Why the Jaguars Are Trending Up, Actually

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost another close game. Does their increased competitiveness over the last few weeks mean they are trending upwards?

Nov 3, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) scores a touchdown past Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (32) during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars got off to another slow start Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it all cost them the game. Jacksonville failed to score a single point in the first half, and they lost by less than a touchdown.

The 28-23 loss to the Eagles showed the good, bad, and ugly of this year’s Jaguars team. 

It was the second week in a row the Jaguars failed to score in the first quarter. However, the Jaguars have struggled to score points in the first quarter all season. Not scoring in the first quarter is not a big problem, but it becomes troublesome once it has become a trend, as it has with the Jaguars.

Jacksonville’s poor starts to games have contributed to its 2-7 record this season. Five of the Jaguars’ seven losses have come by less than a touchdown. Head coach Doug Pederson noted the team's difficulty with the numerous close losses this season, especially the last two. 

“Well, it’s hard to process when you lose,” Pederson said. “But I do think there are some great players out there. And that’s one of them, [Jaguars DE] Travon’s [Walker] play, obviously. We capitalize on two 2-point conversions in the game. So, there are some good plays, you know? It’s just not consistent enough.”

The Jaguars' number of close losses this season speaks to how close the team is to winning games. However, the fact that they have so many losses also speaks to how much work the team needs to do. More importantly for the Jaguars’ front office, the roster also needs a significant overhaul. They have already started the process.

While Pederson is correct that the team is inconsistently making plays, that should not be the case nine games into the season. Injuries have played a role in the Jaguars' disappointing season, but that also speaks to the roster overhaul they need. 

With the trade deadline looming, the Jaguars should consider what value they could get for some of their talented players. Doing so would allow Jacksonville to set itself up for success in the immediate future while still getting fair trade value.

The Jaguars must take a thorough look at its roster and make the decisions that are necessary to make sure this type of season does not happen again next year.

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