NFL
Southern Draft
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2025 NFL Draft starts April 24, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. We are going to take a look around the AFC South and see what position each team should address in the first round.
Tennessee (3-14): The Titans are tied with Cleveland and the New York Giants for the worst record in the NFL. That earned them the first pick in the 2025 draft.
Quarterback Will Levis was drafted in the 2nd round, No. 33 by the team in 2023. He started the season opener and for a total of twelve games.
He passed for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and he completed 63% of his passes. He showed that he takes risks and throws bad interceptions. I think Tennessee has to look at their QB of the future.
The most likely candidate to pick is Cam Ward (Miami). This year’s quarterback class is considered weak but Ward is the best in this class.
He transferred from Washington State and played great at Miami. He threw for 4,313 yards, 39 TD’s, 7 interceptions and completed 67% of his passes.
He also rushed for 204 yards and 4 scores. Ward won the Davey O’Brien Award (2024), Manning Award (2024), ACC Player of the Year (2024) and Consensus All-American (2024).
Jacksonville (4-13): The Jags need help on the defensive line or in the secondary. They have the fifth pick so I think they will draft a pass rusher.
The best pick is Abdul Carter (Penn State). He was an off-ball linebacker his first two years before he was moved to edge rusher for the 2024 season.
In 2024 he had 43 solo tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. Carter was a Unanimous All-American (2024), Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2024) and two-time first-team All-Big Ten (2023, 2024).
He’s 6’3 and 259 pounds so he has great size and speed. He’s a great athlete that could have an immediate impact like another Penn State pass rusher has recently, Micah Parsons.
Indianapolis (8-9): The Colts were only one game under .500 so they are close to becoming a playoff team. They have the No. 14 pick.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson was drafted 4th in the 2023 draft. In his two seasons he has only played in 15 games. They are really hoping he can stay healthy and make a drastic leap going into his third season.
Indy can go in a couple of different directions with this pick. They could select an offensive lineman or defensive back.
If they pick a lineman it could be inside offensive lineman Armand Membou (Mizzou). He was a tackle at Missouri but he’s 6’3 and 332 pounds so he’s not the ideal size for an NFL tackle. He will probably be moved inside to guard.
If they pick a DB safety Malaki Starks (Georgia) might be the pick. He’s very smart and athletic so he would be a great fit.
Houston (10-7): The Texans were very inconsistent but they still won the division and a playoff game. Second year QB CJ Stroud regressed and the offensive line did a bad job protecting him. They can address the offensive line, defensive line or add a weapon on offense. They are picking No. 25.
I think they might draft guard Grey Zabel (North Dakota State). He’s listed as 6’6, 305 lbs. and he’s a two-time FCS national champion. He was also named first-team FCS All-American (2024).
Useless?
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Before the NFL crowns a champion in Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL world flocks to Orlando for the Pro Bowl (or what has turned into being called the Pro Bowl Games).
Instead of a full exhibition game, the NFL has made the change to a Flag Football game along with a collection of skills competitions and “field day” type events.
While there’s no question that the honor of being named to the Pro Bowl, does the actual event mean anything?
Before we dive into the current rendition of the pro football version of the All-Star Game, let’s look back at how we got here.
There have been many iterations of a “Pro Bowl,” and it began in January of 1939 as the NFL All-Star Game. The NFL All-Star Game saw that year’s league champion (starting with the 1938 New York Giants) against a team of all-stars from the other teams around the league. The first time that the phrase “Pro Bowl” was used came in the 1951 when the best from the American/Eastern Conference taking on the top of the National/Western Conference.
After the merger of the AFL & the NFL in 1970, the celebration of the game’s best turned into the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl. The league’s exhibition match-up largely looked the same until 2023 (aside from the league flirting with a nonconference format from 2014-2016).
2023 marked the first rendition of the Pro Bowl Games with flag football and other random events that have changed each of the last three years.
Most fans remember that for three decades (1980-2009) the Pro Bowl game was held in Aloha Stadium in Halawa, Hawaii. The game would be moved to Miami for the 2010 rendition of the game before returning to Hawaii in 2011 until 2014.
There have been a couple of mainstays in the skills competitions over the last three years with Flag Football and dodgeball, but each year brings new competitions with some being more…creative…than others.
