REPORT: Is the Jaguars Season Saved?

The Jacksonville Jaguars avoided an 0-5 start with a crucial win against the Indianapolis Colts. Could it save their season?

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) congratulates wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) for 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 Jacksonville Jaguars had to win on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Head coach Doug Pederson's job counted on it. The perception of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, fresh off a $275 million deal, rode on it. This was a team called the best in franchise history by it's owner.

Expectations this season were high, but an 0-4 hole quickly dispelled any notion that the team would match it's promising potential. Winnable games lost in dismal ways and an embarrassing Monday night blowout against the Buffalo Bills.

The win against the Colts might have kept Pederson in Duval a little longer, along with general manager Trent Baalke. CBS Sports' Will Brinson thinks it might have saved the Jaguars' entire season.

"It wasn't pretty, it wasn't easy and it nearly got derailed by the inevitability of Joe Flacco, but the Jaguars may -- and I emphasize may -- have saved their season on Sunday with a 37-34 thriller of a game in Jacksonville," Brinson wrote. "The Jaguars' victory gave them their first win on the year, meaning there are no more winless teams in the NFL and also ensuring Doug Pederson will still be with this team when they travel to London next week. Whether he's with the team when they come back may still be up for grabs, but for now the Jaguars have life. And how it happened may be even more important than the actual result, because for the first time in what was getting dangerously close to a full calendar year, Trevor Lawrence actually looked like a high-level, franchise-caliber quarterback en route to throwing a career-high 371 yards.

Lawrence was aided by excellent protection and/or a bad Colts pass rush, rarely getting pressured on Sunday. Lawrence wasn't sacked once, and when he did see pressure, he looked calm, poised and delivered the ball where it needed to be. Lawrence completed more than 80% of his passes, especially critical because the Jaguars offense actually possessed some verticality on Sunday."

Brinson wrote of concerns regarding the defense. The concerns are valid, as the defense very nearly cost the Jaguars the game. The defense committed errors that could cost them a game against the Chicago Bears, a team that has capitalized on their opponents' mistakes and poor play.

"The defense, on the other hand, did Lawrence absolutely zero favors," Brinson wrote. "The fourth quarter in this game was completely drunk, but it shouldn't go unnoticed that, following a Tank Bigsby 65-yard touchdown rumble, the Jags held a 34-20 lead with just over five minutes remaining. That should be ball game, especially against an offense featuring a backup quarterback in Flacco and missing starting running back Jonathan Taylor (shoutout Trey Sermon though, for real). Flacco shredded the Jags secondary, hitting Alec Pierce for a pair of long passes, one that required Sermon to punch the ball in from the 1 and another that tied the game up with 2:40 left to go. That's unacceptable from the defense. 

"The defense could remain an issue moving forward. As long as Jacksonville gets this version of Lawrence, though, their season -- and maybe Pederson's job -- could ultimately end up being saved."

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