Jaguars cannot stop abrupt tumble in NFL Power Rankings after loss to Browns

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the 2024 NFL season with high expectations. So far, they've failed to live up to them, going 0-2 in the first two weeks. To nobody's surprise, their underwhelming performance has been reflected in nearly every NFL power ranking.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports gave the Jags the 24th spot in this ranking, pointing out that a 0-3 start would bring plenty of heat to the coaching staff. Eric Edholm of NFL Media, for his part, believed that Jacksonville was truly capable of mounting a comeback from a 13-point deficit in Week 2. He was left disappointed.

For the time being, Edholm placed Jacksonville at No. 23, believing that they need to play a full 60-minute game if they want to get back on track. Moreover, he argues that head coach Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence are under pressure to deliver.

"Right now, this team badly needs a strong four-quarter effort to dig itself out of its 0-2 hole. Jacksonville has lost seven of its past eight games, going back to last season, with five of those Ls coming by one score or less. Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence must be feeling the heat."

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk ranked the Jags at No. 27 and suggests they start doing due diligence on Bill Belichick.

Based on how Jacksonville has played in 2024, it's hard to disagree with their place in power rnakings.

Heat is a common topics for the Jaguars in NFL power rankings

As the saying goes, pressure makes diamonds but also bursts pipes. Right now, the Jaguars, mainly Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence, are under lots of it. That hasn't been lost on most observers.

Heading into the season, owner Shad Khan made it clear that he expected the Jags to win, pointing out that it's the best team they've assembled. He's not wrong, Jacksonville has ample talent. Yet, they've vastly underperformed in two games. That falls on Pederson and Lawrence.

General manager Trent Baalke also deserves blame for not doing enough to reinforce the offensive line in the offseason. That said, it's Pederson's team and he's not done enough to put his players in a position to succeed. His playcalling on offense has been put into question. On the other hand, the defense has done its part to win games but their not getting help from the other side of the ball.

After all, the Jaguars kept the Miami Dolphins and the Cleveland Browns to under 20 points. Ideally, that would suffice to win, but because the have struggled to score, they lost both matchups. It would be one thing if Jacksonville was lacking playmakers on offense but they have plenty, whether it's wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. or running back Travis Etienne.

Heck, 2023 second-round pick Brenton Strange stepped up during tight end Evan Engram's absence in Week 2. If anything, Pederson deserves criticism for not making the most of his personnel. For instance, his decision to take a deep shot late in the loss to the Browns has been under scrutiny.

Doug P is right, the Jaguars would've had a big gain if Lawrence had completed the deep shot to Thomas. That said, it was naive of him to think that the offensive line would be able to hold their blocks for an extended time when you take into account that they hadn't shown the ability to do so throughout most of the game. The play ultimately ended in a safety.

The bottom line is that the Jaguars find themselves facing plenty of questions after just two games. They'd better find answers if they don't want their season to go off the rails.

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