Doug Pederson
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.
No Longer Pretending
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars in a relatively short period of time have become an AFC Title contender.
In 2022 the Jags won a playoff game over the Chargers and lost a close divisional playoff to Kansas City on the road. KC went on to win the Super Bowl. The Jaguars won the AFC South in 2022.
Looking ahead to the upcoming 2023 season outside of Jacksonville it looks like a total rebuild for the AFC South.
Tennessee looks to be at a crossroads with age creeping in on a roster that folded down the stretch in 2022. QB is an issue for the Titans so they went out and drafted Will Levis from Kentucky. Well, Levis is no Trevor Lawrence and all Jaguar fans saw the struggle in Lawrence’s rookie season.
Houston has hired a new head coach and drafted C.J. Stroud at QB from Ohio State with the second overall pick.
They addressed the pass rush in trading back up into the top five and taking Will Anderson from Alabama.
This roster still needs a lot of work. Houston is still a couple of years away from competing for an AFC South Championship.
Indianapolis drafted the athletic ability of Anthony Richardson out of Florida as their future QB with the fourth overall selection in the first round.
Can Richardson’s gifted skill set be more effective in the NFL? He could wow you with great plays at Florida but that did not translate into winning big games or games in general.
With all three teams in your division drafting quarterbacks for the future then Jacksonville should be a heavy favorite in the AFC South, correct?
In the April draft Jacksonville was very active in the draft in trading down for additional picks. Most NFL draft experts graded Jacksonville in the B range overall, so the roster has improved. Look at the first four picks Jacksonville made all at position of need on their roster:
Round 1, Pick 27 (From BUF)
Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma: The Jaguars went into protect the franchise mode and drafted Harrison. Offensive line is a position of need for the team, and it got addressed in the first round.
Round 2, Pick 61 (From CHI via SF via CAR)
Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State: TE is also a position of need for the team that got addressed in the early rounds.
Round 3, Pick 88
Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn: I think Bigsby is one of the steals of this draft. Tank played on some bad Auburn teams in his three years on The Plains but was the SEC Freshman of the year in 2020. Now paired with Travis Etienne in the Jaguars backfield gives the offense another weapon.
Round 4, Pick 121 (From TB)
Ventrell Miller, LB, Florida: Miller was a bright spot on a bad defense at UF. This kid is productive and fills a need at the position.
If you look at the Jaguars offense you see:
QB: Trevor Lawrence: Lawrence is a top ten QB in the NFL and will continue to rise in those rankings.
WR: Calvin Ridley joins a dynamic group of WR’s.
RB: Etienne and Bigsby. This will be a dynamic pair of backs.
OL: Addressed in 2023 draft.
On defense the team has built this unit through the draft, and it can be a championship caliber unit.
Doug Pederson is an elite head coach roaming the sidelines in Jacksonville. He has this team in position to compete for a championship.
The schedule is tough. Two back-to-back games in London with the Falcons and Bills.
The home schedule is the best in years with Kansas City, Cincinnati, San Francisco, and Baltimore all coming to the River City.
I see this team winning 12-13 games in 2023. Get your season tickets Jaguar fans this will be a fun season. The Jacksonville Jaguars are AFC title contenders in 2023.
Out Of No Where
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
If you had told me a year ago that the Jacksonville Jaguars would be two games away from the Super Bowl, I would have laughed.
Heartily. Out loud, full body laughter.
After the Urban Meyer era (or should we say “error”) of Jacksonville football, Jaguar nation was particularly disheartened…and that’s saying something, considering the soul-sucking levels of angst & frustration this fan base has had to endure since the Titans went 3-0 against us while we were undefeated against the rest of the league back in 1999.
From the barstool boogie incident to the disgraceful treatment of a beloved kicker, Coach Meyer proved above and beyond that he was 100% not ready for prime time. My OSU friends warned me. Oh, how I hoped they were wrong.
Spoiler alert; they weren’t.
The performance of rookie signal caller Trevor Lawrence didn’t help the cause. Heralded as a generational talent coming out of Clemson, his less-than-lackluster performance had more than one prognosticator questioning whether everyone was wrong about “Sunshine.”
Then came the long, drawn-out offseason. The seemingly unending wait for a replacement head coach, the cries of the Jaguars faithful to hire Teal & Black alum Byron Leftwich away from the Buccaneers, the in-the-moment questionable free-agent signings of Christian Kirk, Zayn Jones, and Even Engram.
All of these had many in the Jaguars fanbase to call for GM Trent Baalke’s head on a platter, and saw dozens – nay, hundreds – of Twitter profiles change their picture to the clown emoji sporting the distinctive Shad Khan handlebar moustache.
And yes, mine was one of them.
My, my, my, how the tables have turned.
Enter Doug Pederson. A head coach with not only pro experience but a Lombardi Trophy on his resume.
While the hire was not as flashy as what the Leftwich hire would have been, it’s obvious in hindsight how the results were superior.
Pederson brought the Jags their second winning season and playoff appearance in the last 15 years.
He coached the team to a six-game win streak to end the season, including an instantly canonized come-from-behind victory over the San Diego – I mean Los Angeles Falcons – I mean Chargers.
Trevor Lawrence showed not only flashes, but blindingly bright moments that showed that yes, Baalke made the right decision in drafting him. Kirk, Zayn, and Engram proved to be extraordinarily productive weapons, and Travis Etienne got the bounce back sophomore season we all hoped was in store.
The much-discussed selection of UGA’s Travon Walker as the team’s second straight #1 overall pick got some sideways looks, and while his performance has been…shall we say “unpolished” at times this year, it’s easy to see why he and Josh Allen (no, not *that* Josh Allen) will be cornerstones of the “Jacksvillians” defense for years to come.
Then there’s the trade deadline acquisition of suspended WR Calvin Ridley. If he’s even a shadow of the player he was before the suspension (which came, ironically enough, for betting *against* the Jags), he will go down as an all-time free agent steal. That’s some next-level management right there by any metric.
I made it official earlier, but I’ll reiterate it here; I hereby formally apologize for doubting Trent Baalke.
Byron Leftwich, on the other hand, was fired.
For once, Jaguar fans can say they dodged a bullet, and aren’t dismissed as delusional when we say “just wait til next year.”
