It was a fairly quiet League One contest for both goalkeepers on a chilly night at Fratton Park.
But the fact Lee Burge was not threatened by a single shot on target probably explains why Pompey suffered another defeat.
Some sloppy defending allowed Charlie Wyke and Jordan Jones to continue Sunderland’s recent run of fine form.
And Jackett knows that his side have to improve at either end of the pitch in order to arrest their slide.
The Blues boss said: “We didn’t get the key moments right and are just losing out in both boxes at the moment.
“There were a lot of good deliveries into the box early on – particularly from Charlie Daniels, James Bolton and Ryan Williams.
“But we didn’t make those opportunities count and Wyke’s got a header, while we were caught on the ball for Sunderland’s second goal.
"There was a lot about our process that was fairly good and we moved the ball well, but we couldn’t get it right at either end of the pitch."
“They had their tails up after that and had a lot of confidence, winning those duels that make the difference.
“There was a lot about our process that was fairly good and we moved the ball well, but we couldn’t get it right at either end of the pitch.
“We’re not quite there at the moment and there are times when you can see that eating into our confidence.”
There was a further blow for Pompey, with midfielder Andy Cannon limping off the pitch in the second half.
Jackett explained: “He just felt his hamstring and we took him off straight away, but I don’t know how bad it is yet.
“If he’s out then there’s now an opportunity for someone else and they have to be ready to take it.
“It was good see Michael Jacobs on the pitch again and it will be interesting to see if those guys coming back can make a difference.”