Throughout most of the season, Doug Pederson has seemingly been on the hot seat, and the humiliating 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions could put an end to his tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Listening to him after the game, it looks like he's resigned to his fate.
Pederson met with the local media after the embarrassing loss and said that he wasn't too worried about getting the boot, pointing out that he was focused on the things he can control.
"You know what? I can't control that," Pederson responded when asked about his job security. "Listen, I've been around this league a long time, and if it's going to happen, it's going to happen, obviously. But at the same time, I still have a job to do, and that's to get ready for a good division opponent here in two weeks."
To his credit, Pederson would've come across as delusional if he said he had done a good job in 2024. As a matter of fact, nothing he said would've sounded reasonable following the loss to the Lions. Think about it, if the head coach said the team gave its best in a game in which they scored a measly six points and gave up 52, you wonder what the worst would've looked like.
Conversely, if Pederson had told the local media that he had tuned out because he knows the end is near, he would've come under scrutiny and would've probably guaranteed that he wouldn't get another head-coaching job ever.
Ultimately, Pederson chose the best of the worst possible answers. As he said, he must operate as if things were normal and only stop if he's called into Khan's office, which is a likely scenario based on a couple of reports that surfaced ahead of the Lions game.
First, Josina Anderson broke the news that Khan would like to consider making a change until the season is over, but would possibly dismiss Pederson (and general manager Trent Baalke) if Jacksonville got blown out against the Lions.
Similarly, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that several members of the coaching staff and the front office felt a makeover was inevitable, noting that there was a feeling of doom at the team's headquarters. Given that the Jaguars lost 52-6, a big change could indeed come soon.
What's next for the Jaguars, Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke?
If owner Shad Khan does make a chance, he can do it right now. The Jaguars are set to have their BYE in Week 13, which gives them two weeks to regroup if Doug Pederson gets his walking papers. The most logical candidate to replace him would be quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy who's got experience at the position.
But if the Jaguars move on from Pederson, they shouldn't stop there. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor and general manager Trent Baalke must go as well. The former is responsible for the offense's unimaginative playcalling and inability to put points on the scoreboard while the latter hasn't done a good enough job of reinforcing the roster the past two years.
Having said that, there's a scenario where the Jags could keep Pederson and Baalke for the remainder of the season. Following the game, the head coach didn't rule out making changes to his staff. Baalke could also tell Khan that he'll make adjustments in an effort to be spared. Then again, they would just be postponing the inevitable.
The loss to the Detroit Lions proved that they're in need of a makeover, and the sooner they dismiss Pederson and Baalke, the faster the Jaguars are going to be able to look for their potential replacements.