Why Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence is Playing His Best Football

The Jacksonville Jaguars have accomplished two things in Week 15: secure their first 10-win season since 2017 and their first five-game winning streak in eight years.

Jacksonville is rolling under head coach Liam Coen, showing the world that they mean business and could be a challenge for teams in the postseason. There is an obvious culture shift, but the biggest storyline amongst the Jaguars has been the improvement from their most important player on the roster, Trevor Lawrence. He and long-time teammate and running back Travis Etienne Jr. made some blunt comments about his quarterback's play after Sunday's game.

Etienne on Lawrence's performance

Etienne Jags — Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

It was a career day for the two former Clemson teammates and standouts: Etienne caught a career-high three touchdowns against the New York Jets, while Lawrence threw a career-best five touchdowns with another one on the ground for an all-time Jaguars quarterback performance. The team's lead tailback saw confidence out of his quarterback on Sunday, saying that as he continues to grow, the sky is the limit.

"I feel like Trevor just continues to grow, continues to get better. Just the confidence, the swagger he's playing with," Etienne said. "He's locked in. He's commanding the field. He's commanding the offense. As long as he keeps doing that, the sky's the limit for us."

Lawrence Jags — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs off the field after the game of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Etienne's first full season of play was in 2022, the year in which Lawrence had a hot finish to the regular season on the way to a deep playoff run. While much has changed since that time, Etienne was asked if this time feels similar to the time when many saw the former Heisman finalist play at an elite level, to which he replied, "No, not at all," noting the big-time throw to Parker Washington.

"I don't think I've ever seen Trev like this. We won a national championship together and I feel like he's just out there on fire, man. He rolled out again and he just kind of stopped and just, Parker's down there somewhere, you know?" Etienne said, laughing. "He launched it and Parker made a great catch. I'm just grateful I'm on his team and the growth that I've seen from him is just unbelievable. It forces everybody else to step up their game as well."

Lawrence seemed to admit not knowing the last time he played this free on the gridiron, which has opened up the Jaguars' offense to the point where they look almost unstoppable. While he also admits there have been times when he has felt freedom as a thrower, the confidence is a new thing.

"Yeah, there's been times where I’ve felt that way and but definitely this is as confident as I've felt. Just the feeling in our locker room and our team and our offense," Lawrence said. "It's been fun. So we have to continue to build on that and can't get complacent. There's still a lot more ahead of us."

In a classic Lawrence way, he made sure to credit his teammates in the "we, not me" attitude that has served him and the Jaguars in more ways than one since he arrived five years ago. The former Pro Bowl quarterback said he and the team felt they had the right looks against the Jets while crediting the protection along the offensive line.

"I felt like we had a really good plan and guys just made a lot of plays down the field and I was able to give them opportunities. We were protected so good up front. That also helps," Lawrence explained. "You got a lot of time back there to distribute and let guys get open. Our group up front did a great job today. Again, no sacks today. That just doesn't happen often, and we've done it a lot this year. Proud of those guys up front, they've been playing great."

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