Things weren't looking great for the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of their Week 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. After all, most of the issues that have held them back through the season showed up in the humiliating loss to the Houston Texans. Then again, hitting rock bottom might've been the wake-up call the Jags needed to put it all together.
Following the meltdown against Houston, Jacksonville dominated the Chargers on its way to a 35-6 win. Although the Jags dominated in all three phases of the game, Trevor Lawrence, in particular, stood out because he made plays with his arm and legs. In retrospect, Liam Coen's comments about cutting it loose paid off, but that's not the only reason No. 16 shone.
Aside from letting it rip, Lawrence's improved play may be the result of a crucial tweak he made for the Los Angeles game.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence ditched his wristband in the win vs. the Chargers
Trevor Lawrence used a situational wristband in the win over the Chargers. He looked more decisive, and his decision-making looked sharper than it did in recent weeks. He had stopped wearing it early in the season because it helped him visualize plays better.
Coen was certainly pleased with the tweak, telling reporters that it allowed Lawrence to play faster (1:17 mark). The fifth-year quarterback, for his part, said that the decision to wear a wristband was something they had previously discussed, noting that he felt it let him huddle up more quickly. Below's the skinny.
"Yeah, it was something that we had talked about earlier in the season, potentially doing it, and then just gotten used to not using it, so we stayed away from it," Lawrence told the local media after the win. "And then, after last week, we felt like we were kind of down on the play clock couple times. And we just decided, hey, 'let's do it for situational stuff, third down, red zone, some other, some other things, and some of the longer calls,' and just try to get the operation moving a little quicker."
Lawrence continued, "Maybe limit some of the penalties, just because we're getting to the line a little late. So I think it helped today. I feel like we got all the huddle pretty quick. There's still some stuff we can work on of getting in and out and getting up there, and we got a few off late. But I thought it helped, for sure."
Lawrence completed 63.6 percent of his throws for 153 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Chargers. He also tallied nine yards with one touchdown on five runs.
Trevor Lawrence must build off of the win vs. the Chargers
Back in 2022, Trevor Lawrence got hot in the second half of the season and helped the Jaguars make a playoff push. He has a similar opportunity now, and if going back to the wristband helps, so be it.
Now, it's worth noting that the Jags had a lead nearly all the game, and the running game took plenty of pressure off Lawrence's shoulders. He'll need to show he can put the team on his shoulders if needed in future matchups.
Ultimately, Trevor Lawrence deserves praise for doing enough to help the Jaguars win. He must keep playing like that week in and week out. If he does, the Jaguars' odds of making the playoffs will continue to go up.