Jacksonville Jaguars in Crisis Mode After Embarrassing Loss
The Jacksonville Jaguars are reeling after another crushing defeat, this time at the hands of the Chicago Bears. The 35-16 loss has left the team with a dismal 1-5 record, and coach Doug Pederson is calling for a culture change.
“We’ve got to change right now,” Pederson said in a post-game interview. “It’s all of us – coaches, players, everybody. We’ve got to change that culture.” The alternative, he warned, is a season that spirals out of control.
Defensive Woes and Lack of Effort
Safety Andre Cisco revealed that defensive players quit in the second half of the game, a damning indictment of the team’s lack of effort. “It was really bad,” Cisco said. “I just feel like it was a lot of quit. Guys got to understand, when you’re out there, you’re really playing for your brother.”
Pederson had earlier praised the players’ effort, but Cisco’s comments suggest that there is a deeper issue at play. The defense, which was without two starters, gave up four touchdown passes to Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Mistakes and Missteps
The Jaguars have been unable to get out of their own way all season. The team has been plagued by controllable mistakes, including penalties, dropped passes, and turnovers. Against the Bears, they blitzed only six times and pressured Williams 10 times on his 32 dropbacks.
Must-Win Game Ahead
Pederson has labeled next Sunday’s game against New England at Wembley Stadium a must-win. “I would say so,” he said. “I would say everything here on out, quite frankly, [is a must-win]. If we want to get back to playing the type of football we know we can play, you’re going to have to win a lot of games moving forward.”
Playoff Chances Slim
The Jaguars’ chances of making the playoffs are low, with only four teams having rebounded from a 1-5 start to make the playoffs in the Super Bowl era. Owner Shad Khan still believes in Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, but the pressure is mounting.
Players Still Back Pederson
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence said he still believes in and supports Pederson. “That’s our head coach and we’re a team,” Lawrence said. “This is tough. Losing is hard… but it has nothing to do with that relationship [and] how we feel about Coach. We’re a group. We’re staying together and we know brighter days are ahead. We just have to keep working.”
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