Jaguars Must Significantly Improve in This Area

The Jacksonville Jaguars have plenty of things they need to work on. However, some things need more work than others.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is shoved out of bounds shy of the goal line by Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Browns defeated the Jaguars 18-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There are numerous reasons why the Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled early in the season. Most of those reasons have been on the offensive side of the ball, as the defense has played relatively well over the first two weeks of the season.

The offense has been a different story, as the unit has seemed out of sorts three weeks into the season.

While talented, the offense has had difficulty executing some of the most critical parts of the game, leading to the team’s disappointing 0-2 start. Specifically, the Jaguars have struggled in the red zone this season. 

In Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, the Jaguars rarely reached the red zone but converted on one of their two trips.

The Jaguars followed that up by converting only one of their four red zone trips at home against the Cleveland Browns, which directly correlated to them losing a very winnable game.

Converting on one trip to the red zone in four tries is not a recipe for success, especially in a one-possession game. Pederson admitted that the team’s lack of success in the red zone has frustrated him and his staff. 

It is unquestionably an issue Pederson must figure out as soon as possible.

“Yeah, that was frustrating,” Pederson said. “We came out, ran the ball, I think we had a two-yard loss right there. Then, we line up in empty, and we had an opportunity to, I think, score even on the empty play, and we didn’t. We didn’t capitalize there. Then, ultimately, the third-down play, they, the Browns, covered us up pretty good, so we settled for the three. The other one, you look at that one, and we had the illegal shift, can’t happen. We’ve got to make sure everybody’s set on the touchdown there.

“Even then, we had a chance, I think prior to that—no, I think after that had a chance to run the ball in, got us down to the—maybe it was the play before, I can’t remember now, but got down to the two-yard line. The opportunities are there. We’re just making a few mistakes, and as we know, in this league, you’ve got to score touchdowns, especially when you get inside the 10.”

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