I’ve been able to be at this year and last year’s Pro Bowl Games and to be on the field in Orlando around the game’s best.
While many fans and even media have written the game off as a waste of time, this game still truly means something to many of the players bestowed with the honor of being named to the Pro Bowl.
That being said, you do have players each year that “opt out” of the Pro Bowl.
In fact, this year has 16 players named to either the AFC or NFC squad that won’t be in Orlando participating for a litany of reasons which doesn’t include the eleven combined members of the two teams that are competing in the Super Bowl a week later.
Full transparency, I was skeptical of what the point of the event was going into my first experience with the game a year ago, but after talking to players and folks around the game, for the players it’s a wonderful experience.
Obviously it’s a tremendous honor to be named to the rosters, but you have some players that are experiencing it for the first time as a young player and get to be around the best of the best for a few days and pick the brains of those that they likely grew up idolizing.
Others use it as a chance to catch up with friends or former teammates that they may not have seen since the last Pro Bowl.
Whatever the individual rational, there was one overwhelming theme that came up time after time. That it was a fantastic way for their families to get away and decompress after a long and grueling season and be around families that are wrapping up the same grind and strengthen the community between the families.
So, does the event draw the TV numbers or revenue that even this game once did? Not even close, but it absolutely means a great deal to the guys that this game is intended to honor.
New Direction
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Liam Coen was recently formally introduced as the Jacksonville Jaguars newest head.
During the press conference, he addressed the whirlwind of speculation from last week; he was set to return to Tampa Bay as the Buc’s offensive coordinator — with a substantial raise to keep him put.
The next day, Coen attended a clandestine meeting with the Jaguars that ultimately led to him accepting the team’s head coach position.
“The opportunity to coach in Tampa was a phenomenal one to get my feet wet in the NFL as an offensive coordinator and I thank them so much for that opportunity,” Coen said.
“As you continue to do more research and gain more information as you go, it started to become more clear with every hour that this was an opportunity that you just can’t pass up for so many different reasons. Ultimately, you want to do what is best for you and your family. That is what this came down to.I will always love and remember those guys in Tampa — my players, those guys, love them to death — but this is an opportunity to also go do it with new guys and go reach and touch people because that’s what coaching and teaching is and that’s what this opportunity is all about. Head and eyes up and moving forward.”
From when Coen was set to return to Tampa Bay to when he accepted the Jaguars job, one major change occurred in Jacksonville. Jacksonville fired their General Manager. Coen said the Jag’s decision had nothing to do with his decision.
“This was completely about an opportunity to work for an owner and a group of people with a group of players that needed some help,” Coen said. “That is what coaching is. Coaching is all about going to help people and be around people. That (the GM dismissal) was not a factor.”
Owner Shad Khan said Coen stood out from the opening round of interviews and finding a guide for quarterback Trevor Lawrence was paramount.
“This wasn’t a moment of regret for the Jacksonville Jaguars,” Khan said of the coaching search. “This was a moment of progress, optimism and confidence that we will achieve the ultimate goal as long as we have the right man. And that man was Liam Coen. Why? Liam’s outstanding body of work speaks for itself. Quarterback development is the bedrock of modern NFL and Liam has delivered that wherever he’s coached.”
In Jacksonville, Coen inherits a team coming off a 4-13 season and is two seasons removed from winning the AFC South and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs. That playoff victory came in Doug Pederson’s first of three seasons as coach before his firing.
Coen has a roster that features QB Trevor Lawrence, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., and defensive ends Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. The team also holds the Number 5 pick in this year’s Draft.
“This is not a four-win team,” Coen said. “Yes, that is the record (from last year) but this is not a four-win team. How do we go from winning games to not losing them? I think that is something we’ve got to address. That has to be in our veins, in our DNA and in our culture of winning. I’ve learned it from the Los Angeles Rams and a ton of other great organizations of how to go and win football games. That’s something we have to start as a team, as a group and show how we are going to do it.”
Coen confirmed Monday that he will call the plays as head coach.
Khan said that the next priority is to build out Coen’s staff, giving every indication that he is not in a rush to hire a new general manager. He did, however, ensure the team would have one announced by Feb. 28. Assistant general manager Ethan Waugh is serving as the team’s interim general manager.
Coen will have a strong voice in the hiring of the next general manager. His main task on the field is maximizing Lawrence’s skills.
By today’s standards, Lawrence is a below average QB. Coen’s success will depend on if he make Lawrence a high performer, or at least a solid QB.
$180 Million Backup
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the NFL Wild Card round starting for the 2024 postseason this weekend, one team that had a shot to play on into postseason, but came up short to end the regular season made some news as Atlanta Falcons GM Terry Fontenot met with the media Thursday afternoon.
Fontenot met with the media and when asked about the plan for Kirk Cousins, the Falcons GM said the Atlanta is “comfortable” with having the $180 million QB serve as the back-up moving forward.
“We are very comfortable moving forward with (Cousins) as backup,” Fontenot said Thursday.
“Kirk is a great man, and he’s been great support for Mike. We are very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup.”
After turnover issues, the Falcons made the decision to bench Cousins officially going into week 16 against the Giants and turned to Michael Penix Jr. to lead the Atlanta offense for the final three regular season game.
Coming into the season, after Atlanta signed Kirk Cousin for $180 million to pilot the Falcons just weeks before drafting Penix in the first round after his magical run with University of Washington.
The sequence of moves left a lot of Falcons fans scratching their heads. While either one set alone would be great for a Falcons team who has been thirsting for a productive quarterback ever since the front office “let” Matt Ryan go to the Colts…Still not over that. The rub came with the question of “why both?”
The Falcons plan for this marriage was, at least publicly, was for Cousins to navigate the Falcons for two seasons while mentoring Michael Penix Jr. When the turnover woes came into play, the timeline was expedited by well over a year.
Terry Fontenot also told the media that the Falcons signed Cousins expecting to see a “high-level quarterback play for two years.” The Atlanta GM would go on to say, “the plan was for Kirk to play longer and for Mike to sit longer.”
Now the question comes into play of while the Falcons are “comfortable” with Cousins continuing the mentorship part of the plan and serving as the backup quarterback, is Cousins comfortable with the new plan?
Cousins showed flashes of still being a really good quarterback in the NFL, thinking back to his record setting 509 yards passing in an overtime win against Tampa Bay.
Folks also thought this was a match made in heaven with back-to-back wins against the Cowboys and Buccaneers for a second time, but that was the pinnacle of the season for Cousins.
After that stretch, the final five starts for the former Viking turned into throwing one touchdown and nine interceptions which would tie the NFL lead for the season with sixteen picks.
Especially after the Netflix Documentary “Quarterback” a few years ago, Cousins has been a fan favorite for his personality and leadership qualities everywhere he’s been, especially in his time with Minnesota, and that’s no different in Atlanta.
While a well-established NFL quarterback very easily could have turned the relationship sour after being benched in year one, Fontenot alluded to that being far from this situation, “Kirk is a great man, and he’s been great support for Mike. We are very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup.”
This is one, I’m torn. From the Falcons perspective, it would be awesome for Cousins to be essentially a second QB coach for Atlanta and mentor Michael Penix Jr. as he begins what the Birds believe is a long and successful career.
On the flip side, I also think Cousins has a lot to give to a team and could be a crucial factor going forward.
The Fall Guy
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL regular season is over and coaches are starting to get fired as a result. Let’s talk about the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jacksonville fired head coach Doug Pederson after going 4-13. They have lost 18 of their past 23 games. He did go 9-8 in his first two seasons before the bottom fell out in 2024. His record in Jacksonville is 22-29.
“I had the difficult task this morning of informing Doug Pederson of my intention to hire a new head coach to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement.
“Doug is an accomplished football man who will undoubtedly enjoy another chapter in his impressive NFL career, and I will be rooting for Doug and his wife Jeannie when that occasion arrives. As much as Doug and I both wish his experience here in Jacksonville would have ended better, I have an obligation first and foremost to serve the best interests of our team and especially our fans, who faithfully support our team and are overdue to be rewarded. In that spirit, the time to summon new leadership is now.”
The Jags have retained General Manager Trent Baalke who is entering the final year of his contract. I do raise an eyebrow when only the head coach is fired from a losing team but the GM keeps his job. I view them as a package deal because the GM assembled the subpar roster that could not win games.
Khan will be looking for his sixth head coach since he purchased the team in November 2011 and assumed control in 2012.
