As the saying goes, stay ready so you don't have to get ready. The Jacksonville Jaguars embodied this famous phrase at a pivotal moment of their first playoff game under head coach Liam Coen, albeit to no avail.
Coen's impact on the Jaguars' remarkable year-over-year turnaround is undeniable. He's revived the franchise's fortunes in his inaugural campaign at the helm, and the buy-in from the Jacksonville players is both palpable and tangible. Their efforts at the end of the first half of a tightly contested Wild Card showdown with the Buffalo Bills were proof of concept.
Jacksonville nearly pulled off an improbable scoring drive against the Bills with just over a minute remaining in the second quarter. Coen and Co. might've gotten some help from the refs in the process, but it was an impressive sequence nonetheless.
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Liam Coen's fingerprints were all over Jaguars' end-of-half FG attempt vs. Bills
The Jaguars got the ball on their own three-yard line with 65 seconds left before the break. Most teams would take the conservative approach in this scenario, focusing on getting away from their end zone and avoiding any costly mistakes. However, Coen ostensibly had a different plan that nearly paid dividends.
It started with Coen dialing up a pass that Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence turned into an 18-yard scramble. A few plays later, wide receiver Parker Washington reeled in a sensational 34-yard reception in between three defenders on a high throw. From there, the madness ensued, though Jacksonville was prepared for it.
Washington got the Jags in field goal range with the massive grab. The competitor in him fought for extra yardage after the catch, which took precious time off the clock. It forced Lawrence and Co. to dash to the line of scrimmage to snap the ball and give Jacksonville's big-legged kicker, Cam Little, a chance.
Somehow, Lawrence and Jags managed to get set up and spike the football before the triple zeroes hit in what was a debatable ruling. This allowed Little to trot out and attempt a 54-yard boot that ultimately missed in a what many considered a true "ball don't lie" moment.
Controversial or not, the fact that the Jags were in the position to give Little a chance is a testament to Coen. His football IQ and attention to detail are evidently rubbing off on the locker room.