Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has had two head coaches in three NFL seasons. The first person, Urban Meyer, didn’t need to be there. The second is Doug Pederson, who won a Super Bowl.
Based on Lawrence’s comments after the blowout loss to the Buccaneers, Pederson’s future suddenly seems more uncertain than it needs to be.
“Looks like you haven’t even practiced.” Lawrence told reporters via ESPN.com. “We look lost. There’s no sense of urgency. The list goes on. We’ve been preparing well for weeks and feel ready to play, and then last month on game day… Something happens and everything falls apart.
“This is our season. We’ve worked hard to get into this position and we’re going to lose it soon, so we need to understand that.”
Lawrence certainly didn’t intend his comments to be an indictment of coaching, but it kind of is. It is the coach’s job to give the impression that the team has practiced. The team doesn’t seem lost. The team has a sense of crisis. Don’t let things fall apart on game day. Don’t ruin a promising season.
The Jaguars still have two chances to turn things around, with a visit from the Panthers and a visit from the Titans. If they can turn it around and make the playoffs, that’s fine. If not, owners may need to ask some tough questions about whether the team is living up to its potential, if not, why not, and what can be done to get there. I don’t know.