The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ season in the NFL is, at this point, bordering on disappointing. With only two wins in eleven games, Doug Pederson‘s squad is among the lower-tier teams in the league. Regarding the reasons that led the team to this point, many have questioned the physical preparation, but the head coach defended his approach to the offseason.
Trevor Lawrence’s injury, along with the recent season-ending injury to Gabe Davis, and the latest crushing defeat to the Detroit Lions, have made Jacksonville’s current situation one of the most precarious in the league.
Doug Pederson was criticized for the demanding offseason he put his team through, with many attributing the team’s poor performance and physical decline to it. Regarding this situation, the head coach himself clarified his stance on the matter during a press conference.
“Look, I always tell the guys too, there’s no substitution for your hard work and preparation. This is a football game, a sport. It’s contact. You’ve got to put pads on. You’ve got to do those things to condition your body. The way camp, the schedule, the CBA, and the way everything is sort of laid out for us to do that once a week, twice a week at the most when camp starts, and really when pads come on,” Pederson stated.
Head coach Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at EverBank Stadium on November 10, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida.
“You’ve got to remember, too, we do both the bulk of our hitting before we play a game. And then we do maybe that second week because we do a joint practice, right? Then, after that, you’re kind of getting ready for Week 1. So, I’m very conscious of getting the guys ready,” he also added.
see also
NFL News: Andy Reid makes his feelings clear after Bills end Chiefs' undefeated streak
Pederson acknowledges his team’s physical decline
Although the Jaguars currently carry a challenging 2-9 record, they once even managed to challenge a fully healthy and athletic Miami Dolphins team. However, as the weeks have gone by and the losses have piled up, everything has quickly started to spiral downward.
“I mean, if you look at that Miami game, we were flying around,” Pederson stated. “We were fresh. Our guys were in great shape, right? So that’s the goal coming out of camp, which is being in that position. Now, as the season goes, right, the bodies wear down, wears on the mind. Losing, obviously, doesn’t help that, right? I guess it does kind of help that, right?“
The head coach finally concluded: “I mean, it just kind of fans the flame a little bit. And it’s hard. It’s hard to, each week, pick yourself back up when you’re defeated. I think it’s, again, a credit to the players for rolling up their sleeves each week, going to work, getting ready to play another football game, putting their bodies on the line one more time for themselves, for their families, for the fans, in order to win the game.”
Jaelan Phillips #15 of the Miami Dolphins sacks Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
What’s next for the Jacksonville Jaguars?
- vs Houston Texans, December 1st
- vs Tennessee Titans, December 8th
- vs New York Jets, December 15th
- vs Las Vegas Raiders, December 22nd
- vs Tennessee Titans, December 29th
