Jaguars HC Doug Pederson debunks report he took over playcalling vs. Texans

The Jacksonville Jaguars struggled offensively throughout most of their loss to the Houston Texans in Week 3. Reportedly, this led head coach Doug Pederson to reclaim playcalling from offensive coordinator Press Taylor. However, Pederson refuted the report, which he characterizes as false, when he met with the local media Monday.

When asked about the report, Pederson simply said that it was false. In the follow-up, he said he communicated with Taylor and the offensive staff no more or less than he usually does.

The report surfaced following the game, and it made sense. Taylor's ability to lead the offense has come into question the last two weeks and it's easy to imagine Pederson taking over in an effort to win the game while they still had a chance.

Before halftime, Jacksonville had generated just eight first downs, 158 yards on 31 plays and no points on offense. However, they put 10 points on the scoreboard following halftime.

Ultimately, the Jaguars' comeback attempt would fall short. Down 17-10, fullback Andrew Beck's touchdown run to make it 24-10. Then, Trevor Lawrence threw an interception, which was like pouring a bucket of cold water on Jacksonville. The Jags later scored seven points but it was too little too late.

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson should still consider taking back playcalling duties

While Pederson has refuted the news he took over playcalling, he shouldn't rule it out. Press Taylor isn't off to a great start with his expanded responsibilities and they should be stripped if he can't handle them. The last two weeks, Jacksonville has scored just 27 points, four less than the opener alone.

That said, Taylor did a good job at the job last year, which is why Pederson handed him the keys to the offense full-time to begin with. Similarly, a three-week sample may be too small to come up with any meaningful decisions. On top of that, Pederson doesn't come across as the kind of coach who will make impulsive decisions or succumb to public pressure. Moreover, he's most likely providing guidance and observations to his understudy, so there's a reason to think he'll eventually improve.

On the other hand, the worst mistake Pederson could make is letting Taylor continue to call plays if he doesn't get better. So far, the results haven't been great and if things don't change in let's say two or three weeks, Pederson should then reclaim playcalling duty.

The Jaguars are 1-2 but it's still early in the season to turn things around. They must get back to the drawing board and find a way to get out of the hole they themselves. One of the changes they should consider is going back to Pederson as the main playcaller on offense.

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