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Despite losing four of their last five games, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars still had an opportunity to make the playoffs. They must beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 18 to win the AFC South and earn home-field advantage during the Wild Card Round.
They couldn't seal the deal as they came up short against Tennessee. Doug Pederson's job security is in question after Jacksonville finished the season at 1-5 after starting at 8-3. From looking like an elite team in the American Football Conference, uncertainty looms over the franchise coming into the offseason.
While several reasons contributed to their collapse, there are glaring factors that caused a chain effect on other aspects of their game. Correcting these mistakes could have painted a different picture.
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3 reasons for the Jaguars' monumental collapse
The Florida-based team started selling tickets for the NFL playoffs even if they hadn't clinched their berth. It's a social media post that didn't age well, as the team missed out despite winning eight of their first 11 games.
While it's easy to focus on what they've done wrong in Week 18 against the Tennessee Titans, that's not where the season was ultimately. Certain truths build a holistic narrative of their shocking downfall.
1. Playing undisciplined football cost the Jaguars some games
This season, taking care of the ball has been the Jaguars' calling card. They have the fourth-fewest penalties (83) and third-fewest penalties throughout the regular season. However, two penalties in separate games have turned the tide against Jacksonville.
In their Week 13 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, quarterback C.J. Beathard connected with Calvin Ridley for a 43-yard pass. That play brought them to the Bengals' two-yard line with 6:19 left in overtime. Unfortunately, a holding call on offensive tackle Anton Harrison wiped away that gain.
Instead, they replayed third down from the Bengals' 45 but needed at least 17 yards to earn a fresh set of downs. Had the pass from Beathard to Ridley stuck, Jacksonville would have been in an excellent position to score the game-winning touchdown and reach double-digit victories.
The same unfortunate fate happened in Week 18 against the Titans. Travis Etienne brought the ball to Tennessee's four-yard line after a 14-yard run. That's a good scoring position for a touchdown, but tight end Brenton Strange was caught holding.
Tying the game at 28 after a touchdown and a two-point conversation could have given them more time to steal the victory. Instead, they burned more time even if they made it to the Titans' one-yard line.
2. The Jaguars couldn't stop the run
Jacksonville finished the season as the ninth-best team in stopping the run, allowing 103.1 rushing yards per game. However, three opponents that defeated them at the home stretch went above that average.
The Jaguars surrendered 156 yards and three touchdowns to the Bengals' run game in their 34-31 Week 13 overtime loss. Two weeks later, they allowed 251 rushing yards and a touchdown to the Baltimore Ravens, including 97 yards from Lamar Jackson.
In their season finale, Derrick Henry had 153 of the Titans' 175 rushing yards, while Tyjae Spears added a rushing score from three carries. Failing to maintain their identity as one of the best run-stopping teams prevented them from advancing to the playoffs.
3. Trevor Lawrence's passing inaccuracy persisted
The former first overall draft selection finished the 2023 season with a 65.6 completion percentage. He also had five games wherein he completed at least 75 percent of his throws. But down the stretch, Lawrence had three games wherein his accuracy dropped below 60 percent.
He had a 56 percent rate in Week 14 versus the Cleveland Browns, 58.1 in Week 15 against the Ravens, and 58.6 in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His inability to consistently find his targets led to losses in those games.
Likewise, Lawrence had seven interceptions in his last four games when he had seven in his first 12 games. His injuries might have hindered him from performing better. Though great quarterbacks know how to adjust when things aren't going well. He couldn't adjust thus, leading the Jaguars to an early exit.
