Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence continues to look more and more like the player he was drafted to be each week. After avoiding turnovers in a Week 4 loss to Cincinnati, he only had one at the very end of a decisive loss to Tennessee last week.
In total, he tossed for 273 yards, a touchdown and a pick. Lawrence’s progress is clear, even if the team is 0-5 to start the season. And for the second week in a row, he received positive feedback from the critics.
Sporting News’ Joe Rivera gave Lawrence a “B” grade for his performance in Week 5.
The Titans’ bad defense may have been just what the doctor ordered for Trevor Lawrence and the Jags. It didn’t result in a win, but Lawrence continues to grow and learn the NFL.
While the Jags remain winless on the season, Lawrence had another step forward in a game behind an offensive line that isn’t doing him many favors. Lawrence has also begun to use his legs more — aside from a questionable fourth-and-goal play when the team wouldn’t opt for a QB sneak that would have put points on the board.
That cause some questions following the game to Urban Meyer and Lawrence, who seem a bit on opposite ends of the spectrum. Lawrence’s lone interception on the day came with time running out when the game was already out of hand.
With the organizational tumult surrounding Lawrence, it’s pretty impressive he’s played as well as he has this season — and it looks like he’s improving, too.
Pro Football Focus, however, is less optimistic. In Week 5, Lawrence earned just a 45.2 grade from PFF, which is below his 50.4 grade for the season. That ranks last among rookie quarterbacks.
A week ago, we were speculating whether Lawrence had turned a corner in his rookie season after an impressive game against Cincinnati, but this week was another mistake-riddled performance from him and the Jaguars. Lawrence threw two interceptions in the end zone, and even though one was nullified by a defensive hold and the other came very late in the game, each was a poor decision that cost his team points. He is now in sole possession of the most turnover-worthy plays in the league this season (11), and though he has flashed impressive plays every game, they haven’t come frequently enough to offset those major mistakes that are a near-weekly occurrence.
Lawrence’s play hasn’t been terrible through the first five games, and he’s showing steady progress. But his decision-making is still lagging behind a bit, and he needs to improve in that regard moving forward.