The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the 2023 season with high expectations. After a thrilling Wild Card comeback win against the Los Angeles Chargers in January, quarterback Trevor Lawrence was poised to continue his ascent and establish himself as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks. However, the 2024 season did not go as planned for the Jags, as they stumbled and fell short of their playoff aspirations.
A four-game losing streak in December marked the beginning of their downfall. Despite having a built-in advantage as the only playoff-ready team in their division, the Jaguars couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities. In their regular season finale against the Tennessee Titans, a win would have secured their playoff spot. However, they failed to deliver, losing 20-28 to a Titans team with a losing record.
The Jaguars’ loss to the Titans was a microcosm of their season. They entered the final week of the regular season with a 90 percent chance of winning the division, but they squandered their advantages. The Titans, who had been oscillating between playoff contention and planning for the future, proved to be too much for the Jaguars to handle.
One of the main disappointments of the season was the lackluster connection between Trevor Lawrence and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Ridley, who missed the 2022 season due to a suspension related to gambling, was expected to provide a boost to the offense. However, the Lawrence-Ridley connection never hit its stride, and their season ended on a disappointing note.
Lawrence’s performance in the final game of the season highlighted some of the concerns surrounding his development. While he showed flashes of brilliance, he also threw a pair of interceptions and failed to engineer enough scoring drives. Heading into an offseason where he’ll be negotiating a contract extension, Lawrence still has much to prove in terms of elevating the Jaguars’ offense to the next level.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, the Jaguars face a different landscape in their division. The Houston Texans, who were reeling from Deshaun Watson’s forced exit, have emerged as the en vogue team, and their rookie quarterback CJ Stroud has separated himself from Lawrence as one of the next generation’s top quarterbacks.
Lawrence’s contract extension will soon come into play, and the Jaguars’ window to build a talented roster around him will start to dwindle. In a league where circumstances change rapidly, Lawrence finds himself at a crossroads. He has shown promise, but he has yet to fully live up to the hype that surrounded him as the highest-graded quarterback prospect in a decade.
The 2024 season was a disappointment for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence. As they reflect on their missed playoff opportunities, they must address the issues that held them back and find a way to maximize Lawrence’s potential. Otherwise, their window of opportunity may close sooner than expected.
