How the Jets Can Defeat Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence
The difference between Jacksonville's quarterback Trevor Lawrence on game film from last season to this season is noticeable.
Jaguars' first-year Head Coach Doug Pederson is the difference.
On Thursday night, the Jets will get to experience this differences firsthand, as Jacksonville visits MetLife Stadium.
Pederson has done a good job of recognizing Lawrence's strengths and weaknesses.
Going back and looking at Lawrence on game film last season, he looked out of sorts. Said another way, he looked like he was a beat or two out of rhythm with the rest of the band.
This season, Pederson is changing that.
Lawrence is getting rid of the ball faster and he is more deliberate in the pocket. Pederson is giving Lawrence less time to think and defenses less opportunity to confuse him.
These past three Jacksonville games have been an interesting study against DET (12-4), TEN (12-11) and DAL (12-18).
Lawrence noticeably struggled with his ball placement against the Lions while completing just 55% of his passes, and the Jaguars got clobbered by the Lions, 40-14.
The following week something changed midway through the Titans' game.
The offensive play calling began adjusting and as a result, Lawrences's completion percentage spiked to 71%.
What changed?
Pederson recognized Lawrence's need for larger downfield throwing windows, and responded by having Jacksonville's receivers run a lot more routes which featured distinct breakpoints.
This created larger throwing windows for Lawrence and it resulted in more success.
In addition to that adjustment, Pederson began keeping a receiving option, a safety valve, in close to Lawrence to dump it off to if things started breaking down.
This worked well.
Jacksonville took a similar approach in their game planning against Dallas this past Sunday, as Lawrence completed 64% of his passes in their biggest win since Lawrence was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Undoubtedly, Dallas studied the Tennessee game film. It showed in how they played defense. The Cowboys were able to break up a few or those Jaguars' pass routes which featured distinct inward and outward breakpoints. They were also all over a few of those short dump off passes from Lawrence, but not enough of them in a losing effort.
Jacksonville is riding high now, and they find themselves at 6-8 and only a game out of first-place in the AFC South.
Pederson has found a sweet spot in his offensive game planning as of late with Lawrence, and New York should fully expect to see a carbon copy of Pederson’s game plan from the Tennessee and Dallas games.
Jacksonville's offense is as simplistic as it is repetitive.
They build everything around their No. 10 ranked rushing attack.
Lawrence operates primarily out of shotgun formation and he either hands the ball off or he gives a token play-action fake on every passing attempt.
Sure, Lawrence can run a little, but he is not a true threat on his feet, and his incessant play-action fakes should be taken with a grain of salt by New York's defense.
Defeating the Jaguars begins by taking away Lawrence's security blanket, which is their ground game.
Shutting down the run game. led by the No. 10 ranked back in the game, Travis Etienne, needs to be the primary goal of the Jets' defense.
Lawrence's deep passing game has been nothing to write home about these past three games, as he has only hit one out of numerous attempts.
Make no mistake about it, Jacksonville's offense revolves around their ground attack and their short to intermediate quick hitting passing game.
Off-man and zone pass coverages don't work against Jacksonville, as Lawrence easily defeats any kind of coverage that gives him the larger throwing windows he craves.
New York will need to lock into tight-man press coverage and stick their rookie superstar cornerback Ahmad Gardner on Jacksonville's leading receiver, Christian Kirk.
New York must find a way to knock Lawrence out of rhythm.
That begins by suffocating their run game, and it ends by having cornerbacks who can smother those routes he loves to throw at the breakpoints.
MORE:
- Jets Explain What Went Wrong on Lions' Game-Winning Touchdown
- What Happened to the Jets' Pass Rush Against the Lions?
- 'Gotta Be Better': Zach Wilson Evaluates His Performance in Loss to Lions
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