Currently the other teams searching for a new head coach are the New York Jets, Chicago, New England and New Orleans. Out of these openings I think Jacksonville is the fourth best job with New Orleans being last.
This next year will be very important because we may finally have to look at quarterback Trevor Lawrence to see if he is a franchise QB. He was considered a generational talent when he was drafted #1 in the 2021 draft.
The Jags were 1-15 the previous year and they hired Urban Meyer for his first NFL head coaching position. They were 2-11 under Meyer before he was fired December 16, 2021. We don’t hold Lawrence’s rookie season against him.
His best season was his second year when he passed for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension, including $142 million guaranteed on June 14, 2024. That tied Joe Burrow as the highest paid player in NFL history at the time of the signing.
Lawrence has dealt with injuries this season, which include a significant AC joint sprain and a concussion so he only played in ten games. With that being said, he did not perform like Burrow in the games he did play.
Rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was great. He had 87 receptions, 1,282 yards and 10 TD’s.
The defense is ranked 31st in yards allowed per game (389.9) and last in passing yards allowed per game (257.4). On offense they were 25th in yards per game (305.8).
The top coaching candidate is Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. They just secured the top seed in the NFC so they might make a deep playoff run.
Todd Monken, the Ravens offensive coordinator is also someone to look at.
Detroit’s defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady are two more names to consider.
It will be interesting to see who the Jags hire and if they can quickly make them a contender.
Playoffs!
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With college football bowl season in full swing, and the college football playoffs going on, it’s understandable that current focus is squarely on the collegiate gridiron.
But with just one week left in the 2024-25 NFL regular season, the pro league is offering its share of excitement.
There are still plenty spots and seeding up in the air in both the AFC and NFC playoff races. While some teams have locked in their spots, Week 18 is shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown for division titles, seeding, and those last few playoff berths. Here’s how things look after Week 17 officially ended following Detroit’s win on Monday night.
NFC Playoff Picture: The NFC race is heating up, especially in the North and South divisions.
The Detroit Lions are back on top after a wild 40-34 win over the 49ers. They’ll face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, a winner-takes-all battle for the NFC North crown and the conference’s No. 1 seed. Both teams are 14-2, but Detroit has the edge because of their Week 7 victory over Minnesota. In that game, Jahmyr Gibbs went off, racking up 160 total yards and a touchdown.
It’s simple: if the Lions win or tie, they clinch the division and the top seed. If the Vikings win, they take over the North. Either way, this primetime matchup is going to be must-watch football.
Down South, the Buccaneers are clinging to a one-game lead over the Falcons.
Tampa Bay just needs a win or a tie against my hometown New Orleans Saints in Week 18 to lock up the division.
The Falcons, though, have a tougher road. They need to beat the Panthers and hope the Saints upset the Bucs.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are cruising into the playoffs with the No. 2 seed locked up. The Rams, Commanders, and Packers round out the current NFC playoff teams.
AFC Playoff Picture: Over in the AFC, things are a little clearer, but there’s still plenty of drama.
The Chiefs have been dominant all season, clinching the No. 1 seed, so they’ll probably rest their starters in Week 18.
The Bills have locked in the No. 2 spot after crushing the Jets 40-14.
But the AFC North is still up for grabs. The Ravens and Steelers both have a shot at the division title and the No. 3 seed.
The Ravens will face the Browns, while the Steelers take on the Bengals. Both teams are already in the playoffs, but Week 18 will decide who comes out on top.
The Texans secured the AFC South a couple of weeks ago, and the Chargers clinched their spot last week with a win over the Patriots.
That leaves one wild card spot up for grabs, and the Broncos are sitting in the driver’s seat. They’re 9-7 and control their destiny, but the Dolphins and Bengals (both 8-8) are right behind them.
For Miami to sneak in, they need a win and a Broncos loss.
The Bengals need even more help, with both the Broncos and Dolphins needing to lose on top of their own win. On a side note: wouldn’t it be fun to watch former LSU great Joe Burrow, or Joe Shiesty as they call him in the ‘League’, take a 9-8 Bengals team that started the season at 0-3 all the way to a Lombardi Trophy?!
Week 18 Games to Watch: Here’s what’s on tap for the final week of the regular season:
NFC North Showdown: Lions vs. Vikings – The division and top seed are on the line. Winner takes all.
