What Trevor Lawrence's Stellar Emergence Really Means for Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are riding high on a four-game winning streak, securing their third nine-win season in four years, this time under a new regime that has them five games over .500 for the first time since 2023.

Jacksonville dominated in all phases in their battle for sole possession of first-place in the AFC South, defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 36-19. Head coach Liam Coen secured a winning record in his first season with the Jaguars, but it was quarterback Trevor Lawrence who stole the show with his best performance of the season.

Coen on Lawrence's performance vs. Colts

Lawrence Jags — 1Dec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) leaves the field following a game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Jaguars franchise quarterback played to the talent level many expected him to at this point in his career, throwing for 244 yards and two touchdowns on 17 of 30 passing attempts. He was fearless, throwing the ball downfield, attacking the seams, and the middle of the field at a high rate. For the first time all season, it seemed as though the Jaguars unlocked a critical aspect of their offense: the downfield passing game.

"[It was] huge, huge," Coen said after the game. "When you can attack every blade of grass, it is something that, ultimately, we want to be able to do. To get BTJ [Brian Thomas Jr.] going down the field vertically, some great throws and catches from those guys."

Thomas Jags — Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) hauls in a pass as Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II (23) pressures him in the third quarter during an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. Jaguars won 36-19. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Adding this new element of the vertical passing game allows Coen and Lawrence to be that much more aggressive in the final four games of the season, in a critical month in the league calendar. Jacksonville must maintain its possession of first place in the division. Ultimately, on Sunday, it came down to a few pass-catchers who made plays downfield for the Jaguars' offense.

Coen acknowledged that while much of their passing games is about attacking the intermediates and creating voids for yards after the catch, his wideouts were the ones making plays.

Patrick Jags — Dec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Tim Patrick (17) runs after the catch against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

"Tim Patrick made a few big plays down the field as well," Coen said. "You know, that's a huge part of this game is being able to stretch people vertically.

"So much of our pass game has been a little bit more intermediate in trying to create more zones and catch and run, and these guys just made plays today in a lot of ways.  Like those weren't phenomenally schemed up plays. Those are our players going out and being special."

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