Jaguars' Win Holds Secret to Future Success

The Jacksonville Jaguars' best players played a role in Sunday's victory against the Indianapolis Colts. It needs to happen consistently for future success.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) smiles after wide receiver Christian Kirk (13), not shown, caught a reception during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars edged the Colts on a field goal 37-34. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The offensive line play through the Jacksonville Jaguars' first four games was abysmal. Franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is worth $275 million in the eyes of owner Shad Khan, had no time to make plays. Defenders in his face just about every play. Consistently flushed from the pocket.

It spiraled into an anemic passing game that required Lawrence to take his first reads if he could even pull the trigger at all. It meant a lot of short passes and adlibbing from Lawrence. Not good. The run game was also a big struggle, too.

All of it fostered an offense that failed to put points on the board as well as play situational football.

Against the Indianapolis Colts, all of that changed. The offensive line dominated and the run game was jumpstarted. Lawrence was able to make big-time splash plays. And the Jaguars were able to win for the first time this season.

It was more than the offensive line though -- the weapons, Lawrence, they all performed. Head coach Doug Pederson discussed the importance of the big players showing up when it was needed most.

"Yeah, it was. I thought our good players, our best players, the elites who stepped up in crucial moments and made the plays that helped us win that  football game," Pederson said. "That's what it's going to take, it's going to take that just week-in and week out because I shared with the team, we've been in, what, four one-score games already,  and so it's going to come down to the last four, five, six minutes of a football game. That's  when you need those best players, right? Your best players to really step up and really make  an impact, and they did that yesterday.”

Lawrence's protection helped foster the overall performance. By setting up the pass, they opened up the run. And vice versa.

"Protection. I mean, that, and I think just the receivers being on the same page, and it's more of a zone structure with Indy, so the guys being in the right spots, timing," Pederson said. "He was accurate on the deep throws yesterday. It was something he worked on during the week, and that was good to see. That's  how he can play.” 

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