Are the Jaguars in Trouble for the Coming Years?
Tennessee Titans, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
They came into the season with high expectations, but have underperformed.
The Jaguars came in hot from 2022 when they went to the playoffs. They were down 27-0 in the wildcard game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Trevor Lawrence had already thrown four interceptions before this point, and the Chargers’ secondary were looking for another takeaway. Lawrence threw for a touchdown right before halftime, which brought the score to 27-7. In the second half, the Jaguars defense played lights out, and Trevor Lawrence threw for three more touchdowns, which gave them the lead at 28-27. The Jaguars ended the game on a made field goal by Riley Patterson, which brought the score to 31-30. The Jaguars went on to play the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round, which they lost.
Tennessee Titans, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The following year, the Jaguars started the season eight and three, then Trevor Lawrence got injured, which brought them nothing but losses until they played the Panthers, and at that point, they were 9-7 with that win. Trevor Lawrence returned and played in the final game against the Titans, and that game determined if they could make the playoffs. They went on to lose and failed to make the playoffs, which brings us to this current season.
They started off the season with one win and two losses and now they are 2-8 and tanking for the number one pick in the draft. Fans might ask what went on between the losing stretch from last season to this season, and many have the same question including the team itself.
Head coach Doug Pederson in a press conference for the Jaguars media team reflecting on the team’s performance against the Detroit Lions.
.jpg){kind=link}
“I can’t control that; I’ve been around this league for a long time and if it’s going to happen it’s going to happen obviously,” Pederson said. “At the same time, I still have a job to do and that’s you know get prepared for a good division opponent in two weeks.”
Pederson was lost and disappointed by the Jags’ 52-6 loss against the Lions this past week, and they’re on their bye week, which means they could re-coop and recover for the next game against the Houston Texans. At this point, the media and fans start to wonder if coaching is the problem.
The Jaguars’ offensive coordinator Press Taylor is the main play caller of the team, and he made statements during a press conference for the Jaguars media team about the team not capitalizing on opportunities.
“It’s about being consistent down in and down out and what it looks like,” Taylor said. “Even last week you know we went down to score and got points on the first drive but there were some hiccups along the way that we felt like were self-induced,” Taylor said. “And those were the things that you kind of got to get out the way.” The press conference was on October 17, and at the time the press was reflecting on the team’s 35-16 loss against the Bears on October 13.
The Jaguars’ owner Shad Khan said this is the best team in Jags history, yet they haven’t been playing like it.