Why Trevor Lawrence is rooting for the Chiefs to win Super Bowl LVII

Trevor Lawrence says he’s rooting for the Chiefs to beat the Eagles.

Trevor Lawrence made it clear in a letter to Jacksonville Jaguars fans that he’d much rather be playing this Sunday than watching Super Bowl LVII as a spectator. But Lawrence has spent his week doing the next best thing: making the media rounds and enjoying Phoenix, Ariz. in the lead up to the big game.

On Friday morning, Lawrence joined ESPN’s First Take to chat with Molly Qerim, Stephen A. Smith, and Ryan Clark about the Jaguars’ 2022 season. At the end of his interview, Lawrence was asked about his thoughts on the Sunday matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

“I gotta go with the Chiefs,” Lawrence said. “Just, AFC, the team that beat us — selfishly, I want the team that put us out to win it.”

Both the Chiefs and the Eagles got wins over the Jaguars during the regular season, but it was a 27-20 loss to Kansas City in the Divisional Round that eliminated Jacksonville.

Lawrence singled out the Kansas City defense as an underrated unit that could lead the way Sunday. Lawrence was sacked by times by the Chiefs in the first meeting and another two times in the Divisional Round. In the latter loss, the Jaguars turned the ball over twice in the fourth quarter to end much hope of a comeback.

Super Bowl LVII is scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

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Trevor Lawrence laughs off boos from South Carolina fans

South Carolina faithful aren’t fans of former Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was dominant in his three years at Clemson. During his prolific collegiate career, Lawrence led the Tigers to a national championship, a 38-2 record, and he earned All-American honors as a junior.

So naturally, he isn’t a favorite of fans of Clemson’s in-state rival, the South Carolina Gamecocks.

On Friday night, South Carolina met Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. And when the scoreboards showed a Jaguars promo that included plenty of clips of Lawrence, it drew a chorus of boos.

Lawrence found a video of those boos hilarious.

The tweet was Lawrence’s first since Sept. 9, two days before the 2022 regular season started for the Jaguars.

While South Carolina lost on Friday, so did Lawrence’s alma mater, Clemson, in the Orange Bowl. It was the sixth loss for the Tigers since Lawrence left to join the 2021 NFL Draft where he was picked first overall by the Jaguars.

Here’s every pass, run from Trevor Lawrence vs. Browns

Trevor Lawrence’s night against the Browns wasn’t perfect, but he made some great passes down the field and ended the night with a 104.5 rating.

The Jacksonville Jaguars couldn’t come up with a win Friday against the Cleveland Browns after getting off to a fast 13-0 start against them. However, their starters were able to get things going right out of the gate by not only scoring on their first drive, but their second (thanks to some help from the defense) and third drives, too.

Among the players who had a notable day was quarterback Trevor Lawrence. While he only completed 50% of his passes, those completions were huge, and he ultimately ended his night with 95 passing yards and a touchdown pass. He also had an 11-yard rush on the night.

Lawrence especially had a good connection with receiver Zay Jones, who brought in two passes on the night for 47 yards. One of those passes was the Jags’ first offensive play of the game, where Lawrence hit Jones for a 32 yard pass up the sideline.

With him sitting out of the Jags’ first preseason game, fans were anticipating his debut under new coach Doug Pederson. And while it wasn’t perfect, he left fans with plenty to be excited about heading forward.

Here is every throw and pass the second-year player made Friday night against the Browns.

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Chris Simms praises Trevor Lawrence’s mechanics and physique

NBC rarely has a chance to look at the Jags, but their crew had positive things to say about them all week. That includes Chris Simms, who was impressed by Trevor Lawrence.

After a rough 2021 rookie campaign, Trevor Lawrence’s development and performance are going to be very important this upcoming season. That’s why he’s put in the work to make a huge leap while the organization has also improved things around him. 

While Lawrence completed under 60% of his passes as a rookie, he still provided various highlight moments that made fans optimistic about his future. Others in the football community jumped on board with those fans after the Jags paired Lawrence with Doug Pederson and paid out the most guaranteed money in NFL history to improve the roster around him.

