When airports, streets or buildings are named to honor an individual it is typically thanks to a long record of accomplishment. Perhaps the Jacksonville Jaguars were trying to manifest greatness by temporarily rebranding their stadium around Trevor Lawerence over the weekend, but it was a move destined to be ridiculed. There were few smiles at TrEverBank Stadium on Sunday (not the Jags’ first weird attempt at a rebrand of Lawrence) as a sloppy Jacksonville fell to the Cleveland Browns 18-13. They are now are in trouble at 0-2.
“We suck right now,” Lawrence said (correctly) during his postgame press conference, referencing his offense. “I’ve got to play better. I’m the leader of the offense. It’s on me. The wideouts have to play better. The line has to play better. The running backs have to play better. The coaching has to be better.”
Lawrence is right to toss blame around but it really does start with the coaching. The head coach, Doug Pederson, and the offensive coordinator, Press Taylor, called such a bland playbook that Lawrence finished the first half with 16 passing yards. Credit to the Browns’ stifling defense but 16 passing yards in a half for a team helmed by Lawrence with his array of weapons should not be possible.
The mistakes flowed from start to finish. It took eons for Pederson and Press to get plays into Lawrence. And twice Pederson, who should be far more organized as a veteran coach, had to burn a time out to avoid the delay of game flag. Jacksonville also lost 10 seconds when they were flagged for an illegal shift with 48 seconds remaining from their own 33. That left them with a first and 15 from their own 39.
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Not that Lawrence has been great this season. In the first two weeks of the new campaign, Lawrence has had way too many misfires for someone once labeled a “generational talent.” The No 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft had his moments against the Browns, including a 66-yard strike to Brian Thomas that led to Jacksonville’s only touchdown, and a career-long 33-yard run on third and long that led to a field goal. And he avoided turning the ball over despite poor pass protection. He ended the day with 220 passing yards but only completed 14 of his 30 pass attempts, most of them short distances, was sacked four times, one of them a safety, and lost for the seventh time in eight games.
The glimpses of potential greatness are there – if anything they make his stumbles all the more frustrating – but his career has been about glimpses rather than long periods of outstanding play for too long. In Lawrence’s first three seasons in the NFL he has ranked 28th, 17th and 17th in QBR out of qualified quarterbacks. Those numbers would pass the smell test for a few NFL franchises, and the postseason run in 2022 was a nice feather for a historically dreadful franchise. But Lawrence was anointed the next Andrew Luck. The next Peyton Manning. Lawrence was supposed to be one of the league’s outstanding players. Instead, he has been … fine.
Jacksonville showed their continued belief in Lawrence in June when they gave him a five-year, $275m extension. But the Jags failed to surround their quarterback with much-needed protection, instead investing more on the defense. One key addition, the center Mitch Morse – signed in free agency – has been mediocre as evidenced by his role in the game-clinching safety for the Browns.
Despite the inherent gifts Lawrence possesses – his quick release and leadership – they’re not nearly enough to single-handedly morph a franchise into a perennial contender, as we have seen from the likes of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. They are most definitely not enough to be worthy of renaming the franchise’s home.
MVP of the week
Kyler Murray, quarterback, Arizona Cardinals. Speaking of former No 1 overall picks living up to their potential … Murray was sensational in Arizona’s 41-10 trouncing of the Los Angeles Rams. Muray was dripping with style points as he tossed three touchdowns, passed for 266 yards, and added 59 yards on the ground. He answered Marvin Harrison Jr fantasy owners’ calls and connected with the rookie wideout for two long touchdowns.
But it was Murray’s 18-yard touchdown strike to Elijah Higgins after escaping pressure on a third and five that grabbed the attention on an electrifying afternoon that saw him record a perfect passer rating.
Stat of the week
Six. The New Orleans Saints scored touchdowns on their first six drives in a 44-19 beat down of Dallas. Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara put on a clinic in how to execute Klint Kubiak’s shrewd offense. Carr’s deep strikes were beauties, including a 70-yard touchdown dart to Rashid Shaheed. Kamara dominated the outside run, executed his screens and found the endzone four times. The Saints’ o-line gave Carr plenty of time. Last week’s 40+ point performance came with a side of skepticism given that it was against the lowly Carolina Panthers. But now that the Saints have sliced up Micah Parsons and the Cowboys’ defense, they must be taken seriously as an early contender.
As for Dallas, their red zone woes continued, and Dak Prescott added two interceptions. They were simply outcoached and outplayed.
Video of the week
Will Levis is just begging us to have a Boneheaded Play of the Week category. Until then, you’ll just have to relish his latest flop in this space.
You would think that Levis would have learned his lesson after tossing the game-losing interception to Chicago from his knees in Week 1, but alas.
The Titans head coach, Brian Callahan, said what we all were thinking.
Elsewhere around the league
♦ There are regular losses. Then there are piercing, frustrating losses that will linger. Like the Cincinnati Bengals being on the brink of topping the Kansas City Chiefs on the road before giving away the game with stupid penalties and mistakes. The last flag was a 29-yard pass interference on the Bengals safety Daijahn Anthony in the final minute to set up Harrison Butker’s 51-yard game winner in a contest that ended 26-25. Joe Burrow, who outplayed Mahomes, was livid for much of the second-half and in the game’s aftermath. Burrow had to restrain Ja’Marr Chase after he got in an official’s face for a non-call and was dinged with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct. The Bengals also missed an extra-point in a game decided by the finest of margins. It was another Bengals-Chiefs classic, and another Cincy would love to do over.
♦ Calling this one Sam Darnold’s revenge game may be a stretch, but he had to be smiling after a 23-17 upset of the San Francisco 49ers, his most recent former team. Darnold mostly shone in an efficient outing, going 17-for-26 for 268 yards and two touchdowns. His 97-yard Darnold Dot to Justin Jefferson set the tone for the game. But it was Brian Flores’s stifling defense that stymied the defending NFC champions.
♦ Pity poor Justin Skule, who had the unenviable task of trying to contain the Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson on Sunday. Skule’s Bucs won the war 20-16 but Hutchinson undeniably won the battles, ending the game with 4.5 sacks. Sunday was also Hutchinson’s fourth straight game with a sack, tying the longest streak by a Lions player since sacks became an official stat in 1982, per ESPN Stats & Info. Baker Mayfield put in another gutsy performance and Tampa now stand at 2-0.
♦ Sometimes a QB neglects to throw the ball on third down for fear of losing field position or throwing a pick under pressure. But the Packers quarterback Malik Willis added a new excuse. Over to the Packers head coach Matt LaFleur: “I asked Malik why he didn’t throw the ball on that third down, he told me Josh threw up on the ball.” The Josh in question is the center Josh Myers, and for those that enjoy puke-related puns, Packers social media is the place to be.
♦ Harbaugh brothers update: Jim’s Chargers are off to a 2-0 start, while John’s Ravens have started 0-2. Just as we all predicted.
♦ After his much-ballyhooed TV debut was a flop, Tom Brady was back in the broadcast booth for the Saints’ clubbing of the Cowboys. In his first outing, Brady was a cliche-riddled mess. His nerves seeped through the screen and his cadence was off. But in one week, Brady turned it around. There were still plenty of cliches and stumbles, but Brady also offered real insight, with Fox letting him lean into his comfort zone: football nerdery. He was confident, comfortable and, at times, even appeared to be having fun. He may never eclipse Greg Olsen as the best Fox has to offer – his chemistry with co-commentator Kevin Burkhardt is still lacking – but it is typical of maniacally competitive Brady to turn in his strongest performance after dropping a dud the previous week.
