Jaguars HC Doug Pederson deserving of somewhat low spot in CBS Sports ranking

The Jacksonville Jaguars went 8-3 to start the 2023 season. At one point, they were making a strong push for the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC but they were able to get the job done, winning just one of their last six games and failing to qualify for the postseason. Although there are several reasons for their collapse, the buck stops with head coach Doug Pederson. And based on how things ended last year, he's not deserving of a high spot in power rankings.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ranked all 32 head coaches for the 2024 season and placed Doug Pederson at No. 16, noting that he's previously enjoyed success with both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars but took a step back last year.

"Nothing, it seems, is ever boring when it comes to Pederson's teams: He experienced ultimate highs (a Super Bowl triumph) and lows (an early dismissal) in Philadelphia before rejuvenating Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, only to then oversee a turnover-riddled step back in 2023. The player-friendly pizzazz remains, but he's got to prove again he's got an innovative handle on the offense."

Pederson, a former NFL player, joined Andy Reid's coaching staff with the Philadelphia Eagles as a quality control assistant in 2009. He worked his way up the coaching ladder and became Reid's offensive coordinator when he was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013.

After three years with the Chiefs, Doug P was lured by the Eagles in 2016 to be their head coach. One year later, he took them to the Super Bowl. They made three consecutive trips to the playoffs but failed to qualify in 2020. The head coach was planning to make changes to his staff but owner Jeffrey Lurie disagreed with picks. This led to his departure.

Following a year away from the football field, Pederson joined the Jaguars to clean the mess Urban Meyer left in 2021. While he was expected to take a while to get the ship right on track, he led the Jaguars to the playoffs and won the AFC South in his first season at the helm. Moreover, he was a big reason Trevor Lawrence saw a noticeable improvement.

Having exceeded expectations in 2022, the Jaguars were seen as sleeper Super Bowl contenders. Unfortunately, they weren't able to recreate their success from the previous year. They got off to a hot start but ran out of steam as the season progressed. But even after fading down the stretch, Jacksonville still had a chance to make the playoffs. All they had to do was beat the Tennessee Titans in the finale and they would've been in. They were beaten and had to watch the postseason from home.

After the collapse, Pederson made changes to his coaching staff, revamping that side of the ball. Furthermore, he brought him contributors from his stint in Philly (center Mitch Morse, cornerback Ronald Darby), and could make adjustments to how he runs the team on game days.

Last year, Pederson delegated calling plays on offense to Press Taylor. He could take the responsibility back in 2024. Either way, he knows he has to deliver. Otherwise, his seat will get considerably hotter.

Why Jaguars HC Doug Pederson got a fair spot in CBS Sports ranking

Cody Benjamin might've dropped the ball when he snubbed Josh Hines-Allen in his top rushers ranking but he got it right with Doug Pederson. For comparison, DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans) landed at No. 13, Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts) got the 19th spot and rookie Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans) popped up at No. 30.

Andy Reid seized the top spot after winning his second straight — and third overall — Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams) was second and Kyle Shannahan was No. 3.

It's also worth noting that Pederson ranked ahead of coaches that made the postseason such as Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys) and Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), so his spot on the list feels fair.

You could point out that the coach affectionately known Pug Dederson took Jacskonville to the playoffs in 2022. However, the NFL is about "what you have done for me lately?" and he wasn't able to avoid the collapse last year. He's still the same talented head coach he's been throughout his career but just like you celebrate his wins, you have to acknowledge when he isn't at the top of his game. He wasn't in 2023. On the bright side, he's proven he can bounce back.

If the Jacksonville Jaguars bounce back in 2024, Doug Pederson will reclaim his spot in the top 10, and if they make a deep playoff push, he'll move up all the way up into the top 5. For the time being, No. 16 is fine.

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