The Jacksonville Jaguars are struggling, having dropped their last four games, and Trevor Lawrence may not be able to participate after sustaining yet another injury in Week 16.
Everyone will have a finger of blame to point while the Jags try to right the ship. Press Taylor, the new offensive coordinator, has come under fire for the offense’s shortcomings all season long.
Pederson defended Taylor once more on Tuesday, pointing out that the offense’s inability to settle into a rhythm has been seriously hampered by the four turnovers on Sunday, three of which came from Lawrence (two interceptions and a fumble). The coach included defensive missed tackles in the mix of the team’s problems.
According to Pederson, “I know that being in this league, everyone wants to point the finger somewhere,” as reported by Jags Wire. “The way we handle the football needs to be improved. The plays are not the focus. We need to take better care of the football and improve our tackling. In summary. We have a chance to win football games if we follow those guidelines.”
Lawrence has given up eight points in the last three games despite dealing with a long list of injuries (three fumbles lost and five interceptions from games 14–16).
Pederson pointed out that coaches have some of the blame for the issues, as they are often the ones who rectify recurring misunderstandings. Both of Sunday’s INTs were from miscommunication, according to Pederson.
“I know that being in this league, everyone wants to point the finger somewhere,” Pederson reportedly said, as per Jags Wire. “We need to get better at handling the football. It’s not about the plays. We need to get better at tackling and better at taking care of the football. In conclusion, if we adhere to those rules, we have a chance to win football games.”
Despite a lengthy list of injuries, Lawrence has allowed up eight scores in the last three games (three fumbles lost and five interceptions from games 14–16).
Pederson pointed out that coaches have some of the blame for the issues, as they are often the ones who rectify recurring misunderstandings. Both of Sunday’s INTs were from miscommunication, according to Pederson.
“We always give Trevor some outs when it comes to the passing game, particularly on third down, and we just missed the signal,” said Pederson. “Those are the unattainable things. Once more, it worsens the play. It is the coaches’ responsibility, in my opinion, to ensure that their players are ready for the game by covering them during practice and meetings so that everyone’s attention is on the quarterback.
“We must carry that out. We need to get out of bad plays and into great ones. There must be a lot of hand signal and nonverbal communication. We need to improve, and we will keep reviewing and including it in our strategy.”
The Colts and Texans’ losses have kept the Jaguars atop the AFC South despite their four-game losing streak. Pederson’s team can secure the division this week if they defeat the Panthers and lose to the Raiders and Titans in Indianapolis.
Because Lawrence is battling with a shoulder issue, the Jags may have C.J. Beathard behind center for the crucial game. Matt Barkley was added by Jacksonville to the 53-man roster on Tuesday, suggesting that Lawrence might not be able to play against Carolina on Sunday.