NFC South Fight: Buccaneers vs. Saints and Falcons vs. Panthers – Can Tampa Bay hold off Atlanta’s late push?
AFC North Battle: Ravens vs. Browns and Steelers vs. Bengals – The division title is still anyone’s game.
Wild Card Chase: Broncos, Dolphins, and Bengals – Denver controls the last spot, but Miami and Cincinnati aren’t out of it yet.
With so much on the line, Week 18 is going to be an absolute thriller. Whether it’s division titles or wild-card spots, every game has something riding on it.
Get ready for some fireworks as the regular season comes to an epic close!
Moving On
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Falcons made waves in early 2024 by signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a big four-year, $180 million deal.
But less than a year later, the team is already moving on. In a move that surprised many, Atlanta drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
At the time, Penix was seen as a long-term project, but with their playoff hopes slipping away, the Falcons decided to speed up his development.
This bold decision not only shifts the team’s short-term game plan but also puts a spotlight on Cousins’ uncertain future.
Cousins started the season strong, but things went downhill fast over the last month. During a 1-4 stretch, he threw just one touchdown compared to nine interceptions and was sacked 11 times.
Now sitting at 7-7, Atlanta is still technically in the NFC South playoff race, but Cousins’ struggles left them little choice but to bench him.
The move shows the team no longer trusts him to lead—not just for the rest of this season, but likely beyond.
Financially, Cousins’ contract comes with challenges, but Atlanta has some options. He’s guaranteed $27.5 million in 2025, with another $10 million guaranteed in 2026 if he’s still on the roster.
The Falcons could release him after the season as a post-June 1 cut, which would result in a $40 million dead-cap hit. While that’s a hefty number, it would clear future obligations in 2025 and 2026.
Trading him is another option, though it’s trickier. They could save up to $27.5 million with a post-June 1 trade, but his no-trade clause and declining performance make this scenario harder to pull off.
From the beginning, it was clear Cousins might not be a long-term solution. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot turned heads by drafting Penix just weeks after signing Cousins, signaling the team was already planning for the future.
Fontenot defended the move, calling it a smart way to secure a franchise quarterback down the line. But the decision to bench Cousins so soon shows they never fully believed he could be the answer.
Unless Penix falters or the team makes a deep playoff run, it seems likely Cousins’ time in Atlanta is done.
His recent struggles, combined with the team’s pivot to Penix, highlight both his decline and the Falcons’ urgency to develop their rookie QB.
While Cousins could technically stay on as an expensive backup in 2025, that seems unlikely given the team’s commitment to moving forward with Penix.
Starting Penix now is a gamble, but one the Falcons felt they had to take. With the playoffs still within reach, they’re hoping the rookie can give their offense a spark.
Head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged the stakes, saying they didn’t expect to have such a high draft pick again, making Penix a key part of their future plans.
As for Cousins, his next move is up in the air. Teams like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, or even the 49ers and Rams could potentially be interested, especially with coaches like Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay who have ties to Cousins from earlier in his career. Still, his declining play and no-trade clause complicate things.
At the end of the day, the Falcons’ switch from Cousins to Penix reflects a bigger strategy. They’re looking ahead to the future while trying to salvage what they can this season.
Whether this gamble pays off right away or takes time, it’s clear Atlanta is entering a new chapter at quarterback.
Flightless Falcons
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Falcons got demolished by Denver, 38-6. It was their second consecutive loss. New Orleans snapped their seven-game losing streak against Atlanta the previous week, 20-17. The Falcons are now 6-5.
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix completed 85% of his passes for 307 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“No one play ever defines any game,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “(But) that was a great-effort play by those guys and not a great-effort play by us. You’ve got to give those guys a lot of credit for playing hard, playing physical. And they absolutely went out there and beat us today with their effort and their physicality, and that was a key to the game.”
I thought Nix was a pretty good rookie but he looked like a Hall of Famer against the Falcons.
The Broncos swept the NFC South by a cumulative 125-37. It marks Denver’s first sweep of a division since they went 4-0 against the NFC North in 2015.
Atlanta is trending in the wrong direction and this loss raises some concerns. I can understand losing a game but they were blown out by a team that came into that game .500 with two consecutive losses. This reminds me of the Week 7 home loss to Seattle (5-5), 34-14.
The Seahawks were on a three-game losing streak coming into that game. On paper they should be able to beat these teams, or at the very least be competitive.
The one bright spot was kicker Younghoe Koo. He missed three of his four field goal attempts against New Orleans, one of those was blocked. Against Denver he made both of his field goals. One was 41 yards and the other was 51 yards.
Injuries are beginning to take a toll on the team. Atlanta ruled out eight players before the game, including several starters on defense. Falcons CB Kevin King was ruled out in the second quarter with a concussion and WR Darnell Mooney pulled a hamstring in the third quarter.
The Falcons are on their bye week now. Hopefully that will allow players to heal from injuries. The coaching staff needs to meet and figure out how to get better results on both sides of the ball.
The biggest problem the last few years has been getting the ball to playmakers and that is still an issue.
QB Kirk Cousins is third in the league for passing yards with 2,807, 17 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Only four players have more interceptions.
Running back Bijan Robinson is sixth in rushing, with 783 yards and 6 TD’s. Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit) is fifth and he has 34 less attempts but more yards (796) and touchdowns (8).
Drake London is fifth in the league in receptions (61), with 710 yards and 2 scores but he has less yards and touchdowns than Darnell Mooney. Mooney has 48 catches, 711 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Tight end Kyle Pitts needs the ball more. He has great size and speed but he seems to disappear from the offense regularly. He had 1 catch for 9 yards against Denver on 3 targets. He had 1 catch for 11 yards on his only target against Dallas. In the first meeting with New Orleans, he did not record a catch and he was targeted 3 times.
Atlanta ranks 25th in total defense, giving up an average of 357.1 yards per game.
The first two games after the bye are against the LA Chargers (7-3) and at Minnesota (8-2).
Those are quality opponents so there is a good possibility to lose those games.
Failed Expectations
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Doug Pederson’s time with the Jacksonville Jaguars has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows.
In his first season, Pederson turned things around, taking the Jaguars to the playoffs and winning the AFC South. Expectations were sky-high heading into last season, especially with Jacksonville starting strong at 8-3 and aiming for the AFC’s top playoff spot.
But things took a big turn after a Monday Night Football loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in December 2023, which kicked off a painful slump.
Since then, the Jaguars have gone 3-13, leaving them with a rough 2-8 record this season and at the bottom of the league.
Pederson’s job security is definitely under the microscope now as Jacksonville has struggled in clutch situations. He’s sitting on one of the hottest seats in the NFL, especially since the Jaguars have a frustrating 1-6 record in one-score games this season.
Ownership had touted this roster as possibly the “best Jaguars team ever,” but right now, the team’s record looks a lot like the Urban Meyer disaster, with losses piling up fast.
Their recent loss to the Minnesota Vikings kind of sums up the season.
Jacksonville got off to a good start thanks to a strong defensive showing, picking off Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold three times in the red zone and preventing Minnesota from scoring an offensive touchdown.
But the offense couldn’t get going. Backup quarterback Mac Jones, in for the injured Trevor Lawrence, put up only 143 total yards and turned the ball over three times in the last seven minutes, leading to a heartbreaking 12-7 defeat.
Historically, no team has lost a game with stats like that, where they allowed zero offensive touchdowns and forced three interceptions.
Pederson is doing his best to keep morale up, reminding the team of the chances they still have and focusing on the positives.
He’s aware of Jones’s mistakes but remains confident in the young quarterback, hoping he’ll improve with more time on the field.
At the same time, Pederson has a tough call to make: should he play Lawrence, who’s dealing with a shoulder injury, or sit him to protect his long-term health, especially in a season where the Jaguars’ playoff chances are down to just 2%?
Looking ahead, Jacksonville faces a tough road game against the 8-1 Detroit Lions before hitting their much-needed bye week.
A loss to Detroit could all but guarantee a losing season and increase speculation about Pederson’s future. Jaguars owner Shad Khan has been patient in the past, but he hasn’t hesitated to cut ties with underperforming leaders, like Gus Bradley in 2016, GM Dave Caldwell in 2020, and EVP Tom Coughlin in 2019.
This track record raises the stakes for Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, who’s been criticized for putting together a roster that looks good on paper but isn’t translating to sustained success on the field.
Even with everything going on, Pederson insists the team hasn’t quit. He stays optimistic, pointing out that the division is still within reach and that there are chances to build momentum. The players are still fighting hard, but the team’s struggles to close out games have cast doubt over their future.
