Trevor Lawrence throws four picks as Jaguars look more lost than ever

The Jaguars should have already fired Urban Meyer, in part because the Jaguars are also about to ruin Trevor Lawrence.

This isn’t all Trevor Lawrence’s fault.

The 2021 first overall draft pick out of Clemson has run headlong into a complete clown show with the Jaguars. Head coach Urban Meyer shouldn’t even have a job at this point. The decisions to pull running back James Robinson, the offense’s best player (and possibly the team’s best player) at weird times and for weird reasons continues to confuse. Offensive “masterminds” Brian Schottenheimer and Darrell Bevell are, between them, incapable of putting together route concepts that can test NFL defenses. And though the Jaguars’ defense is sneaky good at times, there isn’t enough good, and too much sneaky, to make a real impact.

Meyer’s latest series of self-made disasters were first reported by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network on Saturday, which put Meyer’s team in a tough spot against the Titans. Tennessee had the NFL’s worst defense by DVOA in the second half of the season, but that wasn’t going to matter against a Jaguars offense that literally ripe for the picking. As in, Lawrence threw four interceptions and (obviously) no touchdowns in a 20-0 disaster. Lawrence has now thrown nine touchdowns and 14 interceptions on the season, and there’s no accurate way to evaluate where he is in his own process given the forces arrayed against him.

The Jaguars had four drives in the first half. The first three ended in punts, and the fourth ended the half. Lawrence’s series of disasters started in Jacksonville’s first drive of the second half, when he tried to hit Laviska Shenault Jr. on a quick crosser, Shenault couldn’t hold on, and linebacker Rashaan Evans was in the right place at the right time.

Then, with 34 seconds left in the third quarter, Lawrence decided to share again. This time, he tried to connect with Tavon Austin, but this was doomed from the start. The Titans had a six-on-five rush on a blitz, the Jaguars were in empty, and though the Jaguars were in trips left, not one of those three receivers in trips ran anything short to help Lawrence out. Lawrence had the one option under pressure, the Titans knew it, and linebacker Javon Brown read it all the way.

Lawrence’s next pick came on the Jaguars’ next drive. This one, I have to put on Lawrence. He’s got third-and-8 from his own 31-yard line, and if he keeps the ball after getting flushed out of the pocket, he’s likely to run for a first down. Instead, a highly suspect decision to throw downfield to Jaydon Mickens, and defensive back Kristian Fulton was all over it.

The fourth Lawrence pick came with 3:44 left in the game. and this was just Lawrence throwing over the middle to Laquon Treadwell with Titans defenders converging from everywhere, and Buster Skrine winning the lottery. It was quite evident that the Jaguars’ rookie quarterback was out of answers based on his own experience, and it was even more evident that his coaches were not going to provide them.

A couple things are alarmingly evident at this point. If Jaguars owner Shad Khan retains Meyer beyond this season, it amounts to professional malpractice. And the Jaguars are pretty close to ruining one of the most talented quarterback prospects we’ve seen in quite some time.

What a complete, embarrassing, completely avoidable mess on all counts.