Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence has elevated himself, teammates
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been playing confident football lately. Head coach Liam Coen explains what he’s seen from the QB.
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is not focused on any potential Coach of the Year talk.In his first season, Coen has led the team to a 9-4 record and more than doubled last year’s win total.The Jaguars are preparing for their upcoming home game against the New York Jets and are not overlooking them.
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is focused.
Not on the outside noise, whether it’s good or bad.
And certainly not where he stands in the Coach of the Year race.
“That’s the furthest thing from your brain at the moment,” Coen told reporters during his Dec. 10 media availability. “You’re so focused on the day-to-day, in terms of trying to keep getting better as a group. We’re learning so much every day that that’s not close.”
In his first season with the team, Coen had already more than doubled their win total from last season.
He has restructured the offense into one that has consistently put up points, averaging 30.3 points per game since the bye week. He has injected life into an organization that was once dead in the water.
Sitting at 9-4 with several winnable games remaining on the schedule, it’s expected that he’ll achieve double-digit regular season wins in his first year with the club.
It’s a feat that the organization hasn’t accomplished since 2017, when they made a run to the AFC title game against the New England Patriots.
If Coen has his way, the Jaguars will have similar success by the time this postseason rolls around.
Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t overlooking the New York Jets, focused on improvement
It’s not exactly a trap game because of the nature of the National Football League. But it’s certainly close.
The Jaguars will host the New York Jets on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. inside of EverBank Stadium after a big win against the Indianapolis Colts to take first place in the AFC South.
It was an emotional win for the Jaguars, who led wire-to-wire, but they’re on to the next game and fully focused on preparing for their next opponent. Which will be at home for consecutive weeks for the first time in a while.
“I think that from a schedule standpoint, especially for us as players and coaches and staff, it’s definitely a little helpful when you know that you’re going to head out west again soon,” Coen said. “So, it’s one of those things that you’re able to get into a little bit different routine, being at home for two weeks, and the guys, their schedule, their travel and all that is definitely helpful.”
The Jets come to town with a 3-3 record in their last six games after starting the year 0-7. They lost 34-10 against the Miami Dolphins last week and are looking to bounce back against the Jaguars.
They’re essentially in year zero of their rebuild after hiring Aaron Glenn this offseason and trading away two of their top players in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams.
Still, it’s an “Any Given Sunday” league as Coen was quick to remind his team.
“We just have no room for it at all. We’re just not in a place where we can say that,” he said. “When you’re trying to improve as a team, and there’s still a lot to continue to correct on tape, it allows us to keep coaching and to keep trying to improve as a team.
“Mature football teams don’t let any of that creep into our minds and into our thought process. And so that’s the message right now.”
While the Jaguars can’t afford to look past the Jets, they can’t help but recognize how crucial each game moving forward will be. With four contests remaining, they lead the AFC South narrowly. A loss by Jacksonville with a win by the Texans or Colts puts them tied for first place yet again.
So they’re going to try to keep this train rolling right along to the postseason.