Doug Pederson was a savior for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He managed to turn the franchise culture around after one dark, infamous year under Urban Meyer, leading them to an unlikely divisional championship and postseason win.
The Jaguars finished the season quite strong. Their defense rose to the occasion more often than not, and Trevor Lawrence finally took that leap forward to prove why scouts were so high on him when he entered the league.
But now, the red-hot Jaguars will face their toughest challenge yet. They'll have to travel to Arrowhead Stadium to try and get past Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round.
NFL News: Doug Pederson Says The Season Has Been A Success
"We're one of four in the AFC left, and that says a lot about these guys," Pederson told the Jaguars website. "Whether it's house money or our money, we're here," the Head Coach continued.
"[Arrowhead Stadium] It's a great atmosphere," Pederson admitted. "We have to embrace it. No one expects us to do anything, so go play, have fun, enjoy the moment and let's see what happens. We've put ourselves in this position to be one of the four remaining AFC teams and you have a lot to play for."
"Whether we win, whether we lose, our season was a huge success from that standpoint: first year together, overcome a lot of adversity from last year to this year and pushing these guys through," he added.
"It's a credit to those players in the locker room and coaching staff, believing in each other, obviously working hard," Pederson concluded. "I try to block out the best I can with the team. You just block out the noise, you block out the negativity, whether it's lack of respect or whatever."
The Jaguars sure face an uphill battle next weekend, but they've shown that they won't back down from any challenge, and they cannot be counted out of any game. So, who knows? Crazier things have happened, for sure.
