't know if there's any one thing, but I think it's just a combination of banking reps, the good and the bad, learning from them, and then also just building on confidence, on the good stuff."