Tag: Brian Thomas Jr.

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears

The Jacksonville Jaguars are across the pond on their two-week trip abroad, preparing to face Chicago and New England in London. This week, they will be the designated away team against rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears. 

Jacksonville is coming off its first win of the season after an 0-4 start. Star signal-caller Trevor Lawrence turned in one of the best performances of his career in Sunday’s 37-34 win over Indianapolis, signaling a possible start of a steady stretch of games for the franchise quarterback.

However, the Bears will not be an easy matchup following a productive victory over the Carolina Panthers as Williams produced career-high numbers. 

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at some of the key matchups for Sunday’s matchup against the 3-2 Bears.

Jacksonville’s rushing offense vs. Chicago’s run defense

A constant of the Jaguars’ offense in 2024 has been their run game, which has begun to alternate between their one-two punch of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. The latter exploded last Sunday with a 103-yard game, including a long touchdown run that added another explosive element to Jacksonville’s offense.

While the Bears have played sound defense overall, their Achilles heel to this point has been to defend the run. They currently rank 18th in rushing yards allowed and 15th in rushing allowed, and at times have been pushed around in the trenches, failing to maintain gap discipline and fit the run.

Jacksonville must lean more into the run game this week. Their offensive line has generated movement at the line of scrimmage consistently for two straight weeks, helping them to second in rushing yards per play. 

Bigsby’s role is expanding and the advanced statistics show this. He currently ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards over expected with +142 despite playing in just four games, according to Next Gen Stats. He could be an impact player this Sunday and a crucial piece to Jacksonville’s path to success. 

Jaguars’ passing offense vs. Bears’ secondary

One of the promising signs last week was the Jaguars’ notable progression and improvement in the passing game. They used frequent play-action to open up the run game.

The passing game thrived, too, as Lawrence completed 28-of-34 passes for over 370 yards and two touchdowns. Jacksonville’s offensive line thrived and gave Lawrence ample time in yet another consistent performance.

However, the front five will face a Chicago defense featuring five defenders with double-digit pressures. The Bears’ defensive front owns a quick pressure rate that ranks seventh in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats.

The Bears are a heavy-man defense, which could pose problems for the Jaguars. Last week against Carolina, Chicago limited Andy Dalton to just 136 yards passing with very few outlets to work with.

Jacksonville has struggled against heavy man coverage units this season but with the recent usage of Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr., that could change this week.

Thomas has shown to be an explosive and reliable vertical threat while Kirk has been a separator savant in the slot. The good news for the Jaguars is that versatile tight end Evan Engram returns to the field for the first time since Week 1, giving them another quality piece to counter the Bears’ secondary.

Chicago’s top cornerback, Tyrique Stevenson, is not expected to suit up Sunday in London. His absence could allow Jacksonville to exploit some matchups for another explosive day.

Jacksonville’s defensive line vs. Chicago’s offensive line

Ryan Nielsen’s defense has struggled as of late with some significant letdowns throughout the last few weeks. His unit is now ranked near the bottom of the league in most categories. However, a slew of injuries to key players have led to some inconsistencies with the unit overall.

The Jaguars have a talented defensive line that deploys a constant rotation. They did get pushed around by the Colts last week but face a more favorable matchup against the Bears’ average offensive line.

Jacksonville edge rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen will be a handful. Next Gen Stats shows that after not having seven pressures in any game during his career, Walker has now had two consecutive games of over seven pressures, including three sacks in the Jaguars’ first win of the season. Hines-Allen has begun to emerge as well with back-to-back games of six-plus pressures.

Williams has not faired well against pressure and has put the ball in harm’s way often in an attempt to play hero ball. With Walker and Hines-Allen starting to heat up as of late, that could pose a problem for the rookie signal-caller.

While the Jaguars have succeeded lately on the offensive side of the trenches, the defensive side must step up again this weekend. If their pass rushers continue to have productive afternoons, the path to success against the Bears’ offense becomes much smoother. 

