What Will It Take For Jaguars to Clean Up This Massive Issue?

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost their fourth game in a row on Sunday, falling to the Houston Texans. At 0-4, their offensive struggles can largely be blamed on one statistic.

Sep 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) jogs off the field after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had little success doing anything this season. They have lost four consecutive games to begin the season and are on a downward spiral. Although they played arguably the best game of the season on Sunday against the Houston Texans, they still left with another loss.

The Jaguars' offense has been arguably the team’s most significant problem this season. The unit’s inability to play complementary football has negatively impacted its defense and made its special teams unit essentially a non-factor.

The team’s woes on offense have many causes, but the Jaguars’ failures on third down have been costly. After converting only four of their 12 third-down attempts, Coach Doug Pederson said the team must improve. 

“That's not good enough, we know that,” Pederson said. “That's not good enough, and that's something we're going to take a look at. I felt like early in the game, though, we were better in third-down, manageable situations. We missed the big one early.”

Pederson noted the team’s multifaceted issues on third down. He pointed out that the correct plays were called numerous times, and the players failed to execute. However, Pederson also acknowledged wide receivers Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. for their contributions on third down against the Texans.

“We had Christian [WR Christian Kirk] behind the defense, and we just overthrew it,” Pederson said. “Those are huge plays. We came back later. We made the connection with Christian on third down. BT [WR Brian Thomas Jr.] had a huge third-down reception. I think it was third-and-10. But things that we've got to be better there. Protection really for 99 percent of the game was really good. 

“I thought Trevor [QB Trevor Lawrence] was clean most of the game up until there at the end when they were doing some exotic pressures. But I thought protection was good, and even on those third downs.” 

The Jaguars have struggled on offense every game this season, primarily because they have struggled to convert on third downs.

This has led to short drives, low time of possession, and an 0-4 start to the season. They must improve in this area if they want to turn around a season that is headed nowhere, fast.

Our Jaguars on SI beat writer John Shipley requested 15 minutes to sit down and discuss with general manager Trent Baalke the future of the franchise.

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