The Houston Texans will be down a vital member of their defense after defensive back Jalen Pitre suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday’s 32-27 loss against the Tennessee Titans.
Will the Jacksonville Jaguars have the upper hand? It depends on the status of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who’s missed the last two games with a shoulder injury.
Lawrence, a former No. 1 overall pick, injured his left shoulder two weeks ago against the Philadelphia Eagles. He never exited the game, finishing 16 of 31 for 169 yards with two interceptions and running for two touchdowns.
For the past two weeks, the former Clemson has been held out in games vs. the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions, giving backup QB Mac Jones the start.
Will Sunday mark the third consecutive game he’s out? Here’s the latest surrounding Lawrence’s status against the Texans.
Trevor Lawrence injury update
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson told reporters Monday that Lawrence would return to the practice field after missing the last two games due to a non-throwing shoulder injury.
“Trevor’s going to practice today, and then we’ll see where he’s at from there,” Pederson said.
The fourth-year coach did not commit to Lawrence playing in Sunday’s matchup against the AFC South favorites, stating that he would only practice that day. Lawrence could be limited on Thursday and Friday, thus signaling that Jones could be the starter once more.
“We’ll see where Trevor’s at today, then he’s got tomorrow off. Come in and get treatment and see where he is at on Wednesday how he feels. He’s feeling better today, so that’s positive,” Pederson said.
Monday was a step forward for the franchise signal-caller. He hadn’t hit the practice field since Week 10 before the team’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Lawrence also didn’t practice at all in Week 11 before the team’s game against the Detroit Lions and was limited during the team’s bye.
Trevor Lawrence injury history
Since being drafted out of Clemson in 2021, Lawrence has started 59 of a possible 62 games. He previously missed Week 17 of the 2023 season against the Carolina Panthers due to injury.
Lawrence sustained ankle, knee, shoulder and head injuries during the 2023 season and missed most of the team’s practices, whether completely or limited, during the final six games of the year. He only missed one game, however, before the 2024 campaign.
Who would start in place of Lawrence?
Should Lawrence miss a third game, Jones is expected to start. While the numbers are underwhelming, Jones hasn’t been the biggest problem for Jacksonville’s woes amid a 2-9 season.
While he does have a 0-2 record as a starter, Jones has completed 60.78% of his passes for 249 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions. The Jaguars have totaled 13 combined points over the last two matchups in losses to the Vikings and Lions.
Trevor Lawrence stats
Even before the injury, Lawrence’s fourth year had been a roller coaster of sorts. In nine games, Lawrence has completed 61.3% of his passes for 2,004 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.
In Lawrence’s last five games, he completed 67.76% of his passes for 1,276 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
Jaguars depth chart
Here’s what the Jaguars’ depth chart is going into Sunday’s matchup against the Texans at home. With a win, Jacksonville would survive a playoff elimination for at least another week.
- QB1: Trevor Lawrence (O-shoulder)
- QB2: Mac Jones
- QB3: C.J. Beathard
- Practice squad: John Rhys Plumlee
Kickoff from EverBank Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.