Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is Nervous, Excited for First NFL Game
Trevor Lawrence regularly displayed poise, confidence and a calm demeanor on the field when he was at Clemson.
What you might not have known is that he actually does get nervous. Heading into his first professional football game, the Tigers' former star quarterback revelated that it's normal before games to feel that way, and Sunday's Week 1 contest for the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Houston Texans at 1 p.m. will certainly get the anxiety up.
"I'm always a little nervous before every game, especially before the first game," Lawrence said to NFL media this week. "We played some preseason (games) and I was nervous before those, but first official game, starting a division game on the road, all of those things, I'll have a little bit of butterflies. That's just part of it. We'll be ready. It'll be fun."
Lawrence has also regularly overcome the nerves and has been a productive quarterback. He threw for over 10,000 yards and 90 touchdowns in three seasons at Clemson, went 34-2 as a starter and won the 2018 national championship. So the big stage is something the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is used to. The goal for Sunday is simple.
"Super important for all we've been working for, to get that first win under your belt, especially a division opponent, it's huge," Lawrence said. "It's a long season. You need all that confidence and to get it rolling so that's all our focus is on right now."
Lawrence certainly built his own momentum in his final preseason game, when he threw a pair of touchdowns in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys. Now, he'll look to carry that over against a Texans team many NFL pundits are picking to be the worst team in the league.
Last year, that title belonged to the Jaguars, who went 1-15, rebooted the franchise, hired former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and made Lawrence the focus of the organization. So much so that the team selected him as a team captain before making a start in the NFL.
"It's really cool, especially being a younger guy, just having that support from my teammates," Lawrence said. "Like I said (after) being named a starter and now a captain, nothing changes. Same expectation and now it's time to go out there and win some games. But I'm really excited. It's definitely an honor and it's a cool moment for me to be named a captain with those other guys."
Lawrence is looking to get the Jags to a 1-0 start against a Texans defense that he described as "simple" but always in the right place. He said they do a good job of playing man coverage in the secondary, and that Houston forced 10 turnovers in three preseason games, so protecting the ball will be vital.
Lawrence won't be going up against former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Texans' franchise player who won't be active this week, so that has helped make Jacksonville open as a 3-point favorite on the road, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Lawrence is excited to take that first hit and get involved in the game, and the entire Jacksonville fan base is ready to see a new direction, even though the first game is on the road.
“Your starting quarterback, really how that guy goes is how your team’s going to go,” Jacksonville offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. “We’re really excited about where Trevor’s at."
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