The Root Cause of Jaguars' Struggles

The Jacksonville Jaguars made numerous additions this offseason but are still 1-5. The root of their struggles is far deeper than what has happened on the field on Sundays.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (0) looks on during a combined NFL football training camp session between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ struggles this season have been made worse by the fact that they believed they made the necessary additions to be successful. However, through the season’s first six games, they either did not make the proper changes, or their coaching staff cannot get the most out of the players on the roster.

Sunday against the Chicago Bears, the Jaguars’ deficiencies were on full display, as many things went wrong. One of the most pressing issues the Jaguars had on Sunday was catching the ball. Jacksonville’s wide receivers dropped multiple passes that would have been touchdowns. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said issues such as dropped passes are something the team regularly works on.

“Well, obviously, that's something that we're aware of as a staff and constantly talk to our team about, one, about catches, about ball security, all those things,” Pederson said. “I think when it comes to catching the football, I think it's just the focus and concentration. It's just looking the ball into the tuck and  making sure that you clasp the football on contact and things of that nature. 

“But you get the  occasional drop in practice, but again, that's where the reinforcement comes in. The guys  want to get back and get that rep over again, make that catch or Trevor [QB Trevor  Lawrence] will take those guys to another field and work on those throws. That's really what  you've got to do, and you slowly kind of, week-by-week, kind of work yourself out of that  hole.” 

Pederson noted that while the drops have also happened in practice, the coaching staff does its best to correct the mistakes while in practice, so it does not happen on game days. Still, the Jaguars struggled with it against the Bears, and it cost them multiple touchdowns. 

“I wish I had a crystal ball to answer that question. Look, you see it in practice,” Pederson said. “Even when there's a mistake made, we go back and correct that mistake, right? It's that positive reinforcement. Then, sometimes, too, in a game – I don't know – I mean, listen, I'm not going to sit here and make excuses. 

“That's the wrong thing to do, but that's something we’ve got to figure out. We’ve got to figure that out together, honestly. Why that doesn't always translate – it's not all the time, but it is some of the time. And right now, the times that it doesn't, the opponent has an explosive play, run, or pass, and those are the moments that we've got to eliminate.”

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