Jaguars vs. Lions: Trevor Lawrence Returns In Second Half, Throws Touchdown
Despite the Jaguars being down 30-6 by the time they first got the ball in Sunday's second-half, starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence returned to the field for Jacksonville after a scary first-half injury.
Lawrence, who started the game 9-of-19 for 124 yards, dropped back to pass in the final seconds of a 23-6 half. He was sacked by Detriot Lions defender James Houston from the blindside, with Houston grabbing Lawrence's lower-half and twisting as he went to the ground.
Lawrence, who the broadcast showed walk to the locker room with trainers on his power, went down and screamed in pain as he was hit and Houston rolled off of him. Houston was not flagged for the low hit on Lawrence.
Lawrence has played every snap in his career to this point outside of one snap against the Buffalo Bills last season.
Lawrence is the latest player to sustain a lower-body injury at Ford Field. Ford Field plays on slit film turf, which players have come out in droves to speak out against in recent weeks. NFLPA president JC Tretter says the turf has a statistically higher in-game injury rate compared to other synthetic surfaces like monofilament and dual fiber.
Lawrence ran onto the field shortly after the rest of the offense, warming up after the broadcast reported that head coach Doug Pederson said he still had a chance to play. Lawrence never missed a snap, leading the Jaguars on a 16-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown pass to Evan Engram.
“Turf wise? I don’t like playing on turf at all. All turf, I actually hate turf. It’s just bad on my bones, my bones are sore after every time," Jaguars starting safety Rayshawn Jenkins said after the bye week.
"My joints are literally sore after every time I play on turf. Yesterday, I played on grass, and it felt great. Practiced on a grass field and it felt good, turf I don’t like. There’s a lot of injuries that come with playing on turf and everything.”
