One of the biggest storylines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13 is Trevor Lawrence's availability for the divisional matchup against the Houston Texans. The fourth-year quarterback missed the past two games with a shoulder injury but signs point toward him suiting up.
Lawrence is listed as questionable in the Jaguars' injury report but head coach Doug Pederson says he expects him to suit up. The former Clemson Tiger originally hurt his shoulder in Week 9. The diagnosis was a sprain. At the time, it was reported he was weighing his options, which created speculation about him getting season-ending surgery. It was ruled out at the time, but Lawrence is still open to the possibility of getting a procedure done this season.
For the time being, No. 16 will play through injury. He returned to practice Monday and saw his number of reps progressively increase the last few days. Early in the week, Lawrence said he wanted to play but wouldn't force things.
"I don't know the answer to that, to be honest," Lawrence told the local media when asked if he could campaign to play Sunday. "I mean, I think the sooner you can decide, the better, just for everybody. If that's for my own I'm preparing to play, and I'm preparing like I normally would, to play a full game and to go, so that you know if that happens or when that happens, I'm ready to go."
Lawrence continued, "But also, if that's not going to happen, you want to make sure that you know if Max going to play that he gets some reps and is prepared as well. So I think it's something you have to assess every day."
Barring a setback, Lawrence will play, though. Below is his full exchange with the local media.
Having Trevor Lawrence back in the fold will be huge for the Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are currently a 5-point favorite against the Houston Texans in Week 13 despite the fact that the game will be held at EverBank Stadium. Having Trevor Lawrence back should increase their odds. Moreover, Houston has lost four of their last six games, so there's a chance the Jags will pull off the upset.
On the other hand, Lawrence will probably be in pain, and that could ultimately hinder his performance, even if the injury isn't on his throwing shoulder. It's also worth noting that the Jags were 2-7 before he got hurt, so his return doesn't guarantee a win. Then again, the offense mustered a combined 13 points during his absence, so having him back is certainly good news.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars will be thrilled to have Trevor Lawrence back in the lineup, but he and the rest of the team will need to do their jobs if they want to keep their season alive for another week.