Jaguars get beaten badly in Week 16: 3 takeaways from humiliating loss to Buccaneers

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a chance to build a one-game lead in the AFC South when they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. Before they took the field, the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts had lost. But rather than taking advantage of the opportunity, they got soundly beaten by a Buccaneers team that solidified their spot as the team to beat in the NFC South.

But as much credit as the Buccaneers should get their way, Jacksonville deserves an equal amount of criticism. They entered the game riding a three-game losing skid. But rather than stop the bleeding, they extended the streak. Along the way, questions about their viability as a playoff team surfaced.

Not only did the Jags fail to score for most of the game but they couldn't stop the Bucs from putting points on the scoreboard. Had this been a close one, they could at least say that they gave their best. Something along the lines of "the best team won at the end." Sadly, there's not much to say after the embarrassing loss, other than Jacksonville isn't a good team.

What's frustrating is that the Jaguars got off to a solid start this season, going 6-2 before the BYE. But they weren't able to build on the first half and have gone 2-5 since then. So what stood out in the loss to the Buccaneers? Plenty of things and not in a good way. For the time being, here are three observations from Week 16.

3. Whatever Doug Pederson is, it isn't working

Following one of the Jaguars' recent losses, players said they were angry at themselves for not doing enough to win. While that's a nice sentiment, one that shows they care, winning is the bottom line and the Jags last won a game in Week 12. It hasn't been just one thing, but a combination of several. Not having addressed the offensive line in the offseason is one of them. Similarly, not strengthing their pass rush has come back to haunt them.

Leaving aside the team's inability to upgrade the roster, players aren't executing. The defense cannot tackle and they're giving up too many big plays. On the other hand, drops, running the wrong routes, and miscommunication have held the offense back. This would be understandable if the roster were completely devoid of talent but that's not the case.

The front office has made several important investments on both sides of the ball the past two years. Moreover, the Jags showed last season what they're capable of doing, but they're struggling in 2023 with plenty of the same players. That falls on head coach Doug Pederson, who hasn't been able to get the most out of his players and right the ship in recent weeks.

Whatever the reason is, and there has to be more than one, the team has executed poorly. You can bring up injuries but the best teams find a way to overcome them. The Cleveland Browns, for example, lost their starting running back, their two offensive tackles, are down to their fourth quarterback and are still in the thick of the playoff race.

The bottom line is that Pederson's message hasn't been effective, and that's reflected in the standings. Without an insight into the dynamics inside the building, it's hard to tell what exactly is wrong. But things are most definitely not right. Otherwise, the team's overall execution wouldn't be so poor and wouldn't be losing because of so many self-inflicted wounds.

2. Trevor Lawrence isn't right

Trevor Lawrence has shown he can play at a high level. He was one of the reasons the Jaguars made the playoffs last year and is set to be the face of the franchise for years to come. That doesn't exempt him from criticism though. He's played a big role in the last two losses, having turned the ball over a combined five times.

Lawrence lost two fumbles against the Baltimore Ravens, and added another one, along with two interceptions in Week 16. Simply, his subpar play has been a factor in the losing skid. He's not making good decisions and he's overthrown several passes. His throw linebacker Devin White picked off was particularly awful.

of So what's behind Lawrence's struggles? Plenty. He's not getting protection up front, and his low sack rate is masked by his ability to get rid of the ball quickly. However, he gets pressured at a concerning rate when he has to drop back and hold onto the football for more than 2.5 seconds. Simply, he doesn't have enough time to throw. Furthermore, he's sustaining injuries at an alarming rate this season.

First, it was a knee injury. Lawrence then sprained his ankle. And just last week, he suffered a concussion. Heck, he left the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a shoulder injury. It also doesn't help that the Jaguars cannot run the football, which has seemingly led Lawrence to put the team on his shoulders and do more than he should.

Against the Ravens, he lost the football. He wasn't hit, he just dropped it. Maybe he felt pressured to make a play, but it looks like mentally — and physically — he's not in the right place. If he isn't healthy, the Jaguars need to keep him back, it doesn't make sense to expose him to further risk and compromise his health long-term. Also, the coaching staff needs to get to him and tell him that he doesn't have to win games himself.

It would most definitely help if other players pick up the slack, but at some point, Lawrence has to deliver. He currently isn't regardless of the circumstances.

1. The Jaguars are a bad team

At one point, even the most devoted believers give up if you don't show proof. The Jaguars were a good team (with a handful of weaknesses) early in the season. But then, they started losing and they no longer resemble the team that had a chance to seize the No. 1 spot in the AFC as recently as Week 13. This has led to a significant drop in fans' overall trust in the Jags' current direction.

While the loss to the San Francisco 49ers showed that they were still a work in progress, the most recent one has undone everything they accomplished in the first half of the season. The offense can't stop getting out of its own way. The defense cannot stop opposing teams, and all that's left is players and coaches wondering how they got here.

While there are a few individual standouts, the Jaguars are playing like a team with no direction, one that is poorly coached, and a shadow of the one that pulled off the biggest comeback in the history of the playoffs last year. For the last four weeks, they've shown glimpses of being that team only to come crashing down.

What's more frustrating is that the Jaguars don't probably have answers to their current issues because they themselves don't know what's wrong to begin with. With two games to go, they have a realistic chance of letting the season slip through their hands and missing the playoffs after being a trendy pick to clinch a BYE.

At first, it was a bit disappointing to see them lose but their indifference on the football field has affected fans to the point that it no longer matters if they qualify for the postseason or not.

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