However, as of last week, Lawrence seems to have gained another believer (potentially) from the national journalism world. That analyst is NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, who got to see Lawrence up close last Thursday in the pregame process of the Hall of Fame Game. 

After observing the second-year quarterback for roughly 100 throws, Simms said he was impressed by Lawrence’s improved mechanics. He not only discussed it in the pregame process but also on his podcast.

The most notable part about Simms’ statements is that he’s a former NFL quarterback. He played in the NFL for eight seasons (2003-10), so he’s been around professional quarterbacks for a bit.

However, Simms isn’t the only one to comment on Lawrence’s mechanics. Pederson was asked about them too in camp and said he liked where Lawrence was in that regard of his game, though there were little things to tighten up.

“Mechanically, he’s sound,”  Pederson said last month. “I would say sound but a work in progress as well. One of his strengths is his arm and he’s a tall guy. He stands nice and tall in the pocket and keeps his eyes down the field. We just have to continue to work his base and making sure he’s on time and in rhythm on every throw.” 

Simms also praised the Jags overall roster in terms of having a physically gifted looking group overall. Only time will tell if they play to their potential, though, as they look to move away from the three-win season they had in 2021.

Watch: Trevor Lawrence, Travon Walker talk with NFL on NBC about upcoming season

NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor sat down with Trevor Lawrence and Travon Walker for two great interviews heading into Thursday’s game.

The Jacksonville Jaguars rarely get a chance to appear on NBC, but that will be the case Thursday as they will be participating in the Hall of Fame Game against the Las Vegas Raiders. This will mark the second time they’ve competed in the annual game, with the first time being in their inaugural season in 1995.

With that being the case, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and outside linebacker Travon Walker recently got to sit down with NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor to discuss their respective journeys so far in the NFL and the upcoming season.

In Taylor’s interview with Lawrence, he specifically discussed his growth both on and off the field after his first season in the NFL, overcoming adversity early in his career, and building a bond with teammates. As for Walker, he discussed the draft process before and after his selection, his relationship with fellow No. 1 pick Lawrence, and his mindset when on the gridiron.

To listen to both interviews, check out the links below.

Trevor Lawrence says he’s excited about offensive additions Jags made this offseason

“We have a lot of speed, a lot of talent, really two deep at pretty much every position,” Lawrence said Saturday.

While the Jacksonville Jaguars have been on the field for five training camp sessions so far, the excitement the fans have for Trevor Lawrence is still strong. However, they aren’t the only ones excited as he feels the same about the pieces the Jags have on offense around him.

Lawrence met with the media after Day 5’s practice session and discussed what he was most looking forward to with the offense.

“A lot of things, honestly,” Lawrence said. “I’d say just the amount of playmakers we have everywhere. And we have a lot of speed, a lot of talent, really two deep at pretty much every position. So you see that [on the field]. We got a few more young guys, too, this year that we can bring along and we brought in some older guys just to help boost this offense. 

“We look good, we’re really explosive, we are making plays. And like we talked about guys are just knowing their assignments, knowing their adjustments, I feel like it’s been really clean for the first week of camp. Usually you are having a lot more things to teach off of. And we still have plenty, but I’d say just the little things, feeling the zones on certain routes, all those things, the guys are doing a great job. We are trying to just keep adding to that.” 

While the front office didn’t have a perfect offseason, they certainly did make some upgrades to be excited about. Some heavily criticized them for the contract they gave veteran receiver Christian Kirk, but he does give the Jags a player who can help them with explosive playmaking down the field, especially from the slot.

Additionally, the Jags have a player in guard Brandon Scherff, who is a former five-time Pro Bowler and a former All-Pro as well. And while his health is a concern, he is a player who is significantly better than any guard the Jags had starting last season.

The Jags are also getting back some playmakers on offense who missed some or all of last season, too. One of them is Lawrence’s former Clemson teammate Travis Etienne, who Lawrence also discussed on Saturday, too.

“I think we’re in sync,” Lawrence said of Etienne. “You know, we were able to throw a little bit this offseason when he was in town and we’re able to get together. We have always had a good little relationship between us two. That is something that we didn’t lose. So we still have that and honestly just glad to have him back.

