Being the starting quarterback for an NFL team is a pretty stressful job. It can prove overwhelming even for veterans, let alone 22-year-olds.
But that’s the position Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence finds himself in. Despite a disappointing rookie season, expectations are high for Lawrence, largely because of what he did in the team’s season finale against Indianapolis.
He completed 71.9% of his passes (a season-high) while throwing for 223 yards and two touchdowns. In Lawrence’s first multi-touchdown game since Week 1, he and the Jaguars obliterated the Colts’ playoff hopes with a stunning win.
On the opposite sideline for that one was former Indy offensive assistant Press Taylor, who was just hired by Jags coach Doug Pederson to serve as the offensive coordinator in 2022.
In his introductory press conference on Friday, he said that Lawrence’s performance in that game said a lot about the young passer’s maturity.
“You know that’s the kind of the one thing that there’s an opportunity here with the Jaguars where everybody talks about the character that Trevor has,” Taylor said, according to The Florida Times-Union’s John Reid. ”I was fortunate and unfortunate that I was on the opposite sideline the last game of the year with a chance to make the playoffs and Trevor comes like he’s 20-of-25 (completions) in the first half, nine of 11 on third down and kind of lit us up.
”I definitely remember that. At the time, I had a bad taste in my mouth but now on this side of it, I’m like that was very encouraging to see. So I had an opportunity to watch him.”
Lawrence’s play in the finale certainly got the attention of the league, and ending the season that way was surely a big confidence booster for Lawrence after a disastrous season for the team all around.
He still needs more help around him, especially at receiver and along the offensive line, but Taylor seems to like the talent and character of the quarterback he will inherit in his new gig in Jacksonville.
