One season after ranking 10th in the NFL in both total offense and scoring offense, the Jacksonville Jaguars have regressed.
While averaging 30 fewer yards and two fewer points per game this year may not seem like a such a big drop off, the Jags have scored 21 or fewer points in five of their nine games – including a combined 23 points in their last two outings. Their offensive ineptitude was front and center during the team’s 34-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
With some seeking answers for Jacksonville’s recent offensive struggles, head coach Doug Pederson said it’s actually because of quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
“Yes, moving Trevor a little bit more is one of the things that we haven’t been able to do (much) because of his knee condition,” Pederson said to reporters on Wednesday. Though he’s been constrained in that sense, occasionally you can make things out of that. With Lawrence’s restricted mobility, play-action passes can present an opportunity to shoot the ball down the field on first or second down. You’ve also seen a little bit of the screen game, which can also create explosives.
In a 37–20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6, Lawrence sustained a knee injury. He has averaged 227 yards passing per outing and thrown two touchdowns to three interceptions in the three games since. In addition, he was fired eight times.
The 24-year-old quarterback has had a brace on his knee since the injury, but he appeared hopeful that it is finally starting to heal and that this will allow him to run more plays.
Lawrence told reporters, “[My knee] feels better.” It’s finally to the point where I won’t be worrying about it as much and won’t be thinking about it as much. I feel like I’m beginning to move fairly fluidly, and my movements don’t
bother me too much. We’ve managed to keep it safe over the past few weeks, so I’m eager to hopefully get going and do normal activities like playing and moving around.