Brian Thomas Jr.: Third time’s the charm for Jaguars star to win ROTW?

Brian Thomas Jr.: Third time’s the charm for Jaguars star to win ROTW?

Third time’s the charm?

Jaguars rising star wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is up for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week award for the second week in a row and third time within the first five weeks of his debut season.

Thomas put together another electric performance in Week 5, catching five passes over eight targets for a single-game career-high 122 yards and one touchdown, an 85-yard score that gave Jacksonville a 10-7 lead over Indianapolis in the second quarter.

The Jaguars went on to beat the Colts, 37-34.

Thomas was also nominated for the award in Week 1 for his performance against Miami and Week 4 for his showing versus Houston, when he caught four passes for 47 yards and one touchdown, and six receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown paired with one rush for 13 yards, respectively.

Thomas has logged 22 receptions of 34 targets for 397 yards, the sixth-most in the NFL through Week 5, and three touchdowns, tied for sixth-most in the league, to begin his rookie year.

Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, Denver quarterback Bo Nix, Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams, New York running back Tyrone Tracy and Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers were nominated alongside Thomas.

Fans can vote for the NFL Rookie of the Week here.

Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr. combine for 85-yard Jaguars TD

The Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas Jr. combine for a long score

Doug Pederson and the Jacksonville Jaguars fans have been waiting for plays like this.

Trevor Lawrence looked for Brian Thomas Jr. and the rookie from LSU grabbed the pass and kept going for an 85-yard score against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Jaguars were up 10-7 as they looked for their first win.

All-22 review: How the Jaguars can beat the Colts

All-22 review: How the Jaguars can beat the Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 5 as the only winless team in the NFL following their 24-20 defeat at Houston last Sunday. 

But not all hope is lost in Jacksonville as the Jaguars head into a potentially favorable matchup against Indianapolis.

Jacksonville has not played functional, sound football this year, although we saw the Jaguars’ offensive identity begin to emerge in their loss to the Texans.

This offense can balance the run with a dose of play-action and can take advantage of favorable explosive mismatches. If the Jaguars want to avoid sinking to 0-5 this weekend, their offensive game plan from last week gives them the best chance to win.

Sunday presents a Colts team without star running back Jonathan Taylor, likely without starting quarterback Anthony Richardson and with an underperforming defense that could lend the Jaguars their first win of the season.

Jaguars Wire reviewed the All-22 to present a few ways for Jacksonville to secure a victory against Indianapolis. 

Lean on Trevor Lawrence and the rushing attack

The focus of this film review begins with the $275 million man, quarterback Trevor Lawrence, whose play is under scrutiny after a rough start to the season. It seems he is pressing as a passer, staring down targets and playing flat-footed at times. His footwork has certainly become a concern.

Lawrence has also shown to bail from clean pockets and put even more stress on his offense. Despite offering the pre-snap acumen required to operate as an NFL quarterback, he has been inconsistent with his post-snap awareness this season.

Some have called the former No. 1 draft selection “broken,” and while that might be the case right now, his issues are fixable.

Surprisingly enough, it is Lawrence and Jacksonville’s run game that makes the Jaguars go. If he can get into a stretch within games where he can play in rhythm more consistently, this unit will look much improved.

Using play-action more frequently could help with this as the Colts’ defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to go 21-for-35 with 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception against such calls this year.

Entering Sunday, the Colts rank dead-last in the NFL in yards-per-game allowed, next-to-last in rushing yards and rushes of 10-plus yards allowed, and 25th in passing yards allowed. 

Indianapolis’ defense has underperformed relative to its expectations which has cost the Colts games to this point. Jaguars running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby could be in for plenty of touches and big play opportunities, accordingly. 

Jacksonville enters the weekend ranked No. 2 in football in rushing yards per play and No. 9 in team rushes of 10-plus yards. This is an advantageous matchup for the Jaguars’ run game to explode onto the scene.

Jaguars’ improved trench play vs. Colts’ underperforming defensive front

One of the bright spots from Sunday’s loss to Houston was the steady improvement of Jacksonville’s offensive line and the trenches overall. In general, the Jaguars’ front five displayed better consistency in pass protection while opening up rushing lanes for Etienne and Bigsby. 

Offensive tackles Anton Harrison and Cam Robinson were specifically better, especially in their pass sets moving rushers beyond the arc and giving Lawrence clean pockets. The offensive line also did a better job handling games such as twists and stunts, displaying better communication on this front. 

However, when the offense looked to run a play-action with a set-slide protection, the line did not wash defenders out as cleanly as it needed to, allowing pressure on Lawrence almost immediately.

Still, this was the offensive line’s best performance of the season and the unit must build on it, especially against a subpar Colts defense.

Defensively, coordinator Ryan Nielsen knows how to make offenses one-dimensional. That’s what Jacksonville will have to do against Indianapolis’ rushing attack.

With players like linebacker Devin Lloyd and safety Darnell Savage Jr. expected to return from injury, the Jaguars should be able to limit the Colts’ big play opportunities on the ground.

The Jaguars’ consistent defensive line rotation has generated plenty of pressure from the four-man fronts deployed. Rookie interior lineman Maason Smith flashed at times against Houston, including an impressive swim move in the first quarter that got pressure on C.J. Stroud. He could present an intriguing rotational rush threat on passing downs against the Colts. 

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker were fantastic last Sunday with Walker producing a team-high seven pressures on 33 pass rushes and Hines-Allen recording six pressures on 19 rushes. Hines-Allen cleared concussion protocol on Saturday and is set to play.

Target Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. 

The Colts’ passing defense remains an underwhelming unit in 2024 and that should leave Kirk and Thomas licking their chops at the opportunity for a productive weekend. Indianapolis has allowed the fifth-most yards in downfield passing attempts at 13.3, per Next Gen Stats.

Kirk saw his targets increase from four and three in Weeks 1 and 2 respectively to 10 and 12 against Buffalo and Houston. Kirk is very good at setting up defenders with hesitation moves and fakes along with great short-area quickness.

Furthermore, Kirk is light on his feet and offers smooth acceleration in and out of breaks. He was open on almost every target last week. Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor must utilize him in motions and grant him free releases to create potential mismatches. 

Thomas is already the most talented playmaker on the roster four games into his career, as he flashed vertical separation and the necessary quickness to cut routes short and work back to the football.

Next Gen Stats shows Thomas is leading all rookies in deep directions and receiving yards this season while his average route depth is the third-deepest among first-year receivers. His 16.2 yards per catch rank No. 14 among all qualifying NFL pass-catchers. 

When Jacksonville attacks Indianapolis through the air Sunday, Trevor Lawrence needs to continue looking Kirk and Thomas’ way.

Panthers WR Xavier Legette nominated for Pepsi Rookie of the Week

Panthers WR Xavier Legette is up for the latest Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors.

Carolina Panthers wideout Xavier Legette could be riding a standout performance right into an award.

The 23-year-old receiver was named one of six nominees for the latest Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week honors. He is joined in consideration by quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams and fellow pass catchers Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Xavier Worthy.

Legette offered up his most productive game as a pro in the Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. This year’s 32nd overall pick reeled in six receptions for 66 yards and his first career touchdown while adding another 10 yards on a pair of rushing attempts.

He might have the vote of franchise great Luke Kuechly, who sang his praises on Monday’s episode of Up & Adams.

“His effort’s really good, his one-two’s really good,” Kuechly said. “We drafted a guy we wanted to run down the field, be fast, be physical and be a difficult guard for defensive backs.

“And watching him run his routes—I’ma go back to that glance—he pushed up on this DB, he got into his chest, he stemmed him, he snapped it off. Once that DB got behind him and he got him on his back, you’re not playing through Xavier Legette to get that ball.”

If you can vote for Legette here.

