Trevor Lawrence getting lots of (warranted) criticism amid Jaguars' rough start

If you are a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars who is frustrated by the play of your $275 million, generational quarterback, you are not alone. In addition to a growing number of fans, there are now a number of media personalities who are willing to go on the record with criticism of No. 16.

However, there remains a segment of the fanbase and media who refuse to budge on their Trevor Lawrence idolatry. They have seen flaws with their own eyes. People are telling them there are flaws. Heck, even Trevor Lawrence himself has said he isn't playing well.

Yet, it seems, some folks have planted a flag on the Trevor Lawrence hill, and they are willing to die on it, no matter what. Even when they begrudgingly acknowledge that he isn't playing well, they'll use soft language like, "right now."

"Trevor Lawrence, not playing great right now. At times you're seeing a little skittishness in the pocket, which is not a trait that Trevor Lawrence brought to the NFL. It's not a trait he showed much of the first couple of years. He was a quarterback that was poised, calm, cool, collected within the pocket. Showed the ability often to feel pressure and maneuver within the pocket well to get himself into position to throw the football and throw it accurately and on time and with good ball placement. You're not seeing that as much right now."

- Jordan de Lugo

But, defenders like de Lugo, who want to put more of an onus on the coaching staff than Lawrence, are not completely wrong. You can listen to the entirety of his statement here, but the main takeaway is that Trevor's poor play needs context.

Required viewing for Trevor Lawrence defenders

It doesn't take a master's degree in football to see Lawrence missing throws downfield that could have made a huge difference against the Texans:

Plenty of material is now emerging to demonstrate how poorly he is playing on a granular level. Super Bowl-winning quarterback Kurt Warner recently broke down Lawrence's disappointing play, which you can see here.

If you know someone who pushes back any time anyone criticizes Trevor, make them watch it. It's a deep dive, and pretty lengthy. But, it clearly shows that Trevor Lawrence is, in fact, a contributing factor to the mess that is the Jacksonville Jaguars 2024 season.

Context is key when discussing Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' struggles

It seems what really irks Trevor Lawrence's defenders is the notion that those who are critical of him are not considering the mitigating circumstances surrounding him. They want to point out that the coaching staff is stale and using an outdated scheme.

Another argument is that the O-Line has been atrocious for the most part, and may be "ruining" Lawrence. But, those things are not lost on his critics. Being critical of Trevor Lawrence and recognizing deficiencies elsewhere are not binary. It's not one or the other. It can be both.

A comprehensive review of Trevor Lawrence's regression was recently written about here by The Ringer's Diante Lee. Again, it's another deep dive... a REALLY deep dive. But, between Lee's piece and Warner's video, a picture begins to form of a quarterback who is in a spiral.

At one point, Trevor Lawrence was a quarterback who, generally speaking, had an upward trajectory. Now, suddenly, the trajectory is pointed down. His potential has crashed, and fans no longer wonder if he will be generational. Now, they are hoping he can be as good as Kirk Cousins.

Barring a miraculous turnaround, a coaching change must be made

As Lee and nearly all critics of Trevor Lawrence will acknowledge, the circumstances around Lawrence are suboptimal. Still, it's easy to see how when given numerous opportunities to make plays, Lawrence simply isn't making them.

One reason could be the cumulative effect of constant porous O-line play throughout his career. Another reason could be an antiquated scheme from the coaching staff.

"The Jaguars were in the top 10 in passing EPA in 2022, 17th in 2023, and 27th this year.
Pederson’s offense fell off a cliff in Philadelphia, too. His Eagles ranked seventh in overall offensive EPA in 2017, when they won a Super Bowl, and progressively declined from there, to 14th in 2018, 15th in 2019, and 29th in 2020."

- Diante Lee, The Ringer

Everyone agrees the franchise is married to Lawrence via his contract extension last summer. As a result, whether it's Doug Pederson's fault or not, the Jaguars may be pot committed to Lawrence. So, outside of a drastic turnaround, the franchise will be left with no choice but to overhaul the coaching staff in hopes that they can reawaken Lawrence's potential. That certainly could work.

But, context, indeed, is key. No one is blind to the shortcomings of the coaching staff or, outside of the Houston Texans game, the pitiful play of the offensive line. The primary idea most fans or media who criticize Trevor Lawrence want to get across is not that it is all his fault; just that it is some is his fault.

The problem is that at $275 million, he should be the solution, not contributing to the problem.

More Jaguars analysis here: