Jaguars’ Week 18 Loss and Disappointing Season Lead to Hard Questions

Jacksonville was expected to build on last year’s playoff win, but instead looked overwhelmed in preparation, talent or both.

Let’s say this in defense of the Jaguars, whose loss to the Titans ended their playoff hopes Sunday: If they were to pick just about any team to face in a win-and-in scenario, Tennessee, in what may be Mike Vrabel’s last game there, in what may be Derrick Henry’s last game there, in what may be Ryan Tannehill’s last game there, was just about the worst case scenario.

I wouldn’t want to see Vrabel on the opposing sidelines with Franklin Road Academy, never mind a veteran group of players looking to throw one last haymaker before a long offseason vacation and a coach who could motivate the dead. And from the end of the first quarter, when Tyjae Spears broke about a half dozen tackles then walked into the end zone, it was clear the Jaguars had gotten what they bargained for, by letting so much of the season slip away.

Of course this is an epic failure on the part of Doug Pederson and the Jaguars. Amid a season in which Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert are out for the year, Russell Wilson has been benched, and the Chiefs’ offense is struggling so mightily that we’re hearing about the possibility of nabbing Eric Bieniemy back from Washington or desperately paring down the playbook to spark the team, Jacksonville couldn’t back its way into the postseason even with Trevor Lawrence appearing in 16 of the team’s 17 games. Of course the December freefall will sting. Of course Pederson, who had the fantastic opportunity to replace one of the most disastrous NFL coaches in modern history, just flicked the heater on beneath his desk chair. Of course the complexion of this team has changed and we’ll spend the offseason talking about new personnel and new ideas.

The Jaguars started out 6–2, but let a promising and highly anticipated season slip away :: Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network

If we are to rank the most disappointing teams of this season, Jacksonville is right up there with the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that made a head coaching change weeks ago. And the complaint is eerily similar: How long will we have to wait before someone can hone the brilliance of the quarterback? How long before all the big-name defensive players start taking over games? How long before we can channel exactly what this coaching staff does well to lift the team beyond that slightly-above-average demarcation?

On Sunday, it felt like Jacksonville was simply overwhelmed by the moment. The well-dialed blitzes couldn’t hit home on one of the least mobile quarterbacks in the NFL (no offense, Ryan). The momentum-swinging plays, like a go-ahead bomb to Calvin Ridley, were followed by long periods of timidity. The drive before the half, when Jacksonville had an eternity and a pocket full of timeouts ended because either the quarterback sailed a pass or a veteran receiver cut his route short (the all-22 is not yet available, but as of the publication of this column, it appears Lawrence had a good idea of where Zay Jones was before he served the Titans an interception fine-dining style). Had it not been for a flubbed snap on the ensuing punt, the Jaguars would have been down 11 points at halftime. The third-and-goal with a little more than seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter left Lawrence with comically few options. Watch it again: The Jaguars presented a run-heavy formation and didn’t even fake a run. Evan Engram stayed in to block. Of the four eligible receivers on the play, only two—the running back and the backup tight end—were available for a ball, and both were easily covered. Calls like that are why Lawrence was forced to sneak it with a long yard to go on the following play.

And so, we’ve arrived at this kind of chilling pivot point where, with this team in particular, we have to question either the team’s preparation or our belief in the players. Let me make sure my words won’t be twisted: I’m not saying Lawrence is bad, but there is a difference between how we perceive someone whom, we were told, was going to be a generational talent in the NFL since grade school and someone who pleasantly surprises us. Unfortunately for Lawrence, he wasn’t dining on chicken cutlets and living in his parents’ basement in New Jersey just waiting to be found. Similarly, with someone like Travis Etienne, who had a great season, or Travon Walker, who didn’t really, we have to wrestle with this question of realized potential versus actual potential. Are we expecting too much out of Walker because he was drafted over Aidan Hutchinson and sold as a versatile scheme-breaker? Or, are we not expecting enough out of those who are coaching him?

Losses like this knife open those questions and they become hard to put away. In that way, the Chargers comparison is apt again. Jacksonville embarrassed them in the playoffs a year ago. Brandon Staley never had the ability to answer. Now, Pederson takes the stage, with a lot of explaining to do.