Trevor Lawrence is not finding rhythm
Trevor Lawrence, the quarterback for the Jaguars, is compensated like one of the finest quarterbacks in the NFL. The gunslinger consented to a contract extension for more than $250 million during the previous offseason. For this offence, he is expected to be producing a lot of output.
That was not the case with the Browns. Lawrence only completed 14 out of 30 throws for 220 yards at the end of the game. The Jaguars managed just 13 total points, and he failed not complete a single touchdown pass. That’s not how NFL teams typically win games. In actuality, the Jaguars have only scored 30 points in total in two NFL games. Once again, Jaguars supporters expect better, and that’s not good enough.
Jacksonville’s offensive line is likewise performing poorly at the fundamentals. The group is having trouble obtaining first downs. The team only converted three of nine third downs against the Browns. That was the latest in a discouraging run of poor play; in Week 1, against Miami, the squad converted only two third downs out of ten opportunities.
Despite these difficulties, Trevor Lawrence is not solely to blame. This brings to the second reason the Jaguars should take the brunt of the blame for the Cleveland loss.
The Jaguars offensive line is not doing enough to help
Jacksonville’s offensive line is not helping Lawrence and the running game enough. Jacksonville gave up a total of seven sacks through its first two games, including four against the Browns. Those sacks stalled drives for the Jaguars offense, and forced the team to play only 55 offensive snaps in the game.
Jacksonville just can’t win games playing like this. The team was able to rush for 127 yards in the game, including 52 from Travis Etienne Jr. Again, those numbers have to improve. The Jaguars won’t find many victories when their leading rusher gains 52 yards on the ground. The Jaguars offensive line must step up and do a better job of creating holes and protecting their talented gunslinger.
The team is near the bottom of the league in several offensive statistical categories. This includes passing yards, as the squad has 382 yards passing through two games. That’s just 22nd in the league. The team also has just 255 total rushing yards, again in the middle of the road for the league at 15th overall.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson needs to get through to his players
As the 2023 season draws to a close, the Jaguars are on the verge of complete collapse. The Jaguars had an 8-3 record at the beginning of the 2023 season, but they dropped five of their next six games to conclude with a 9-8 record. The team blew their opportunity to win the AFC South Division and missed the postseason.
The squad has a 0-2 start in 2024, therefore those problems persisted. After eight games, the team has now lost seven of them. Jacksonville has played in these two contests, falling to the Browns in Week 2 by a mere five points. The team fell to Miami in Week 1 by a mere three points.
Head coach Doug Pederson must bear the brunt of the criticism. These men need to be taught by Pederson how to play strong offence and win close games. Supporters of the Jaguars and the management have placed their faith in Lawrence and company to complete the task, but thus far, their financial investment hasn’t paid off.
Moving forward, the Jaguars have some positive news. With just 38 points conceded in two games, the defence is contributing to the team’s success. Jacksonville might still be able to make an impact this NFL season if it can resolve its offensive issues.
But make no mistake, the Jaguars need to win their third game of the season to salvage their current situation. On Monday night, the team takes on the Buffalo Bills.
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