[lawrence-related id=697532,697095,697042]

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week again

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. up for NFL Rookie of the Week

Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is up for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week award for the second time in his young pro career, four games in.

Thomas’ showing in Jacksonville’s Week 4 loss to Houston — six receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown, paired with one rush for 13 yards — led to his nomination alongside quarterbacks, Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Chicago’s Caleb Williams, and fellow receivers, New York’s Malik Nabers, Kansas City’s Xavier Worthy and Carolina’s Xavier Legette.

The honor went to Daniels in Week 1, when Thomas was first under consideration after catching four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut against Miami.

Through four games, Jacksonville’s first-round, No. 23 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft has logged 17 receptions for 275 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 16.2 yards per grab.

“Each week, we challenge him as a staff, we challenge him more and more on his plate. I think we’re seeing, you’re seeing, obviously, the type of receiver that he is and why we drafted him,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said about Thomas on Monday.

“He’s, gosh, he’s such a competitor. I love that about him – the way he competes out there and he plays hard, he plays fast, he’ll go in there and block a safety if he has to. Nice job on the around yesterday. So, he’s very capable and we’re going to continue to keep throwing the ball this way.”

Fans can vote for NFL Rookie of the Week here.

Everything Doug Pederson said after Jaguars’ crushing loss vs. Texans

Everything Doug Pederson said after Jaguars’ crushing loss vs. Texans

Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson said it is “not time to start pointing fingers” following the Jaguars’ 24-20 collapse of a loss to the Texans and 0-4 start to the 2024 campaign.

However, if finger-pointing is bound to occur, Pederson suggested he is willing to take the heat — at least when it comes to Jacksonville’s coaching decisions.

“As coaches, we can’t go out there and make the plays, right?” Pederson said Sunday in response to a question regarding whether he would consider taking over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Press Taylor.

“It’s a two-way street, so you guys can sit here and point the finger all you want, and that’s fine. Point it right at me. I can take it, okay? I can take it. So, whatever you want to ask me, say, write, go ahead.”

Find everything Pederson said after the loss below.

On the Jaguars’ decision to go for it on 4th and 1:

DOUG PEDERSON: “It’s a moot point. It doesn’t matter now, so I’m not going to talk about it.”

On the absence of linebacker Devin Lloyd:

DOUG PEDERSON: “He just couldn’t make it.”

On Jacksonville’s performance in the second half:

DOUG PEDERSON: “We just made enough plays, got them off the field. Third downs were good for us, and they did a nice job there.”

On the Jaguars’ offensive performance against the Texans:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Could have been better. We missed some key plays in the game that probably could have turned the game differently, and we missed them. We’ve got to take a look at those and see where we can get better.”

On Pederson’s post-game message to the team:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Just tell them we’ve got to keep working, keep fighting. A lot of football ahead of us. It’s not time to start pointing fingers, just got to improve.”

On RB Travis Etienne Jr’s shoulder injury:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Fine.”

On the number of plays QB Trevor Lawrence missed on Sunday:

DOUG PEDERSON: “I’ve got to look at the tape. I couldn’t tell you offhand right now.”

On Jacksonville being so close to winning games:

DOUG PEDERSON: “We’re that close to flipping the switch, making more plays during the games. We’re not making them right now, and that’s what’s holding us back.”

On if Pederson is worried about his status as Jacksonville’s head coach after an 0-4 start: 

DOUG PEDERSON: “My status? I mean, no. That’s kind of a strange question, but okay.”

On if Pederson did not think the Jaguars could score on a 1st and Goal and if he chose to spread the yards out:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Yeah, I mean, you know, credit them. They did a great job keeping us out of the end zone.”

On what Pederson saw in Lawrence’s performance against Houston:

DOUG PEDERSON: “I thought he played well enough. He missed, obviously there were some plays out there we missed that you’d love to have back. Played tough, thought he saw the field extremely well, but there’s some plays that he can make, and we have to make them next time.”

On if Pederson liked how the Jaguars started the game:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Yes. Guys were in a good frame of mind, ready to go.”

On the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by WR Brian Thomas Jr:

DOUG PEDERSON: “I think it was just the action. It’s been flagged before this season, and you just got to be smarter. You can’t do that, especially after a big play.”

On if the Jaguars’ defense made adjustments at halftime or just played better:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Just played better. Got off the field on third down. It’s a great job.”

On what Pederson saw from LB Ventrell Miller today:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Played good. Obviously watch the film and grade it that way, but I thought there was some really big tackle for losses, him shooting the gap, appeared that he played good.”

On if DE Josh Hines-Allen has started the concussion protocol:

DOUG PEDERSON: “I’ll talk to Ferg (Jaguars vice president of player health and performance Jeff Ferguson), see what he says. But, I think so, yes.”

On if the mantra of “have fun, let loose” was too strong this week and affected the game:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Yes. Guys were loose, guys were ready to play. They were enjoying themselves pre-game, locker room, during the game. The sideline was energetic. They were in a good frame of mind.”

On if Pederson will consider taking over offensive play-calling:

DOUG PEDERSON: “For what? I thought [Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor] called a great game. As coaches, we can’t go out there and make the plays, right? It’s a two-way street, so you guys can sit here and point the finger all you want, and that’s fine. Point it right at me. I can take it, okay? I can take it. So, whatever you want to ask me, say, write, go ahead.”

On if Pederson could provide a voice of confidence by taking over play-calling:

DOUG PEDERSON: “Yeah, sure, okay. I’ll take it into consideration.”

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills

After starting the regular season 0-2, the Jacksonville Jaguars look to get in the win column for the first time this year as they travel to Buffalo for Monday Night Football in Week 3. 

This week the Jaguars are still searching for their identity on offense and are currently facing scrutiny for their inconsistent offensive execution and play-calling. This could prove detrimental in trying to keep up with the Bills, which feature one of the powerhouse offenses in the AFC, led by quarterback Josh Allen.

Week 3 of the regular season is now a must-win for the Jaguars and they must prove they can contend with top teams in the conference like the Bills. Finding their offensive identity and consistency will be key, and if they fail to do so at this crucial point of the season on the national stage, it will become fair to wonder if their issues can be fixed this year.

With that in mind, Jaguars Wire is here to identify three key matchups for Jacksonville’s Week 3 road matchup against Buffalo, which the Jaguars must win to avoid digging themselves into a deeper hole. 

Jaguars WR Christian Kirk vs. Bills’ linebackers and slot cornerback

Through two games, the Jaguars starting slot receiver has just two catches on seven targets for 29 yards. While it is early in the season, Kirk’s lack of significant targets has been concerning, especially amid Jacksonville’s offensive struggles. 

Yet, Monday night presents an opportunity for Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor and head coach Doug Pederson to get Kirk heavily involved in the offensive game plan.

The Bills’ man coverage rate this season is just 20 percent as they remain a zone-heavy, two-high safety team that will leave plenty of green grass. That creates an advantage for Kirk, who has a knack for identifying the soft spots in zone coverage. 

A top target in the middle of the field for quarterback Trevor Lawrence over the last two seasons, Kirk led the Jaguars with 1,108 receiving yards in 2022 and was on track for over 1,000 in 2023 before a Week 13, year-ending injury. He has proven productive and effective with an average target separation of over three yards in the last two seasons.

With linebacker Terrel Bernard and nickel corner Taron Johnson out for Monday night’s bout, Buffalo could be thin at both spots, meaning Jacksonville could open up its passing game with Kirk as the focal point.

Baylon Spector and Cam Lewis are expected to start in place of Bernard and Johnson, respectively.

Jacksonville’s defense vs. Buffalo’s offense

While the Jaguars’ offense has sputtered to this point, Jacksonville’s defense is respectable, and daring in coverage.

According to Next Gen Stats, Jacksonville aligned its outside corners in press coverage on 36 percent of snaps. That is the fourth-highest mark in the league, showing that defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen trusts his corners on an island.

The unit deploys Cover 1 coverage 53% of the time, per Hayden Winks, despite the absence of cornerback Tyson Campbell. Nielsen utilizes broad man coverage on 52.6 percent of opposing dropbacks, the highest rate in the NFL.

Thus far, passers are averaging 6.5 passing yards per play against the Jaguars, ranking No. 21 in the league. Quarterbacks are struggling to score through the air against Jacksonville, though, as Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa and Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson combined to throw for one touchdown in Weeks 1-2.

Jacksonville’s man coverage will be tested against arguably the best NFL signal-caller not named Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and his offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Monday night.

Next Gen Stats show Allen producing the lowest air yards per attempt of his career at 7.4 this season, despite his career-high 73.8% completion percentage through the first two games. This shows that Brady is allowing Allen to distribute the ball around the offense and trusting receivers to compete after the catch.

Considering how difficult Allen is to defend as both a passer and runner, there’s a possibility Nielsen could veer off his man coverage path and play more zone this week. Perhaps it is unlikely given his tendencies as a play-caller, but this is something to keep in mind ahead of Monday night.

Not only will Allen present a tough task, but so will tight end Dalton Kincaid, running back James Cook and receiver Khalil Shakir. The latter owns the highest catch rate of all wide receivers in the league at 88.7 percent.

If Jacksonville can force Allen into bad decisions against its man-heavy defense and limit his rushing opportunities, the Jaguars’ struggling offense should obtain more opportunities to find a rhythm compared to previous games.

Jacksonville’s offense vs. Buffalo’s defense 

While Kirk could be the focus of the Jaguars’ passing offense against the Bills, the unit must perform better situationally across the board in its attempt to establish an identity of any sort.

It starts up front. Lawrence’s protection must improve Monday night against a strong Bills pass rush featuring Von Miller and Gregory Rousseau.

Lawrence has been sacked on a league-high 11.5 percent of dropbacks this season, according to Next Gen Stats. Perhaps Lawrence is responsible for some of the pressure he has faced, but Pro Football Focus dings Jacksonville’s offensive line for allowing six of the seven sacks he has taken.

Next Gen Stats also notes the Jaguars own the third-worst time to pressure in the NFL in 2024, 2.57 seconds.

While explosive plays have occasionally popped up from the likes of running back Travis Etienne Jr. and rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr, the Jaguars must do a better job of winning on early downs to make third downs more manageable and become less reliant on chunk gains.

Jacksonville has converted just over 26% of its third-down attempts, the fifth-worst mark in the league ahead of Denver, Atlanta, Cleveland and Carolina. The offense will sail much smoother if it can improve drastically in this area.

The Jaguars will be without versatile tight end Evan Engram again this week after suffering a hamstring injury during pregame warmups last Sunday. His absence is why Kirk will be the X-factor for the Jaguars’ passing offense, paired with the Bills’ top linebacker and nickel cornerback out. 

Pederson cannot afford his team to fall to a 0-3 record. His defense is capable of helping win games, but it is Jacksonville’s offense, Pederson’s bread and butter, costing the Jaguars the most.

That has to change on Monday night.

Press Taylor: Jaguars rookie Brian Thomas Jr. has ‘proven he belongs’

Press Taylor: Jaguars rookie Brian Thomas Jr. has ‘proven he belongs’

Jacksonville’s offense has not met its expectations to begin the 2024 season. However, the unit has one feature it can write home about through two games: The immediate ascension of rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

Thomas ranks No. 3 among all rookie offensive skill players this year with 141 receiving yards — No. 2 when weighed against wide receivers only — and his 23.5 yards per reception rank No. 4, per Stathead.

His 66-yard catch and run against Cleveland in Week 2 is the longest play from scrimmage by a rookie yet this season.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor on Friday said Thomas’ immediate production to begin his NFL career marks proof that he belongs in the league.

“I think he’s proven he belongs. He’s proven that the moment’s not too big for him,” Taylor described Thomas’ performance thus far. “He’s done well against good players. That’s what we anticipated from him, but it is exciting to see.”

Per Pro Football Focus, Thomas caught two passes against former All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer and one apiece versus cornerback Kendall Fuller and linebacker David Long Jr. when Jacksonville faced Miami in Week 1, combining for 47 yards and the first touchdown of his career, scored with Poyer in primary coverage.

Last week versus Cleveland, Thomas logged his 66-yard grab against former first-round NFL draft pick Greg Newsome II and a 28-yard catch while matched up with 2023 Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Thomas paces Jacksonville receivers in yards and touchdowns this season, having caught quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s lone scoring throw, and is tied with Gabe Davis in receptions, over eight targets compared to Davis’ 10.

But while Taylor is impressed by what Thomas has done for the Jaguars’ offense through two games, he suggested the rookie still has development to do in order to become a more consistent player.

“Then again, like I’ve always said, I think there’s so much ahead for him,” Taylor expressed.

“Just how he’s going to grow each and every week. We’ve played two games. We’ve played 100 snaps. So, I think his future’s bright, and I think he’s going to grow right along with the offense, just being consistent down-in and down-out.”

Another big, perhaps more involved showing from Thomas could generate the boost the Jaguars (0-2) need for a win when they take on the Bills (2-0) in Buffalo for Monday Night Football in Week 3.

All-22 review: Jaguars’ concerning red zone sequence vs. Browns

All-22 review: Jaguars’ concerning red zone sequence vs. Browns

The Jacksonville Jaguars have started the season winless following this past weekend’s defeat to Cleveland at home, 18-13. 

This was yet another game where the Jaguars had opportunities to score but failed to produce.

One painful sequence stood out from the game: a goal-to-go situation late in the first half, during which Jacksonville had to take two timeouts and settled for a field goal due to a mix of communication issues and poor execution. 

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Trevor Lawrence addressed these issues in their respective post-game press conferences. Pederson pointed to situational awareness with the play clock running down.

“It can’t happen. It just can’t happen,” Pederson said.

Lawrence pointed out the team’s red-zone struggles as the Jaguars scored touchdowns on one-of-four trips inside the 20-yard line, noting some key plays from that key first-half drive and that they must do better in these situations.

“It’s just little details. We were in the red zone twice close, inside the 5-yard line and didn’t score,” said Lawrence, who completed just 14 of 30 pass attempts for 214 yards. “You can’t do that in this league. You’ve got to take advantage of those opportunities.”

Jaguars Wire took a closer look at what happened in this specific goal-to-go sequence and how it displays bigger problems for Jacksonville’s offense, a combination of mixed assignments and head-scratching decisions by personnel and coaching alike. 

What led the Jaguars to goal-to-go 


To set the scene, it was the second quarter of the game with the Browns up 10-0 following a field goal on their previous drive. The Jaguars took possession with 9:52 left in the first half.

This drive began with a play-action to draw Cleveland’s linebackers to the line of scrimmage and get Jacksonville tight end Brenton Strange open on a deep backside post. The route concept worked. 

However, wide receiver Gabe Davis was forced to block defensive end Za’Darius Smith and predictably got beat on the edge, forcing Lawrence to bail on Strange and complete a negative check-down play to Christian Kirk.

Jacksonville proceeded to pick up positive yardage on its next four plays: A 10-yard pass to Davis, a three-yard 3rd and 1 rush by running back Travis Etienne Jr., a 20-yard follow-up scamper by Etienne, and a three-yard run by running back D’Ernest Johnson.

Then another negative play occurred. As JP Acosta of SB Nation pointed out, this was a single-back stick concept that nearly turned into a disaster for Lawrence. Cleveland cornerback Martin Emerson almost secured the interception but dropped it while falling to the ground. 

The pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by linebacker Jordan Hicks. Still, it was on a line toward rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who needed to turn his head around quicker given how quickly the throw left Lawrence’s hand. This play was designed to create an easy third-down situation, and it nearly turned into a turnover.

