Losing a game in the NFL is pretty common. Dropping two in back-to-back weeks isn’t optimal but it’s not a reason to hit the panic button. But how bout three? Something isn’t working but it can and must be fixed. That’s what the situation the Jacksonville Jaguars found themselves in when they faced off against the New York Giants in Week 7.
While Jacksonville was on the brink of winning, they once again couldn’t seal the deal and extended their current losing streak to four, giving them a 2-5 record for the season. It will be interesting to see how they react in the upcoming weeks.
After all, these Jaguars aren’t as bad as they were last year under Urban Meyer. On the other hand, they aren’t currently good enough to win close games and in a sport where the bottom line is winning, that’s saying something.
Of course, head coach Doug Pederson isn’t counting out his team yet but he knows they must operate with a sense of urgency and clean up those mistakes that have held them back, or else run the risk of letting the season slip away.
“We got to look at everything big picture right now”, Pederson told the media after the loss. “But we can’t obviously lose too many more, right? That’s just the big picture view but we got to learn not to beat ourselves and in the end, just worry about us. If we do that and focus internally on what we do, the process that we do, then everything else kind of takes care of itself”.
A playoff run seems unlikely if the Jaguars keep playing the way they have in recent weeks. Having said that, it’s too early to start talking about next year. The talent is still there but it’s up to both the coaching staff and the players to stop shooting themselves in the foot and play complementary football, something they haven’t often done this season. With that in mind, here are three takeaways from the loss to the Giants.
3. What do the Jaguars plan to do with RB James Robinson?
Second-year running back Travis Etienne has become a key cog on the Jaguars’ offense, and had he not fumbled the ball near the Giants’ goal line, analysts would probably be talking about how the Jags overcame mistakes to win in Week 7. Instead, the conversation is centered around how Jacksonville can’t seem to get out of its own way.
One underlooked aspect of Etienne’s recent offensive success is the number of carries fellow running back James Robinson has gotten in recent weeks. Against New York, the former Illinois State Redbird only got one target and no carries. Rightfully, he seemed frustrated after the play, but why has his workload suddenly decreased in recent weeks?
Talent or lack thereof doesn’t seem to be the reason. Although he spent the offseason recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered last December, he’s shown he’s fully healthy and has broken off several big runs. Could he be hurt? Maybe, and Pederson sort of touched on the running back’s limited playing time after the game but he was vague about it.
“We gotta evaluate him and see where he’s at physically, health-wise, and all of that”, Pederson told the media. “He’s been good each week, it’s something we’ve got to really take a look and see. TJ [Etienne] has done a nice job, kind of taken over there but we need everybody, we need James and we got a lot of confidence in James. It’s not anything about lack of confidence or anything, and we just got to make sure, he’s 100 percent”.
The truth is that Pederson’s explanation didn’t make things any clearer, which makes it fair to wonder why Robinson hasn’t gotten many carries in recent weeks. Could he be on the trade block? That’s a theory that has floated on social media but there’s nothing concrete to back it up and it’s nothing more than conjecture at this moment.
Pederson did say that he might share more information regarding Robinson’s role Monday, so his exchange with the media will be worth watching.
2. The Jaguars defense has cooled down considerably in recent weeks
After their dismantling of the Las Vegas Chargers in Week 3, the Jags seemed like a team on the rise and ready to make the playoffs in Doug Pederson’s first year at the helm. Looking back, it was premature to crown them. Then again, they were coming off two convincing wins in back-to-back wins, so the hype was kind of justified.
Moreover, Jacksonville nearly beat the Washington Commanders in the opener and came close to upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, so even though they were 2-2 entering Week 5, they were still seen as a potential playoff team but that’s no longer the case after four straight losses.
Coincidentally, the Jaguars’ defense has cooled down considerably since their win over the Chargers. Andre Cisco did have a pick-six against Philly but that was the last takeaway they forced. Similarly, Jacksonville has had a hard time getting after the quarterback in recent weeks, which has allowed opposing quarterbacks to torch their secondary and move the ball at ease.
Against New York, the Jags only mustered one sack and let Daniel Jones throw for 202 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Moreover, he added 107 rushing on 11 carries. While they did a good run of containing running back Saquon Barkley early in the game he ultimately tallied 110 yards on 24 rushes.
From the outside looking in, it’s hard to pinpoint the underlying reason why the Jaguars’ defense has regressed. Sure, players’ execution and the scheme play a role but it’s fair to wonder if there’s something else at play.
1. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is low-key making strides the last 2 weeks
Quarterbacks tend to show progress in their second NFL season, so it was reasonable to think Trevor Lawrence would make a leap under the tutelage of Doug Pederson. The fact that the Jaguars’ brass upgraded his supporting cast also made it seem like a realistic possibility.
However, the Jaguars’ lack of wins has overshadowed the strides Lawrence has made in the last two games. Sure, he hasn’t had that game that makes you go “wow” but as recently as three weeks ago, he turned the ball over an alarming five times and that’s the thing, no process is linear, and like any other player, the former Clemson Tiger has experienced ups and downs this season.
You could make the case that Lawrence isn’t just another player, he was dubbed a generational talent coming out of college and was the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, so of course, expectations are going to be higher.
On the other hand, it’s not realistic to compare Lawrence to Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, quarterbacks that showed immense growth in their second season. Would the Jags want Lawrence to play at their level? Certainly, but you can’t compare his growth to theirs and the coaching staff knows that every player is different and what might have worked for one of them doesn’t necessarily work for Lawrence and against the Giants, he showed progress.
Lawrence went 22-of-42 for 310 yards against the Giants and more often than not, he made smart decisions and avoid turning the ball over. Sure, his growth would be more noticeable if the Jags had beaten New York but the team’s brass must certainly be good about his long-term development, and in a season where the wins have been far and few between, that should be considered a step in the right direction.