Hilarious narration of late-game INT proves why Jaguars must dismiss Doug Pederson
The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2-8 and virtually eliminated from playoff contention after losing to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10. Part of the reason they've been underwhelming this season is that players don't look to be on the same page. The announcing crew most definitely noticed when Mac Jones threw a late-game interception that put an end to the Jags' comeback attempt.
With a chance to win the game, Jones targeted wide receiver Gabe Davis near the Minnesota end zone. The trouble is Davis was running a post pattern and broke inside instead of continuing to go straight.
In the end, the veteran wideout was nowhere near the vicinity of the pass, and cornerback Cam Bynum picked off Jones.
Announcers Adam Amin and Mark Sanchez noticed that Jones and Davis weren't on the same page and said as much in the coverage.
"Mac Jones throws this and he throws it like a go. Gabe Davis running a post, clearly not time on task for those two cuz' they were on different pages... I don't even know they're in the same chapter of the same book."
Amin and Sanchez alluded to the fact that Jones started for the Jaguars in relief of Trevor Lawrence, who's dealing with a shoulder injury and might not have had enough first-team reps with Davis ahead of the game. The issue is that they did get ample practice time because Lawrence was limited.
Following the game, Pederson was asked about the play, but instead of providing an answer, questioned the reporter's intelligence, pointing out that he wouldn't be able to figure it out. ESPN's Benjamin Solak caught wind of Pederson's comments and did an excellent breakdown of the interception and everything that led to it, proving that the head coach could have talked about the play if he hadn't chosen to be condescending.
Doug Pederson's seat got hotter after the Jaguars lost to the Vikings in Week 10
It may be a matter of time before the Jacksonville Jaguars decide to take action and Doug Pederson. There's a chance they haven't done it because owner Shad Khan legitimately thought that the head coach (and general manager Trent Baalke) could steer the ship in the right direction. However, it's hard to see the Jags finishing the year with a winning record, let alone a trip to the playoffs.
Perhaps if the Jaguars and a couple more wins and seemed prepared along the way, Pederson wouldn't be on the hot seat. The issue is that the team looks uninspiring and routinely finds different ways to lose. That falls on him.
Compounding the issue is that the head coach isn't putting players in a position to succeed. It's so evident that the announcing crew even pointed out during the loss to the Vikings. Looking back, the report that Pederson lost the locker might not be that far off. Even if he hasn't, he isn't getting his message across, and that's reflected on the team's losing record 10 weeks into the regular season.
That the announcing crew can tell that players aren't on the same page shows that Doug Pederson is doing a great job of putting them in a position to succeed. If it were a one-time thing, it wouldn't be an issue, but this has become an issue for the Jacksonville Jaguars week in and week out. That's why the best course of action is to move on from him.