By : Mike Rifkin
On Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the Dallas Cowboys 40-34 in Overtime. The Jags have won three out of the last four games and are one game behind the Titans in the AFC South. Last year the Jags were 3-14, and the Jaguars had won four games combined over the prior two seasons.
I can talk about all the talent that the Jags have accumulated through the draft and free agency, but the guy I am giving much credit to is new Head Coach Doug Pederson. Last year the Jags had a disastrous season under Urban Meyer. According to reports, Meyer was a bully to some players and even his assistant coaches. Under Pederson, the team looks different and has taken significant strides. Nobody has taken more significant strides than Trevor Lawrence, the number one pick in the 2021 draft, who already has thrown for double the number of touchdowns as he did as a rookie, thrown ten fewer interceptions, and has a higher completion percentage. But when you watch Lawrence, he is playing with an abundance of confidence, unlike last year, when he struggled.
Whether the Jaguars make the playoffs or not, they have taken massive strides this season, and a lot has to do with their new head coach and the confidence he has given his quarterback. If the game from Sunday were last season, the Jags would get run out of their stadium. But under Pederson, they found a way to come back and beat a good Cowboys team. Here might be the biggest compliment you can give Pederson and the Jags; nobody can say the Jags will be playing in a big game in Week 16. Over the next two weeks, the Jaguars play the Jets and Texans before a week 18 showdown with the Titans, which might be with the AFC South on the line.
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