JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence believes the Jacksonville Jaguars can reverse course with one victory, maybe even with one drive or one play.
Coming off the most embarrassing primetime game in franchise history, the Jaguars (0-3) will try to rebound from the debacle at Houston (2-1) on Sunday. It’s a division matchup that follows a road game and a short week, far from the ideal scenario for a turnaround.
But Lawrence and coach Doug Pederson insist success isn’t as far off as it seemed during a 47-10 loss at Buffalo on Monday Night Football.
“It can turn quick,” Lawrence said Wednesday. “We just have to keep our head down and keep working. Stay loose, have fun, keep flying around. Don’t tighten up, don’t try to force the issue on making that one play that turns it. Just let it come to you.”
Nothing has come easy for Lawrence this season. He’s completing a career-low 52.8% of his passes for 560 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. He has been sacked 11 times, tied for the fifth-most in the NFL, and continues to make rookie mistakes in Year 4.
Lawrence has expressed his frustration — publicly, and behind the scenes. But he’s far from Jacksonville’s only problem: Pro Bowl tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) missed the last two games; a lack of playmakers, dropped passes, offensive predictability and woeful offensive line play also have contributed.
“You try to pinpoint exactly what it is,” Pederson said. “Is it him? Is it the team? Is it injuries? What is it? I think it’s everything. I think it’s a culmination of everything, something we’ve got to continue to work through.
“There’s going to be adversity in this league. You’re going to be faced with it year-in and year-out, but it’s how you bounce back from it, fight through it.”
Lawrence’s last 10 quarters have been downright brutal, with his completion percentage under 50%. He’s led the Jaguars to 13 points over the span. His frustration has been evident on the sideline and in the locker room.
But he insists he’s not pressing — just making mistakes.
“I think there’s been times where I’ve been a little undisciplined with my eyes,” Lawrence said. “I’ve maybe been a little sped up in some of my progressions. I think a few times my feet have gotten sloppy, have caused some of my passes to not go exactly where I wanted them to.
“I don’t think it’s been an issue of me trying to force the issue. … Just got to keep trusting it. Trust what I see, trust my progression and just get the ball to our playmakers.”
The return of Engram could help. He sat out practice Wednesday but expressed confidence he could return against the Texans.
“We just need guys to show up and play better,” Engram said. “We need our best players, our leaders, to show up and play better. I take accountability in that, in getting healthy so I can show up and do that.”
Lawrence has lost eight consecutive starts, dating to last season. Seven of those came without a key receiver: Christian Kirk down the stretch last season and Engram the last two weeks.
Like Lawrence, they think they’re on the verge of a turnaround.
“It’s just winning that first one,” Kirk said. “It’s just putting it all together and winning that first game and then we’ll see where we go from there. But I think winning a football game, especially in this league, can definitely provide a lot of confidence.”
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