Facing 3rd and 7 at Cleveland’s 35-yard line, Lawrence took off for a 33-yard gain to give Jacksonville first and goal at the two, marking one of the Jaguars’ biggest plays of the game. 

The field goal that should never have happened

The following three-play sequence encapsulates the issues Jacksonville currently faces offensively.

Before a first and goal run, Pederson is forced to call timeout due to the play clock running down, the first discombobulating domino to fall as the Jaguars were within five yards of the goal line. Lawrence took the blame for it.

‘The clock was rolling and it was after a big play. We didn’t have the urgency getting out of the huddle, getting up to the line and seeing the play clock,” Lawrence explained. “I own that one, and we took the first time-out.”

On first and goal, Jacksonville came out with 12 personnel – two tight ends, two wide receivers and one running back – and motioned Thomas right to left before the snap. 

The play-call was a dive between the tackles against an eight-man box. Center Mitch Morse did not climb to the second level to block Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, while left guard Ezra Cleveland only brushed him on his combo block.

Owusu-Koramoah filled the A-gap and recorded a tackle for loss on Etienne.

The next play is an example of a lack of executing assignments by one or multiple players, something that has plagued the team throughout the Pederson era, especially since the Jaguars began a 1-7 slide in Week 13 of last season. 

The Jaguars came out of the empty shotgun with 11 personnel – one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers. Lawrence discussed this specific play when asked about the red-zone issues Sunday afternoon.

“You look back at the drive earlier in the first half [when] we had the two time-outs … I think I missed Brian who was open, and then after that had to scramble,” Lawrence said.

It is good to see the franchise quarterback admit a mistake on a specific play like this. However, it did not help that his offense played from that specific formation in this area of the field, an empty look without additional blocking help.

While the play design and execution were good to start, Lawrence bailed from the pocket as he anticipated but did not necessarily face pressure, resulting in another missed opportunity for the Jaguars. 

Then, before third and goal, the Jaguars burned another timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty, a clear indication of poor communication which Lawrence verified post-game.

“It’s just communication. We’re getting in, getting in late, we’re trying to figure it out,” Lawrence said. “Obviously [tight end] Evan [Engram] went down today before the game, so some things changed, but it doesn’t matter. There’s no excuses. You’ve got to perform and you’ve got to be able to adjust.”

On third and goal after the timeout, the offense once again came out of 11 personnel. The formation is trips left with Thomas motioning left to right pre-snap to create doubles. 

Thomas and Strange run a bench concept to the right, while Davis and Kirk run crossers from the left. The issue here is that the play has Johnson chipping before running a delayed angle route to work from the right side of the field to the left.

As you can see above, there are no open receivers against the Browns’ Cover 1-hole defense, forcing Lawrence to attempt a tight window throw while Davis was not looking, which ended up behind the receiver and fell into the turf.

The initial pressure forced Lawrence to take an extra hitch and navigate the pocket, potentially delaying the pass’ delivery.

If anything, this is not an ideal play selection in this situation against this coverage, especially in a condensed field zone and against a Browns defense that is known for shutting down quality offenses.

After starting the sequence two yards from the goal line, the Jaguars settled for three points, four yards removed from the plane.

What to make of the goal-line sequence

This sequence and overall drive displayed a key element that Jacksonville is missing: An offensive identity. 

It has been difficult to decipher what the Jaguars’ offense is supposed to be or what they want to lean on through two games. Jacksonville’s apparent lack of vision for its offense is costing the club games, and casting a shadow over the strong performance of its defense to start the season.

Inconsistent play-calling and play choices in critical situations have been detrimental, whether it be on goal-to-go, third downs or even early downs. The Jaguars have also abandoned their successful under-center play-action passing game at times.

There are communication issues, missed assignments and a lack of discipline displayed on tape on numerous occasions dating back to last season.

Each factor was apparent in Jacksonville’s biggest missed opportunity against Cleveland, the above drive.