“He’s a big playmaker and just seeing him you know, working himself back you can see him starting to flash more and more every day. I’m just excited. I think you know, when September comes he’s going to be hitting his stride.” 

Etienne, who tore his Achilles last season, has been a standout in camp for the Jags because of his explosiveness and was a standout in organized team activities, too. Having his versatility coming out of the backfield should be huge for the unit, and it especially should help Lawrence as their connection has been strong dating back to their days before being drafted.

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Jags HC Doug Pederson on Trevor Lawrence: ‘He’s in a good place’

“He’s looked sharp, he’s looked crisp. He sees the field really well right now,” Pederson said about Lawrence before Day 4’s practice session.

The Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off Thursday’s camp session with Doug Pederson addressing the media for the second time this week. However, this time he’s had some time to evaluate the players on the field and discussed several players who’ve stood out in the first three days.

Of course, one of the players among those who Pederson spoke on was quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He said he was pleased with where the second-year signal-caller is as he’s been seeing the field well and commanding the offense as a leader should.

“He’s looked sharp, he’s looked crisp,” Pederson said Thursday morning. “He sees the field really well right now. He’s commanding the offense and he’s still in the growth mentality, which is exciting. He still wants to get better each and every day and we’re seeing that out of him. He’s leading not only by example, but being able to just go up to players to talk about routes or protections with the o-line or whatever it may be. He’s in a good place, it’s still early in camp but we like where he’s headed.”

While the pads haven’t gone on yet (that will happen on Sunday), it’s good to hear that Lawrence has started off camp on a high note as the Jags’ first preseason game is a week away. Then again, it shouldn’t be a surprise after the offense put in a lot of work during their pre-camp break, including a trip to the Bahamas where Lawrence got the skill players together.

According to News4Jax’s “Trevor tracker” for the first three days of camp, Lawrence is 35-of-42 when it comes to 7-on-7 (17-of-21) and 11-on-11 (18-of-21) drills. The second-year quarterback especially had a strong Day 2 where he was perfect and didn’t have a single incompletion aside from some in individual drills.

As for Lawrence’s mechanics, Pederson said he was pleased with where the young quarterback is there, too.

“Mechanically? He’s sound,” Pederson said. “I would say sound, but still a work in progress as well. One of his strengths is obviously his arm. He’s a tall guy and stands nice and tall in the pocket and he keeps his eyes down the field. We just got to continue to work his base and make sure he’s on time and  in rhythm with every throw.”

Lawrence cooled down a bit in Day 4’s session as the defense had a strong showing while the team worked on red zone situations. Simply put, that’s going to happen with a young quarterback. Overall, though, it’s clear the staff likes where Lawrence is, and it will be important for him to gradually improve throughout training camp as he’s in an important part of his development.

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Podcast: 4 things to watch during Jags training camp, chat with Trevor Lawrence

In the latest episode of @TDJaguarsPod, the crew discussed four questions they have going into training camp and released the audio version of our talk with Trevor Lawrence.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be reporting for training camp in a day as fans have been eagerly awaiting their return to the field. After a productive series of organized team activities, the team will look to pick up where they left off last month under new coach Doug Pederson.

To help everyone get prepared, Jags Wire contributor Phil Smith and I discussed the four major questions we have heading into camp as the team takes the field. Most of the questions we had were on the offensive side, but we also discussed one on the defensive side that involves where the unit must improve after ranking 23rd last season.

Afterward, we added the audio from our Q&A with Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence into the episode for those who haven’t gotten a chance to read the article. During the discussion, Lawrence talked about his work with the Jacksonville community through Gatorade, how OTAs went, his relationship with the coaches, and offseason plans to link up with the skill players.

To listen to the full episode, hit play below:

 

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Trevor Lawrence, Jags skill players bonding after linking up at Bahamas

Last week Trevor Lawrence told Jags Wire that he’d be linking up with the receivers soon. This week, those plans came together.

Training camp for the Jacksonville Jaguars will take place in a little less than a week and it appears their players have done a great job of staying in shape and bonding during their pre-camp break. We’ve seen social media post of both players from the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, which could mean the team will have no problem with picking up where they left off last month.