Lawrence’s possible return after the bye could be a boost, but Jacksonville’s ongoing problems are sparking questions about where the franchise is headed.
For now, Mac Jones will make his second start in place of Lawrence against Detroit.
Jones, who came over from the Patriots in a trade, will try to rebound from a rough first game. His recent struggles as a starter in New England left him with limited experience, but Pederson is hopeful he can bring some stability to the offense while Lawrence recovers.
As the Jaguars approach the back half of the season, Pederson’s tenure is at a crucial point. Once seen as the team’s savior, he’s now under heavy scrutiny.
His future—and that of Baalke and Jacksonville’s once-promising roster—are all hanging in the balance as the Jaguars try to get back on track in a season that’s been full of setbacks and missed expectations.
Changes?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars are facing turbulent times, with questions swirling around their quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the overall direction of the team.
Following a brutal 47-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, head coach Doug Pederson admitted that significant changes might be necessary to reverse the Jaguars’ fortunes, which could even involve a potential shift at quarterback.
After the blowout, Pederson emphasized the need for adjustments across the board, from play design to personnel, saying, “everything’s on the table.”
Pederson, however, remained vague about whether Trevor Lawrence’s position as the starter could be affected, particularly noting the importance of considering injuries and performance as the team evaluates potential changes. While Pederson didn’t definitively commit to benching Lawrence, his noncommittal response indicated that no position is safe as the team seeks answers.
The need for change is clear. Through Week 3, the Jaguars have one of the league’s worst offenses, averaging a mere 13.3 points per game, their lowest point production since 2013.
On the defensive side, the team is giving up 361 yards per game while struggling to create turnovers and generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. With only five sacks and no forced turnovers, the defense has failed to complement an already sputtering offense.
The schedule doesn’t provide much breathing room, either. The Jaguars face the Houston Texans next on a short week, setting up the possibility of a dreaded 0-4 start, something the franchise has endured five times in its history.
The matchup against a rising division rival makes the upcoming game even more critical, as Jacksonville’s window to salvage the season narrows.
Pederson also addressed concerns about his own job security following the humiliating loss to Buffalo. While he indicated that those conversations remain private, he assured reporters that team owner Shad Khan has been “very supportive” during the team’s struggles.
Despite the looming pressure, Pederson remains focused on making the necessary adjustments to turn the season around.
Monday’s game was nothing short of a disaster for Jacksonville, as the team was thoroughly outclassed by the Bills. Buffalo scored on its first six drives, including touchdowns on all five of its first-half possessions, leaving Jacksonville in a 34-3 hole by halftime.
Despite entering the game with high hopes after two narrow losses to AFC opponents, the Jaguars found themselves overwhelmed from the start. Pederson was candid in his assessment, calling the result “shocking” and admitting, “this is who we are right now.”
While Buffalo’s offense flourished, Jacksonville’s offense floundered. Trevor Lawrence struggled mightily, going 21-of-38 for 178 yards with one touchdown, four sacks, and a costly interception.
Lawrence was replaced by backup Mac Jones late in the game after a thoroughly underwhelming performance. The offense as a whole could not find any rhythm, managing just 239 total yards and converting only two of 13 third-down attempts.
Despite a massive contract extension in the offseason, Lawrence has yet to deliver the performances expected of him, and the Jaguars’ faith in their franchise quarterback is beginning to waver.
As the Jaguars sit winless at 0-3, the optimism that surrounded the team before the season is quickly evaporating. The franchise, which has lost eight straight games dating back to last season, is spiraling out of playoff contention.
Jacksonville owner Shad Khan had declared the 2024 team as the best ever assembled under his ownership, but the early returns suggest otherwise.
Still, there’s a narrow path to redemption. Jacksonville faces back-to-back divisional matchups against the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts, both of which offer the opportunity to reset the season.
However, if the Jaguars are to capitalize on this opportunity, they must correct their numerous flaws and deliver a complete performance, something that has eluded them so far.
“No one’s going to feel sorry for us,” Pederson said. “This is who we are right now, and it’s not very good.” Lawrence echoed his coach’s sentiment, admitting that, “No one’s coming to save us.” The Jaguars will need to save themselves, starting now.
