The Jacksonville Jaguars converted two of three fourth down attempts Sunday, only failing on a low-stakes one in the final 30 seconds of the game.
The gutsiest call was a fourth-and-three situation near the middle of the field on the Jaguars’ first offensive drive against the Indianapolis Colts. Jacksonville converted when Trevor Lawrence hit Zay Jones on a shallow cross for eight yards.
“I love it. I love it,” Lawrence said of Jaguars coach Doug Pederson choosing to go for it often on fourth down. “It’s awesome. I think it just builds confidence in the whole team when he’s willing — we’re on the — what was it today, we’re on the 50 and have a fourth-and-two and early in the game he’s willing to go for it.
“It just shows, one, he trusts our offense; two, he trusts our defense. If for some reason we don’t get it, he trusts our defense to hold up. I think all the way around, that’s the mindset is no, you’re not going to go for every fourth down, but we’re not scared to go for it. We know we’ve got the players to do it, and just being aggressive and instilling that confidence in the whole team.”
In Week 1, the Jaguars went for it on fourth down late in the second quarter, but turned the ball over downs when Travis Etienne dropped a ball near the goal line. It was the team’s only fourth down try in the 28-22 loss to the Washington Commanders.
During Pederson’s tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles, the team earned a reputation for aggressiveness and went for it on a league-leading 35 fourth downs in his last season.
