CINCINNATI, Ohio – This was impressive stuff. And important stuff, too.

Whatever else the Jaguars' 22-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium Sunday was or wasn't, it absolutely was those things – and this could be a victory that matters very much moving forward.

The Jaguars grinded their way past the Bengals Sunday by playing smart and executing big plays – and big drives – when needed. The result was a solid, professional victory – the kind of victory that separates OK teams from contending ones.

Beating good teams on the road is hard. Sunday was the sort of victory on which contending seasons are built. Good stuff for the good guys.

Let's get to it …

Jonathon from Jacksonville

Man, as I write this, I was about to say we beat ourselves then the defense got a big fourth-down stop. Good win!

Any NFL victory is a good victory. Any NFL road victory is a really good victory. Any NFL road victory over a good team that is playing hard and believing in itself is a really, really good victory. Sunday by any measure was a really, really good victory for the Jaguars – one I expect will seem very important as the season continues.

Tim from Ocala, FL

What happened to fans' comments following John's answers to questions? They used to be at the bottom and I can't find them.

This was the much-ballyhooed, sometimes-off-topic, oft-entertaining First Email of the Game. The comments section currently does not work. I do not expect this to be a permanent situation. I don't have information beyond this.

Paul from Saint Augustine, FL

I'm sure you're going to get a lot of fans talking about an "ugly win," but that sure looked beautiful to me!

Winning is winning is winning. The Jaguars on Sunday played a quality team with a quality quarterback on the road. They never trailed and made critical plays in critical moments. There's nothing ugly about winning three of your first four games. A great man once said, "This is the kind of game – and the kind of start – on which playoff seasons are built." That's beautiful stuff.

Bobby From Section 408 Summerville

KOAF, who dey? We dey!!! Go Jags!!!

Winning is cool. Fans like it. Most of them, anyway.

Daniel from Madrid

Super Bowl contender when playing at home, top draft pick team when on the road. Can't get out of their way with dumb penalties.

The Jaguars have lost one road games this season, and that was to a good team. They are not a "top-draft-pick" team on the road. They committed too many penalties Sunday, particularly early.

Richard from Jacksonville

I went to write the much-anticipated, much-ballyhooed, oft-emotional First Email of the Game but every time I tried to hit send I made a mistake that negated the entire e-mail. Repetitively.

Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you. Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you.

Ken from Jacksonville

Worst officiating ever?

The Jaguars were penalized 13 times for 125 yards Sunday and the Bengals were penalized 11 times for 108 yards. That's a lot of penalties. At the same time, a lot of the calls from this view were warranted. Twenty-four penalties is enough that you wonder if the crew wasn't a little overofficious, though I can't rightly say it was the Worst Ever.

Blues Man from Jax

Well-deserved loss. Horrible coaching, undisciplined players, penalties galore, coaches not showing ANY dissatisfaction with players, players not taking any ownership, players not getting on other players for boneheaded decisions. By far the worst Jags game I have ever watched.

Fans fan. It's what they do.

James from Socorro, NM

Do you think Ventrell Miller will get suspended for his hit on Ja'Marr Chase?

No. While Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller's hit on Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase knocked Chase from the game in the second quarter, I don't know how Miller could have avoided the play.

Alex from Cincinnati

Why was there a penalty for 12 men on the field? The Jaguars played against 12 the entire game.

Alex's got jokes (and I actually chuckled at this one).

Scott from Yulee

If you would have told me that the Jags were 3-1 and the Houston Texans would be 0-4, then I would take it. However, the second game on the road almost ended badly like the first road game did. I realize we got the win, but I wish we weren't playing poorly at crunch time in the fourth quarter. We will never know if the Bengals would have won the game if they would have gotten the first down instead of being short by a yard. What can the defense do to get better in the fourth quarter?

The Jaguars won Sunday and held the Bengals on downs with :50 remaining to secure the victory. They did not play poorly at crunch time.

Big Jags Fan from Jacksonville

"We'll play any place, anytime, anywhere"

Damned right.