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Jacksonville Jaguars' fortunes have risen in tandem with offensive line's improvement
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- Jacksonville Jaguars' fortunes have risen in tandem with offensive line's improvement
Through three games of the NFL season, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was running for his life – again.
Lawrence was sacked 11 times by Miami , Cleveland and Buffalo, and was hit 21 times. That was ahead of last year's pace (six sacks, 16 quarterback hits through three games), a season in which Lawrence suffered multiple injuries, missed his first NFL game, had to leave two other games and was questionable in two others.
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However, the protection by the Jaguars' offensive line has improved dramatically over the last four games. Lawrence has been sacked only four times and hit 11 times during that span, and in Sunday's 32-16 victory over New England at London's Wembley Stadium, he was neither sacked nor hit for the second time in three weeks.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (4) scores a touchdown with guard Ezra Cleveland (76) pushing him forward as Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu (97) and cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) in pursuit during the third quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars edged the Colts on a field goal 37-34. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Combined with a 118-yard effort by Tank Bigsby and a victory, and it was like pitching a shutout for an offensive line.
"That's perfect," said guard Brandon Scherff. "Anytime we can keep [Lawrence] clean and protected and the running backs have holes like they do, because we know they're going to do it."
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Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said it's been a simple matter of the starting five linemen — center Mitch Morse, guards Scherff and Ezra Cleveland and tackles Cam Robinson and Anton Harrison — playing enough football together after a preseason in which Cleveland, Robinson and Harrison all had injuries.
But Pederson did say there was a message delivered that the line had to get better.
"I think it's a gradual process, but I know myself as the coach standing in front of the room. I do tell the guys, 'Hey, we have to coach better. We have to play better, and we're all in this together.'" Pederson said Wednesday during a news conference at the Miller Electric Center. "So, you make those sort of blanket statements to your team, but then at the same time once you get to practice field, we detail things as coaches better for the guys, maybe we simplify some things. Then for them, it's just repetition, right? It's the same five guys playing together all season and getting more continuity."
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And no one is more appreciative than Lawrence, who loves life in the pocket untouched and with a clean uniform.
"Those guys are playing great up front," he said on Wednesday before the Jaguars practiced. "It all starts there, not just [pass] protection but the running game too. It's a testament to the work they put in. Everybody's jelling together."
Brandon Scheff said communication is vital
Morse said the line is still "a work in progress, for sure."
But the 10-year veteran said all NFL teams see improvement on the offensive line as the season goes on, provided they can remain injury free.
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"I think every offensive line is going to say that throughout the league, as the season progresses," he said. "I think when we're all on the same page, we're all seeing the same thing ... it helps. Besides it's also schematics, getting the ball out of [Lawrence's] hands or helping out with play action ... giving us an opportunity to keep Trevor at least somewhat not as much under duress."
Scherff said an offensive line needs to play together until communication becomes more than verbal. He offered an example of how he and Harrison, the tackle next to him who was injured for a good portion of training camp, are able to work together.
"Anytime you can put those reps together with the same guys and build that cohesiveness, that's ways good," he said. "I know what Anton is going to do now. Instead of communicate, I kind of have a feel for what he's going to do and he's got a feel for what I'm going to do. So we can play a lot faster."
If Trevor Lawrence isn't sacked, the Jaguars usually win
There has always been a direct correlation between protecting an NFL quarterback and success. Since Lawrence arrived in 2021, the Jaguars have an 8-4 record in games where he doesn't get sacked and are 8-5 when he sustains two or fewer quarterback hits.
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And in 2022, Lawrence's most successful season to date in his career, he was sacked a career-low 27 times in leading the Jaguars to the AFC South title and a playoff game victory. He was sacked 32 times as a rookie in 2021 and 35 times last season.
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In Lawrence's 22 victories as a starting quarterback, he's averaged 1.3 sacks and 4.2 quarterback hits. In his 35 losses, he's averaged 2.3 sacks and 5.3 quarterback hits.
"The protection's been really good the last couple of weeks," Pederson said. "Our guys take a lot of pride, and we work at it. We work at it hard. Our coaches study our opponent and the type of blitzes and pressures that they're going to bring. Then we put our guys in it during the week, so it's just credit to all the guys just working hard."
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Jaguars run success also yields dividends
The improvement on the offensive line has also been evident with how the Jaguars have run the ball. Tank Bigsby has gained 100 or more yards in two of his last three games and the Jaguars are ninth in the NFL in rushing (124.2 yards per game) and tied for fourth in yards per carry (5.1).
Under Doug Pederson, the Jaguars are 14-9 when they run for 100 or more yards as a team and 6-3 when they run for 150 or more.
Tank Bigsby of the Jacksonville Jaguars (right) celebrates one of his two touchdowns on Oct. 20 against the New England Patriots with offensive tackle Anton Harrison.
When Travis Etienne or Bigsby have run for 100 or more yards, the Jaguars are 8-2.
The Jaguars offensive line took over the game in the second half and at one point 17 consecutive running plays were dialed up.
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"The run game last week was cool," Lawrence said. "Those guys feed off that and to see them really get rolling and dominate the run was fun to watch."
The Jaguars also dominated the line of scrimmage last week even with the early loss of Robinson to a concussion. Walker Little stepped in and the team didn't miss a beat.
"I really like the way Walker attacks the week as a professional," Morse said. "Just his poise, and the way he carried himself was pretty impressive. I thought that resonated with the rest of the guys when you see a guy come in that you know has confidence in himself and as well as the game plan and working with each other."
Green Bay will be more of challenge
All that said, in the team's two victories, the Colts defensive line was beat up and the Patriots line doesn't have an elite pass-rusher or run-stuffer.
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Green Bay presents a tougher test. The Packers are tied for eighth in the NFL in sacks with 20 are are doing it without a player among the top-30 individually. A dozen players have at least a half-sack, led by tackle Devonte Wyatt with three.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Eric Wilson (with ball) celebrates a fumble recovery during a Sept, 15 game against Indianapolis at Green Bay's Lambeau Stadium. Wilson leads the Packers with six tackles for losses.
Green Bay is sixth in the NFL in tackles behind the line of scrimmage with 39, and once again, it's a team effort, with linebacker Eric Wilson (six) tied for 17th in the league with 14 players.
The Packers are ninth in the league in allowing 4.3 yards per carry on running plays, with Wyatt and Kenny Clark clogging up the middle and linebackers Wilson, Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie cleaning up on the second level.
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But Green Bay's key defensive stat is turnovers: the Packers lead the NFL with 17 takeaways and are tied for third in turnover differential.
"They play hard, they play fast, they fly around," Lawrence said. "They get after the quarterback, they're good on third down ... there's a lot of challenges at every level. You can tell they're all on the same page."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars OL a big reason for improved Trevor Lawrence
