Ryan O'Halloran, Jacksonville Florida Times-UnionMon, November 24, 2025 at 10:08 AM UTC·6 min readGLENDALE, Ariz. – They whooped, cursed, yelled and cheered and then whooped, cursed, yelled and cheered some more in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ locker room after their 27-24 overtime win/survival test over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Nov. 23.
It was a celebration for the defense and special teams … and should have been a moment of relief for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who committed a season-high four turnovers (three interceptions) in the biggest step backward of his fifth pro season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLawrence threw three touchdowns, but how can anybody who works for, cheers for or is around the Jaguars feel good about No. 16 after watching him against the Cardinals? How can they not feel that the playoff hopes for this upstart team may be compromised by his turnovers?
Coach Liam Coen and upper management may not want to hear this, but …
The Jaguars have a Trevor Lawrence Problem.
They can’t keep winning in spite of him. They aren’t good enough to pull multiple rabbits out of their helmets. Few teams are.
Often times, the truth hurts, but there really isn’t another conclusion to be drawn after the Jaguars somehow escaped the desert with a win.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLawrence, whose 11 interceptions are now third-most in the NFL, can’t continue to be as careless with his football security and decision-making for the Jaguars to stay in the playoff hunt. It was that bad against an Arizona team which had six interceptions in its first 10 games.
“Definitely not ideal and probably not a recipe to win every week,” Lawrence said.
Four Donws: Jacksonville Jaguars get full Trevor Lawrence experience in OT victory
The Jaguars enter Thanksgiving Week with a 7-4 record and the AFC’s sixth seed. They will be favored to reach at least 10 wins and quality for the playoffs … so long as their quarterback stops having four-turnover games.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Jaguars closed Indianapolis’ AFC South lead to one game. Forget a wild card spot, the Jaguars should have legitimate division champion aspirations … so long as their quarterback stops committing end zone turnovers.
The Jaguars are 3-1 since returning from the bye and have finally cranked up their pass rush. They could be a force ... so long as their quarterback isn’t handing the opponent defensive touchdowns or short fields.
“We’re not going to apologize for winning around here,” Coen said even though nobody asked him to. “You always feel multiple emotions after a game, but winning is what matters.”
Winning is what matters, but the Jaguars can’t keep trying to win like this.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA game of teases, tricks
The thing with Lawrence is the tease aspect. An on-the-button throw or maneuver around the pocket to buy time or keep the football to run for yardage. Unique athleticism for a quarterback.
Just look at the game’s first drive. Lawrence lofted a great 30-yard pass to tight end Brenton Strange and two plays later, threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to running back Travis Etienne. The 97-yard drive was the longest of the season.
Excited, weren’t you? Lawrence tricked you.
On the next drive, Lawrence didn’t see blitzing safety Jalen Thompson from his front side and fumbled as he was sacked; the Cardinals’ Walter Nolen returned it 7 yards for a touchdown.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThings got really bad in the third quarter, but not until after a brief tease. Lawrence completed passes of 15, 12 and 24 yards, giving the Jaguars first down at the Cardinals’ 6.
Pumped up, weren’t you? He tricked you. Again.
Lawrence was intercepted in the end zone on a pass that was tipped by old friend Calais Campbell. Receiver Jakobi Meyers was wide open on a slant. Blame Lawrence? Yes. Don’t throw the ball in a spot where it can be tipped.
The rollercoaster ride was just beginning. The teasing. The tricking. All to the point where it’s becoming normal, which makes it maddening.
“I was just like, ‘Dude, just keep chucking it, man,’” Coen said. “He was bummed. He was (ticked) about it. But he kept saying, confidently, ‘I feel good. I’m throwing it good. I’m seeing it good.’”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLawrence rebounded with a nifty 10-yard touchdown pass to Meyers, nifty because two Cardinals were bearing down on him unblocked. The Jaguars led 17-14.
But then two more interceptions. After a timeout, the play clock was still at zero when a rushed Lawrence looked for Meyers over the middle, but was intercepted by linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither. Two possessions later, safety Budda Baker read Lawrence’s eyes and knifed in front of receiver Austin Trammell for the interception.
Lawrence threw a 9-yard touchdown to receiver Parker Washington with 3:47 remaining to give the Jaguars a 24-21 lead. Another tease.
In overtime, Lawrence started with a 25-yard pass to Washington and his final pass should have been a touchdown but receiver Tim Patrick didn’t turn his head around on a wheel route down the right sideline. The Jaguars kicked a field goal, which the defense made count. Three hours full of teases and tricks.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLawrence got away with one
Still be playing meaningful games at Thanksgiving. That should be the goal for every NFL team, and the Jaguars are in that position for the first time in two years. They’ve nearly doubled last year’s win total (four).
“We have six more games to get a lot of wins,” linebacker Foye Oluokun said.
Indianapolis did its part in the early-window games, blowing a 12-point lead at Kansas City and losing in overtime. The Colts are 1-2 in their last three and have Houston, the Jaguars, Seattle, San Francisco, the Jaguars and Houston on their schedule. Yikes.
The Jaguars have Tennessee, the Colts, the New York Jets, Denver, the Colts and Tennessee on their schedule. Beat the Titans twice, the Jets once and forge a split with Indianapolis and the Jaguars will have a minimum 10 wins.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“What the Colts do, they’ll do,” Oluokun said. “It’s not about anybody but us. Let’s control these six games.”
The Jaguars sacked Jacoby Brissett six times; if their pass rush continues to show up, they will control games. Washington continues on his path toward being an All Pro punt returner, the Jaguars will control field position.
But Lawrence must control his turnovers, which led to 14 Arizona points. He knows he got away with one.
“Can’t turn the ball over four times,” he said. “All the guys around me, the whole crew on offense and defense stepped up and made huge plays. They had my back.”
Starting at Tennessee on Nov. 30, it’s time for Lawrence to start returning the favor or this unlikeliest of playoff pushes will come up short.
Contact O’Halloran at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars in playoff race, but can they count on Trevor Lawrence?
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