The Jacksonville Jaguars are off to a good start to the regular season but aren't considered a serious contender yet. There are a couple reasons for that. For starters, it's still early, and they could slow down as the year progresses.
On top of that, their passing game isn't clicking, and that's partly because Trevor Lawrence hasn't improved as much as expected after a pair of injury-marred seasons.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, for one, believes that the fifth-year quarterback has looked good at times but has also left a bit to be desired.
The Jaguars need Trevor Lawrence to improve on the little things
Pete Prisco made an appearance on 1010 XL before the Kansas City Chiefs game. He said that Trevor Lawrence hasn't played up to his talent, noting that he's making mistakes a veteran signal-caller shouldn't be making.
"Some good, some bad. Not good enough. I thought it would be much better this year than where it is right now. That's not to say that there have been moments where he's looked good, but I just don't think that he's been in the rhythm yet. And it's, you know, it's not all his fault. The penalties, the pre-snap penalty, is awful. The receiver drops, terrible. And I think that's kind of hurt the rhythm of the entire offense, but he's got to be smarter, and the team has to be smarter."
Prisco continued, "You come to the line of scrimmage, it's late, getting the play call in on third-and-1, and you try and change the play, and you get a delay of game, and then the clock's running down again. You have to call a timeout. Those are things that a veteran quarterback shouldn't allow to happen, whether the play is late or whatever, take the time out, third-and-1 is so important in that scenario. So it's a lot of the little things."
"He's high with his passes at times, I don't think he's necessarily stepping into the ball, but I think it's common. I really and you know how I feel about Trevor, I do think it's coming, but if it doesn't come in the next four or five, six weeks, you got some worry. And I don't know if anybody in that building is saying that, but I know I'm looking at it from my standpoint, he's got to be better than where he is right now, if you're going to alleviate all those worries that not just me, but a lot of the national."
Trevor Lawrence is a work in progress
As Pete Prisco noted, not everything is doom and gloom, and the Jaguars' struggles in the passing game go beyond Trevor Lawrence. Drops have certainly been an issue. They didn't have any against the San Francisco 49ers but tallied 13 in the first three games. Similarly, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been unremarkable. On the other hand, No. 16 must also do his part. His timing has been off at times, and it looks like he hasn't gotten fully acquainted with Liam Coen's scheme.
The good news is that Lawrence showed improvement against the 49ers, completing a season-best 67.7 percent of his throws. It was also the first time he didn't throw a pick. It's also worth noting that the Clemson Tiger ditched the wristband this season, and part of his struggles may stem from still not getting used to wearing it. Once he gets comfortable, he should be able to hit his stride.
Ultimately, Trevor Lawrence is in a make-or-break year. He still has time to put it all together but will eventually need to prove that he's the long-term answer in Jacksonville. Having a great game against the Kansas City Chiefs would most definitely be a step in the right direction.