The Jacksonville Jaguars got off to a promising start to the season before losing three games in four weeks. Following their collapse against the Houston Texans, they rightly raised questions about whether they could finish the year with a winning record under head coach Liam Coen. The Jags rose to the challenge and have gone on to win five in a row, with their latest victory coming against the New York Jets.
Now, Jacksonville is 10-4 and on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2022. One of the many reasons for their success has been the offense surge they've undergone. In fact, Kay Adams just highlighted how much Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas Jr. have improved in recent weeks.
Trevor Lawrence has been on the same page with Brian Thomas Jr.
Following the 48-20 win over the NY Jets, Kay Adams praised the Jags' offensive surge, noting that Trevor Lawrence has developed a better rapport with Brian Thomas Jr since the BYE in Week 8.
"We haven't really seen everything we needed to see out of Trevor, or really, I don't know what's going on with Brian Thomas Jr, you guys tell me what you think. You Jacksonville Jags fans who are more in it, maybe, than I am, Adams said. "You can tweet the show at Up & Adams show. But like on Sunday, we did finally see it. I don't know why it's coming out, why it's working, right? You guys tell me, they connected."
Kay continued, "They have these, like, three beautiful like, 'Oh, you guys can do this,' three deep shots in that game for 87 yards. These were plays that directly led to 17 points for the Jags. And that went, is it just like, is it like that chemistry? Was it a slow burn, and I just wasn't noticing it? You guys tell me, because if the Jags are going to go on a run, and they clearly can, that's what it's going to come down to: The chemistry with Trevor and his guy, BTC, in this Liam Cohen offense."
"If you look at this, Trevor's passer rating has been 30 points above his season average over the last two weeks, he's thrown four touchdowns without a pick. That's his longest streak of the year. And part of that, I think, absolutely has to do with the supporting cast being healthy. I also think that last row speaks to a little something, something there too. Trevor's average throw has been almost twice as far downfield over these last two weeks than it's been over the first 12."
Keep in mind that Adams wasn't the only analyst that has noticed the Jags' improved offensive output. James Palmer of Bleacher Report noted after the win against New York that Jacksonville is averaging 32.8 points per game since their BYE in Week 8, adding that Liam Coen's squad has scored 25 points or more in a franchise-best seven straight games.
The Jaguars need Trevor Lawrence to keep connecting with Brian Thomas Jr.
Both Brian Thomas Jr. and Trevor Lawrence were inconsistent early in the season, but both of them have played better in recent weeks. Having Jakobi Meyers in the mix has certainly helped, as his presence has allowed Thomas to line up in the boundaries, where he's at his best, rather than the middle of the field.
Brenton Strange's return to the lineup after missing time with injuries has also been huge. He and Meyer can run downfield routes while Thomas stretches the field. When you add it all up, it's not particularly shocking to see the Jacksonville offense take off. Of course, you could argue that the Jags have faced underwhelming defenses, but they've done what any good team would: put as many points on the scoreboard as possible against lesser competition.
Next on the Jaguars' schedule are the Denver Broncos, their toughest opponent left this season. If they can keep their offensive success going, other analysts will join Kay Adams in their praise of Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence.