Jaguars need Trevor Lawrence to flip the switch to make a playoff push

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made massive strides under first-year head coach Liam Coen. However, much work is still left. One area in particular where the team could use improvement is the passing game.

Six weeks into the season, the Jags rank 29th in passing yards and 17th in passing touchdowns. But that's the thing, Lawrence has shown notable improvement the past two games, and Brian Thomas Jr. has played much better after a slow start to the regular season. So what gives?

Andrew Kessler of 904 Analytics (and B&T alumnus) pointed out that Lawrence's bad throw rate of 14.8 percent is the lowest of his career and two percent lower than the NFL average from 2021 to 2025. Yet, it's not reflected on the stat sheet. Some of that it's due to inadequate pass protection. Part of that falls on the wide receivers. However, No. 16 must also elevate his game if the Jaguars want to make a playoff push.

How has Trevor Lawrence played thus far in 2025?

Throughout his NFL career, Trevor Lawrence hasn't always had a good supporting cast or adequate coaching. That's no longer the case, though. The new regime bolstered his arsenal of weapons — the team's brass signed Dyami Brown in free agency and drafted Travis Hunter — and beefed up the offensive line in the offseason, so the talent around him is no longer an issue.

On the other hand, Liam Coen is known for getting the most out of his quarterbacks, and he's pushing Lawrence to get the best out of him. Slowly, but surely, he's getting it done.

The first four games, the former Clemson Tiger had a completion rate of 58.3 percent and logged 845 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. The next two games, he completed a much better 67.2 percent of his throws for 479 yards with three touchdowns and just one pick. On top of that, he had two rushing touchdowns and 63 yards on 13 attempts. Jacksonville went 1-1 in that span.

It's clear Lawrence is improving, but he still has room for improvement. For instance, he missed an open Dyami Brown in the loss to the Seahawks. That would-be catch could've been a huge gain.

On the other hand, Lawrence threw a perfect ball to Brian Thomas Jr. in the same game, but the latter slipped. This is a long-winded way to say that the fifth-year quarterback needs to play better, but so does his supporting cast.

And how do you expect him to complete passes when his offensive line doesn't give him enough time?

When he does get help, Lawrence will deliver. He's being pressured on this throw but remains unfazed.

H/T to JP Acosta of CBS Sports for his terrific breakdowns. As you can see, Lawrence and the rest of the team can play better, but there are also encouraging signs.

The Jaguars need Trevor Lawrence to put it all together like he did in 2022

Trevor Lawrence joined the top-10 conversation after a successful 2022. But it didn't start that way. He and the Jaguars left much to be desired early in the season. The then-sophomore quarterback made costly mistakes that hurt his team. And at one point, Jacksonville was 3-6 and seemingly out of the playoff picture, but something clicked, and the Knoxville, Tennessee native went on to play the best football of his NFL career.

Then, the 2023 season came, and Lawrence's play carried over, but eventually cooled down due to injuries and the inadequate coaching he was getting. It's been a tailspin since then, which is why there was chatter of him entering a make-or-break season in 2025.

Slowly but surely, Trevor Lawrence is rising to the challenge. However, more is needed. The defense has held its own more often than not, and the running game has shown signs of life. However, there will be a point when Jacksonville will need its quarterback to elevate his game and come up clutch when it matters the most if they want to end the playoff drought.