Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars now sit at 2-1 and are atop the AFC South. They have two strong wins against Indianapolis Colts and the Los Angeles Chargers. Their lone loss came in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders, and that took a game-winning drive.
Through the first three weeks, the Jaguars have looked solid in all areas of the game. Both the offense and the defense have dominated in their own way. This is the result of a coaching overhaul, free agents making their presence felt, and all of their top draft picks finally producing on the field. And at the moment, the Jaguars show no signs of slowing down.
Their Week 4 matchup against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles will be a real test for this Jaguars unit. But they may very well be up to the task.
In Week 3, Lawrence and the Jaguars took down an injury-plagued Chargers team. But even with the Chargers dealing with injuries, they still have a roster full of star power. And The Jaguars outscored them 38-10. This could prove to be a statement win for this young franchise.
Here are three takeaways from the Jaguar's Week 3 win over the Chargers
Trevor Lawrence is the future of the franchise
When the Jaguars took Lawrence with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, they thought they were adding the future of their franchise. And after three weeks, it seems that Lawrence is exactly that.
Through the first three games, the second-year quarterback has thrown for 772 passing yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception. Along with this, he has been sacked just two times.
This version of Lawrence looks vastly different than he did during his rookie season. In his first season, he threw for 3,641 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and a league-high 17 interceptions. It doesn't seem like Lawrence is set to go down the same path this season.
Lawrence turned in arguably his best performance of the season against the Chargers. He finished the day with 262 passing yards for three touchdowns. He recorded zero interceptions and was also sacked zero times.
The Jaguar's offense was able to move against the Chargers with ease. And Lawrence was the one leading the charge.
With three solid performances from Lawrence, he may be set for a dramatic second-year jump. By the end of the season, this Week 3 performance may be one of many similar stat lines for the young quarterback.
Robinson is the lead back, but Etienne has a clear role
The Jaguars may have two elite options at running back. And they may have found a way to utilize both of them to the best of their abilities.
In Week 3, James Robinson was the clear lead back in the running game. He led the team in rushes with 17 carries, while recording 100 rushing yards and one touchdown.
But on the ground, Travis Etienne was also used heavily. He recorded 13 carries, resulting in 45 rushing yards.
Through the air, it has been a different story for the two running backs. The two have been used at a much more even rate in the passing game.
In Week 3, both Robinson and Etienne finished with three receptions. Robinson recorded 16 yards through the air, while Etienne recorded 30.
With each week, it seems that the Jaguars are finding more ways to incorporate both running backs. But Robinson has still carried a far bigger workload than Etienne, even while coming off of a torn Achilles.
The Jaguars have had Robinson rush the ball 51 times this season, resulting in 230 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Etienne has nearly half of that, recording 26 rushes for 112 yards.
Through the air, the two have performed at similar rates each week, but Etienne has been more effective in this area. Robinson has recorded six receptions for 33 yards and one touchdown. Etienne has recorded eight receptions for 81 yards.
It’s still undetermined how the Jaguars will continue to utilize the two running backs. But for the moment, it seems as though they have found a way to make it work.
The defense may be elite
The Jaguars may have put together an elite-level defense. While the Charger's offense was banged up in Week 3, the Jaguars limited them to just 10 points. This is a rare occurrence for this unit.
The Chargers finished the day with 286 passing yards, but they looked vastly different than they do on a normal day. On the ground, they struggled heavily, producing just 26 rushing yards on 12 carries. With the lead so large by the Jaguars, the Chargers were forced to abandon the run game.
Through Week 3, the Jaguars have outscored opponents 84-38. The defense has produced six interceptions, while also causing four fumbles. They have also racked up seven total sacks.
The success of this group can be chalked up to the whole unit. But two rookies in Devin Lloyd and Travon Walker have managed to steal the show.
With a string of performances similar to this, the Jaguars defense could move into the elite conversation.
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