Doug Pederson: In a game like this, getting behind just isn’t a recipe for success

AFC Wild Card Playoffs - Los Angeles Chargers v Jacksonville Jaguars
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In the last two weeks, the Jaguars have gotten down 10-0 to the Titans and 27-0 to the Chargers.

Jacksonville has been resilient in these two games, having won both to continue its 2022 season. But the team’s head coach Doug Pederson would sure like o get off to a better start against the Chiefs on Saturday afternoon. And Pederson said on Thursday that he feels like his club is due for just that.

“We are. You always try to go into every game and try to start fast,” Pederson said in his press conference. “Hasn’t been that way probably going back to the Houston game [in Week 17], probably, when we got off to a quick start there.

“You want to do that. Games like this, everything is on the line. You don’t want to get behind, especially against good teams. It’s just not a recipe for success.”

That being said, the Jaguars have shown resiliency in being able to fight their way back when trailing.

“It’s good and it isn’t,” Pederson said. “I don’t necessarily want to be behind in football games, but it’s good in a way that the guys never quit. They’re, I guess, just storing things up as the game goes, and finally the switch goes on, and you start playing football.

“That’s obviously not the way we want to draw it up. We’d love to start fast and finish faster. It is a credit to the guys, though, for hanging in there in some of these games.”

Given that they finished with the league’s top offense in 2022, one would figure that the Chiefs will put up some points against the Jaguars. We’ll see if Jacksonville can weather the storm, make some plays, and come out on top once again on Saturday.

7 responses to “Doug Pederson: In a game like this, getting behind just isn’t a recipe for success

  1. I remember in the Del Rio era in the AFC south when the game plan was to keep Peyton Manning and the Colts offense on the sidelines and dominate the time of possession with a stout running game.

    We did that. And usually lost handily.

    The Jags must score touchdowns early and often if this is to be close.

  2. Yes absolutely. The running game / screen game of KC is actually very good now. So at the beginning of games or when they are winning it’s really hard to stop the KC offense. If the Jags can somehow get up two scores early. KC will abandon the running game prematurely, and Mahomes will pass every down. At that point it’s up to the pass rush. But that’s the way to beat KC.

  3. Love Doug. Love Mahomes. But I smell an upset. Only DP has the sack to go into KC and actually win.

  4. The jaguars are gonna be a problem next year. Imagine if that team stays on track, they’re only adding a top 10 receiver in Calvin Ridley. They’re a great example of how to build around a young talented QB

  5. We’re watching Trevor Lawrence grow up right before our eyes. He reminds me so much of a young Terry Bradshaw. More natural ability than perhaps any QB in history, and just now starting to get rolling. Last year in Jacksonville was a year like none of us have probably ever seen, so this is like a rookie year for Lawrence, but also the entire team had to learn new defensive and offensive schemes. You could see it starting to come together by about week 10. Once Terry Bradshaw figured out a little bit about what defenses were trying to do, he was unstoppable. I’m thinking we might see the same thing happen with Lawrence. He hasn’t even scratched the surface. He’ll get way, way better. We see what Joe Burrow is doing in Cincinnati. We’ll see the same thing in Jacksonville. Get used to seeing these QB’s in the pot-season. The AFC is rich with elite QB’s. Mahomes has been a little beat up the last couple post-seasons, but he looks better than ever right now. Physically and mentally. We’re in for a treat, folks!

  6. The jaguars are gonna be a problem next year. Imagine if that team stays on track, they’re already adding a top 10 receiver in Calvin Ridley. They’re a great example of how to build a solid core around a young talented QB. Would not be surprised if the Jaguars are in the running for a top 3 seed in the AFC next season. They’re really not far off in the talent department. Amazing how the top 2 picks affected the NFL landscape with Walker’s team getting in and Aiden Hutchinson’s Lions barely missing out

  7. Visor Boy running his trap. I hope the smirks that he and his Dog Face QB have at pre-game are pounded to the back of their helmets at the end.

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