By Hays Carlyon
Thank for nothing, Frank Gore.
We were all so excited when you made that first down leading the New York Jets to a critical victory over the Los Angeles Rams back on Dec. 20, 2020.
Trevor Lawrence, then the Clemson superstar quarterback and hyped as best prospect in a decade, was now on a direct path to the Jaguars with the No. 1 pick.
Our excitement was at a maximum. Finally, the answer was here. Ready to bring the Jaguars out of the doldrums and at least to NFL respectability if not the elite.
Now, 25 games into Lawrence’s tenure as the Jaguars starting quarterback there is little excitement.
We see a player with terrible instincts. A player with no feel for the game.
Lawrence once again cost the Jaguars a game on Sunday in a 21-17 loss to Denver in London’s Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars (2-6) have lost five consecutive games. In their six losses this season, Lawrence has been lousy in four of them.
Sunday’s performance was the most concerning going forward.
Lawrence made a colossal mistake in a 13-6 loss to Houston on Oct. 9, throwing an ill-advised pass that was intercepted in the end zone.
He obviously learned nothing.
Lawrence made an even more puzzling decision against the Broncos. The Jaguars held a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter and enjoyed a first-and-goal situation at the Broncos 1-yard line.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson called a pass. Lawrence rolled right, had nothing open, and instead of throwing the ball away forced a pass that Denver safety Justin Simmons intercepted in the end zone.
The chance to basically put the game away at 14-0 against a Denver team lifeless at that point was gone. So was the momentum.
Most college quarterbacks wouldn’t make this mistake twice in the same month. How could Lawrence possibly do that again so soon?
There would be other mistakes as well.
Lawrence had a chance late in the game after a Denver touchdown gave the Broncos a 21-17 lead with 1:43 to play in the game. On the first play, Lawrence threw an out route too far inside and was picked off by Broncos cornerback K’Waun Williams.
Lawrence is going to get the rest of this wasted season and all of 2023. That’s what being the first-overall pick buys you.
The Jaguars have to see what Lawrence can do in his second season under Pederson.
However, the time has come for Lawrence to elevate his play. He is too often the primary reason this team loses.
The pressure is now on Lawrence to prove he deserves the 2024 season.
Everyone forgave Lawrence for a suspect rookie season. However, this one isn’t going much better. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns with six interceptions, completing 62.5 percent of his passes. He’s run for three touchdowns but lost four fumbles.
Denver has an excellent defense, but Lawrence can’t gift wrap turnovers.
Lawrence might have generational athletic tools. However, his instincts for the game are at an elementary level and it has killed this Jaguars season.
My fear is those instincts can’t be radically improved, which would make Lawrence an above-average-at-best starter in this league.
The road to Lawrence becoming an elite franchise quarterback is getting foggier to see.
(You can email Hays at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @HaysCarlyon).
