Mac Jones faces tough road to redemption as he makes 2nd start for Jaguars

With Trevor Lawrence dealing with a shoulder injury, the Jacksonville Jaguars had to roll with Mac Jones in Week 10. The Alabama product was underwhelming but the Jags will have no choice but to lean on him once again when they face off against the Detroit Lions in Week 11.

Doug Pederson met with the local media ahead of the Lions game and said that Lawrence is out, pointing out that the team doesn't want to put a player who isn't at full strength on the field.

"We just decided this week, he's getting close," Pederson said, "But to make sure that again, you guys know I am with injuries, we don't want to put a player out there that's not 100 percent, so we're gonna rest in one more week to give him two weeks."

This means that Jones will be making his second start in Jaguars uniform. Pederson says he's confident despite the fact that the fourth-year quarterback struggled against the Vikings, noting that he's looking forward to the opportunity to rebound.

"He's excited to have another opportunity, a chance for him to rebound from last week. But I think as a team, same way, rally around him and support him and get ready to play a really good football team."

Jones went 14-of-22 for 115 yards with two interceptions. Outside of a scoring drive early in the game, he looked overwhelmed and routinely struggled to move the ball. Granted, his supporting cast was far from great, and the playcalling didn't seem to help him. That said, the Jacksonville native must play much better if the Jags want to have a chance of pulling off the upset. Here's Pederson's full exchange with the media.

Not having Trevor Lawrence vs. the Lions will complicate things for the Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence has been far from perfect this season but he showed how much the Jacksonville Jaguars need him when he sat out the Week 10 game.

Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury in the Week 9 loss to the Green Bay Packers. A few days later, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that the fourth-year quarterback was unlikely to play against the Philadelphia Eagles and was weighing his options. That led to speculation about him potentially getting shoulder surgery and potentially missing the rest of the year.

Rapoport was quick to say that surgery wasn't scheduled yet, and head coach Doug Pederson told the local media that it would be up to the team's medical staff to make an assessment. Just before the Eagles game, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that Lawrence had a shoulder sprain and would at least miss a game. Thus, it's not surprising to hear he'll sit out the Detroit game.

Now, Jones will be tasked with helping the Jags upset the Lions, which will be no easy task. Leaving aside that he struggled in Week 10, Detroit showed resilience in a gritty win over the Houston Texans, finding a way to overcome five turnovers to come out on top. Add the fact that the game will be held at Ford Field, and it's not shocking to find out that Jacksonville is a 13-point underdog.

Mac Jones would like to play under more favorable circumstances, but he'll have a chance to bounce back and show in Week 11 that he's still the same player who went 15th overall in the 2021 draft and made the playoffs as a rookie. The Jaguars are certainly rooting for him.

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