Around this time during the 2021 season, a looming question surrounded the Jacksonville Jaguars: who was to blame? The Jaguars were on the brink of a 0-5 start, looking worse than expected—which is saying a lot considering they had finished 1-15 just a year prior. Back then, the answer seemed simpler.
Urban Meyer was in his first season as an NFL head coach, after taking a break from coaching the Ohio State Buckeyes. From the start, it was clear Meyer was in over his head, struggling to grasp how the NFL operated. He was dismissed after 13 games, finishing with a 2-11 record.
The Jaguars had just drafted Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick that year, but Lawrence, like the rest of the team, struggled under Meyer’s leadership. A change was made, and the following season, former Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson took over in Jacksonville.
It seemed like the perfect match—a proven offensive-minded head coach guiding a “generational talent” like Lawrence. What could go wrong?
Doug Pederson improved Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence in their first season
In Pederson's first season, it seemed like Jaguars owner Shad Khan had solved the Meyer problem. The Jaguars went from 3-14 in 2021 to 9-8 in 2022, earning a playoff berth and advancing to the AFC Divisional round. Meanwhile, Lawrence made significant strides, improving his completion rate from 59.6% to 66.3%, reducing his interceptions from 17 to 8, and increasing his touchdowns from 12 to 25.
But the Jaguars seemed to stall last season. Despite matching their 9-8 record from 2022, they failed to make the playoffs and went from first in the AFC South and No. 1 overall seed to losing five of their last six games. The massive injury bug that plagued the team, including Lawrence, who missed one game and struggled in others, was contributed to the Jaguars fall.
The one win during that skid came against the Carolina Panthers—the one game in which Lawrence was sidelined, and backup quarterback C.J. Beathard led the team to victory. Following Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Houston Texans, Lawrence has now lost nine consecutive games dating back to Dec. 4, when the Jaguars fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime.
Who deserves the blame?: Doug Pederson or Trevor Lawrence?
![Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) talks with head coach Doug Pederson during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Browns defeated the Jaguars 18-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/JaguarsTrevor-Lawrence-and-Doug-Pederson-jpg.jpg)
Khan and the Jaguars decided to secure Lawrence with a five-year, $275 million deal, believing he was their franchise quarterback. In terms of the deal itself, it matches that of a franchise quarterback; in terms of production, it's looking like a huge miss.
Fair or not, the blame ultimately falls on Pederson. That’s the burden of any head coach. For whatever reason, Lawrence hasn't just taken a step back—he’s stumbled and nearly fallen over. He’s now completing just 53.3% of his passes, which has contributed to the Jaguars’ 0-4 start. And now Pederson himself is all but saying it out loud.
Pederson's recent comments regarding whether he would consider taking over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Press Taylor likely won't sit well for his future, considering how he responded.
“For what? I thought he called a great game,” Pederson said, confirming Taylor was calling plays, per ESPN. “As coaches, we can't go out there and make the plays. It's a two-way street. So you guys can sit here and point the finger all you want, and it's fine. Point it right at me; I can take it. OK. I can take it, so whatever you want. Ask me, say whatever, write, go ahead.”
While Pederson seems to be taking his share of the blame, his remarks about the players’ execution—presumably Lawrence in particular—will likely not go over well. If the final call is made, the blame will ultimately fall on him—not their $275 million quarterback.
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