The latest group to link up were the skill players on the offensive side of the ball, as several receivers, tight ends, and even a fellow quarterback linked up with Trevor Lawrence to do some bonding in The Bahamas recently.

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Among those who specifically joined Lawrence were receivers Christian Kirk, Marvin Jones Jr., Laquon Treadwell, Marvin Jones Jr., Marvin Hall, Tim Jones, and Jeff Cotton Jr. Tight ends Evan Engram, Dan Arnold, Luke Farrell, and Chris Manhertz were there, too, as well as backup quarterback C.J. Beathard.

Lawrence’s trip with the team came after he told Jags Wire last week that he had something planned with the receivers this week. While he didn’t say where the team would be meeting he did say they would be hanging out together in the process.

I’ve been able to work with Laviska [Shenault],” Lawrence said last week when asked about his most recent workouts. “We’re both pretty much in Jacksonville full-time, so he’s been a guy that’s been around and we’ve got in some work. Jamal Agnew came out for the last workout, too. He’s back healthy, so it’s been nice to see him running around. Then with the other guys, we’re actually set up to all meet for a couple of days this coming week. We’re going to get together and work out and just kind of hang out for a couple of days and try to build that chemistry a little bit before camp starts.”

Lawrence will be looking to take another step this season after the Jags had a disastrous 2021 season under Urban Meyer. However, with a year under his belt that allowed him to start in every game, he seems to be doing everything right to start camp off fast.

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Jags QB Trevor Lawrence ranked atop ESPN’s second-year breakout players list

#Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence came in at the No. 1 spot of ESPN’s second-year breakout players list.

With training camp starting this week, many will be watching Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence as he enters his second season. This time, however, he will have a better situation around him as Urban Meyer has been replaced with a Super Bowl-winning coach in Doug Pederson.

The Jags’ decision to pair the No. 1 pick from the 2021 draft with Pederson is one the Jags have been praised for much of the offseason. The reason for that is because Pederson has shown he can coach the quarterback position well as fans witnessed during his last stop with the Philadelphia Eagles.

With Pederson now by his side, Lawrence is expected to take a positive step in the eyes of some. That includes Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner, who put Lawrence atop his list of second-year breakout players, which was posted on ESPN.

When discussing Lawrence, Renner pointed to the performance he had to close the season against the Indianapolis Colts, where he was 23-of-32 (71.9%) for 223 yards and two touchdowns against a respectable defense that had a lot to play for.

Lawrence showed in his rookie season why he was considered to be in such rarified air as a prospect. It just took until Week 18 for him to do so. In a meaningless game for the Jaguars, but one that meant everything to the Indianapolis Colts’ playoff aspirations, Lawrence didn’t flinch.

He delivered the second-highest passing grade any quarterback achieved against the Colts’ defense all season, trailing only Lamar Jackson’s absurd Week 5 outing when he went for 442 yards and four scores on 37-of-43 passing. Lawrence himself went 23-of-32 for 223 yards and two scores. That stat line would have even been better were it not for four drops from his receivers.

Lawrence’s performance in the season finale was arguably his best and gave fans a lot of hope because of the circumstances and the fact that it was against a divisional opponent he will see often. However, there were several other occasions where he previously flashed (most notably against Cincinnati and Miami). Those moments are why fans are optimistic about Lawrence despite his rookie season being a rough one overall.

Renner also pointed to Lawrence’s supporting cast, which didn’t help him much as the receivers dropped 37 passes, which was the second-highest total of any quarterback. That gave Lawrence a loss of 226 passing yards in 2021, and it left a lot of opportunities on the field for the offense.

The Jags didn’t have a perfect offseason but were able to add notables like Christian Kirk and Evan Engram to help the passing game, as well as former All-Pro and Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff. They also will be getting a speed weapon back in running back Travis Etienne, who missed the season with a Lisfranc injury.

These additions and a few others should help Lawrence take another step in 2022. It should also help the overall team at least double their win total as they registered three wins during his rookie season.

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment.