COLUMN: Why Jaguars Loss to Patriots Would Be Worst of Pederson Era

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Doug Pederson simply can not afford a loss to the New England Patriots in London.

Oct 16, 2024; Watford, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson during practice at The Grove. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Every week in the NFL is a must-win. Jobs are on the line week in and week out.

But there are some games that challenge the definition entirely. Games that must be won because a loss would be inexcusable by every version of the would. Games that can't be lost.

The Jacksonville Jaguars' London bout with the New England Patriots is exactly that. And it has nothing to do with the Jaguars' 1-5 record, either.

Instead, the Jaguars are facing a Patriots team that, while gritty and tough-nosed, are not equipped to win. Not this week. Not against this Jaguars team, as lowly as they are at this moment. And not in London.

That isn't to say the Patriots can't win this weekend. But they absolutely shouldn't. And that is no knock on the Patriots, who are in phase one of a rebuilding plan under rookie head coach Jerod Mayo.

It is instead an indictment on the Jaguars. The fact this game even seems like a potential toss-up is a sign of how downtrodden the Jaguars are after one of the league's worst starts.

Everyone expected the Patriots to be one of the NFL's worst teams this season. They were always circled as one of the Jaguars' easiest opponents on the schedule, if not the downright easiest. And nothing about the Patriots' 1-5 start and struggling offense has changed those standards.

It is instead the Jaguars who have failed to meet lofty expectations. The Jaguars internally expected to be a playoff team this season. Owner Shad Khan called them the best team in franchise history with the best coaching staff in team history to boot.

Instead, the Jaguars are tied for the NFL's worst record. And while the 1-5 Jaguars are nowhere near as impressive as they were in the first-half of Week 1 when the season was still alive, there is still no scenario in which the Jaguars can lose to the Patriots. Not after Khan said they are the best team they have ever had.

1-5 is already inexcusable. Losing to a young and struggling Patriots team is something worse. Something that likely can't be come back from, even if head coach Doug Pederson and co. keep their jobs after a Week 7 loss.

There are a number of reasons why this loss would be the worst of the Pederson era. For one, the Jaguars are playing a young quarterback making only his second NFL start. And he is making that start behind arguably the NFL's worst offensive line and worst receiving room in the NFL. How would the Jaguars be able to explain that?

Then there is the London factor. The Jaguars have been in London since last weekend. They have already played a four-quarter, 60-minute game overseas. Their body clocks are acclimated and they should have no problem making a quick start.

As for the Patriots, they will be coming to London this week. They don't have the expertise of playing in London the Jaguars have formed after over a decade of doing so.

Just consider this fact. Sunday will be Maye's second NFL start, but it is Trevor Lawrence's sixth start in London.

Finally, the Patriots are dealing with even more injuries than the Jaguars are. They are already without Jabrill Peppers, and other big names such as Rhamondre Stevenson. Kyle Duggar, Davon Godchaux, and others are on the injury report.

The Patriots are limping into Sunday, and they are doing so behind an inexperienced head coach and quarterback.

If the Jaguars can't win this game, how can anyone expect them to recover from 1-6?

Pederson and his staff need this win. A loss would be not just the worst loss of his tenure as Jaguars head coach, but it could be the loss that seals his fate.

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