What Would a Loss to the Raiders Mean For Jaguars' Doug Pederson?

Would a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders truly seal the fate for Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson?

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson looks on during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jets held off the Jaguars 32-25. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For all intents and purposes, the Jacksonville Jaguars' season ended a long time ago.

The Jaguars' playoff hopes were dashed long before December. The ability to end the year on a strong note has already been negated by frustrating second-half losses at home to teams the Jaguars should have beat.

In many ways, the Jaguars can't stoop any lower than their 3-11 record. They entered the season with playoff hopes, but they have instead been one of the worst teams in the NFL from Week 1 on. They were the last team to win their first game in the regular season, not earning a mark in the win column until they skated by the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5.

The combined record of the only three teams the Jaguars have beat this year? 12-30 (0.287%).

The Jaguars' record in one-score games? 2-8, the worst in the NFL.

The Jaguars have done nothing to impress in 2024. Nothing to show owner Shad Khan that this is the regime that will right the ship. In every way imaginable, this is as bad as things get. Right?

Well, not quite. As always in the NFL, things can always get worse. And that is just as true for the Jaguars this week as it ever has been.

The one way the 2024 Jaguars can get even lower is by losing this week to the lowly raiders. Even with four offensive starters on injured reserve, the Jaguars' talent level on paper still blows the Raiders out of the water.

The Jaguars were supposed to compete for meaningful football games this year. That is what Khan was sold. And with that being his preseason expectation, could anything potentially dim his outlook on the team more than a loss to the Raiders?

The Raiders have been that bad in 2024, setting the mark for the true cellar of the NFL. Even with multiple starters not in the game, there is no reason this Jaguars team should even flirt with a loss.

But what if they do?

If that happens, it would be reasonable to think the thin thread that head coach Doug Pederson is currently clinging to would officially be cut. There would be nowhere else to hide, no other way to sell Khan the idea that he is the right man for the job in 2025 and beyond.

There is a real chance Khan is already leaning toward replacing Pederson considering the team's 3-11 record. At this point, it almost seems like a given. But in Jacksonville, even givens aren't official until they are.

But if Pederson's Jaguars sink so low that they can't pick up a win against the worst team in the NFL, then any chance Pederson might have to stick around might be snuffed out entirely.

And if that is the case, who could blame Khan for making a big change in a matter of two weeks.

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