A Closer Look at Trevor Lawrence’s Consistent Preparation and Its Impacts

Despite the fluctuations in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ performance in recent weeks, Trevor Lawrence insists his routine hasn’t altered. He has maintained consistency in his film watching habits, his training schedule, and his daily activities at the Jacksonville Jaguars’ headquarters. This steady approach appears to have paid off, as Lawrence’s recent performances have been impressive, with only Detroit’s Jared Goff and Chicago’s Caleb Williams outperforming him in terms of completion percentage and QBR, respectively.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ Recent Track Record and Future Prospects

The Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off the season with a 0-4 record against teams whose combined current standing is 13-14 (Miami, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Houston). However, they managed to turn things around with a 2-1 record against Indianapolis, Chicago, and New England, whose combined standing is 9-11.

Lawrence’s Crucial Role in the Jaguars’ Success

Despite their 2-5 start, the Jaguars still have a chance to make the playoffs, though history isn’t on their side – only 11 out of 178 teams that began with a 2-5 record since 1990 have made it to the playoffs. However, Lawrence’s continued high-level play could significantly boost the team’s chances. This will be particularly crucial considering the upcoming challenges – the next five opposing teams have a combined record of 24-9, starting with Sunday’s home game against Green Bay (5-2).

Shared Perspectives on Lawrence’s Impact

Christian Kirk, the Jaguars’ receiver, shared his thoughts on Lawrence’s impact on the team, stating, “We will go as far as he takes us, and when he’s at his best, we’re really good and we’re hard to beat.” Kirk believes that Lawrence’s consistent performance will be instrumental in the team’s success. Therefore, the question remains, if Lawrence didn’t change his preparation strategy, what explains his improved performance in recent games?

Impressive Performance Boost in Recent Games: An Analysis

Lawrence’s Enhanced Accuracy

Over the last three matches, Lawrence’s performance has noticeably improved. His accuracy has seen a dramatic increase, he’s been receiving more effective shielding from his team, and he’s fully leveraging this positive trend. Lawrence has managed to successfully complete 74.2% of his passes in this recent run, a figure only surpassed by Goff (80%) who has played one game less due to the Lions’ bye in Week 5.

Lawrence’s throws have only been off target 6.8% of the time, making him the most accurate in the league during this period. His QBR (82.7) is second to none, with the exception of Williams’ (86.4). Despite only completing 53.3% of his passes in Weeks 1-4, which placed him above only Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson (50.6%), he has shown considerable improvement. If not for five dropped passes by the Jaguars in the last three games, Lawrence’s completion rate could have been even higher.

Lawrence’s Perspective on Consistency

Lawrence acknowledges the value of consistency in his game, stating, “I’m far from perfect and have had inconsistencies in my career. There will be challenging games in this league and times when things seem tough. However, striving for perfection is key even though it’s unattainable. The goal is to maintain as much consistency as possible.” He has actively been working on this aspect of his game over the previous year.

Improved Offensive Line Performance

Lawrence was sacked 12 times and hit 30 times in the first four matches. In contrast, he has been sacked just three times and hit 13 times in the last three. Despite the starting lineup remaining unchanged, his protection has noticeably improved. The only alteration occurred when Walker Little stepped up to play most of the last match at left tackle following Cam Robinson’s concussion.

In their recent victories over Indianapolis and New England, Lawrence was neither sacked nor hit more than four times. “Our aim each week,” said head coach Doug Pederson, “is to provide solid protection. Our team takes immense pride in this, and we’ve worked hard at it.” Pederson cited the stability of having the same five starters each week as a significant factor in the line’s ongoing improvement.

Lawrence on Team Cohesion

Lawrence views the team’s improved performance as a result of everyone coming together. “I think everyone’s just gelling together,” he said. “So, they’ve done a really nice job and we just need to continue this momentum.”

Lawrence’s Perseverance Through Challenging Starts

The Resilient Performance of Lawrence

Lawrence’s ability to bounce back from difficult beginnings has been evident once again. He kicked off the first half of the 2022 season with a 62.5% pass completion, scoring 9 touchdowns and throwing 9 interceptions, contributing to a 2-6 record. However, his performance improved remarkably between Weeks 9-18. He achieved a 69.7% pass completion rate (ranking second in the NFL) and scored 15 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions, boasting a 65.4 QBR (eighth in the NFL). This impressive performance spurred the Jaguars to a 7-2 record during this period, securing the AFC South title for the first time since 2017.

Lawrence’s Consistent Performance Amid Adversity

Lawrence maintained a consistent performance during the Jaguars’ 8-3 start to 2023, with a 61.5 QBR (ranked 10th in the NFL). He completed 67.3% of his passes and threw 12 touchdowns against 7 interceptions. However, during the last six weeks, his performance saw a slight dip, with 9 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and a completed 62.4% of passes. His QBR dropped to 44.8, and the Jaguars failed to win any of his starts. This downturn coincided with Lawrence battling concussion, ankle, and shoulder injuries.

Endorsement from NFL Nation and Teammates

Lawrence’s ability to grapple with adversity has earned him praise from his teammates and the NFL Nation. Evan Engram, the team’s tight end, commended Lawrence’s resilience. He lauded Lawrence’s determination to improve with every setback, demonstrating that things don’t always go as planned. The challenges that come with the position, Engram explained, only motivate Lawrence to work harder and shut out the noise.

Lawrence’s Future with the Jaguars

Even though Lawrence doesn’t view himself as a streaky player, head coach Pederson acknowledged his improved performance over the past three weeks. Pederson expressed his hope for Lawrence’s streak to continue, citing it as crucial for the Jaguars’ recovery from their 2-5 start. “Let’s hope he’s streaky and he gets on a streak, right?” Pederson remarked. He further praised Lawrence’s continuous growth and dedication towards learning, acknowledging it was only his third year in this system and position. He concluded, “So he is doing a great job for us, and like I said, I hope if this is him getting on a streak, let’s keep it going and let’s stay with the hot hand.”