The Jacksonville Jaguars’ trip to London was supposed to be a statement game. Instead, it turned into an embarrassing 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams that left head coach Liam Coen searching for answers and questioning his own approach.
Following the blowout, Coen didn’t shy away from self-criticism. “Like, what am I doing as the head football coach that’s not clear right now? How am I communicating these things? How are we practicing these things? That’s what I’ve got to look at,” he said.
Coen added that everything, from coaching methods to player usage, will be evaluated during the team’s bye week. “We’ve got to look at personnel in all three phases, how we’re utilizing it, how we aren’t utilizing it, and where do we need to use guys more, use guys less. It’s all going to get evaluated. Got a long flight home and some days off to do that,” he explained.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence echoed his coach’s frustrations, pointing to execution and energy as the biggest problems. “We have to start games faster,” Lawrence said. “There are some plays that I got to make early to get us going. It’s not like we didn’t have a good plan. Some self-inflicted wounds if we can clean that up and just stay on schedule.”
Still, the most glaring issue wasn’t the play-calling or game plan; it was the drops. The Jaguars’ official site called the repeated mistakes “almost comical,” though no one wearing teal was laughing after six consecutive drives ended scoreless inside Rams territory.
Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., once one of Jacksonville’s most reliable playmakers, continues to struggle, while tight end Johnny Mundt and running back D’Ernest Johnson also added costly drops in key moments. “These are the kinds of mistakes that kill drives,” the team’s report noted. “The de-evolution of a star receiver continues to befuddle.”
If there was one bright spot, it was rookie Travis Hunter. The two-way phenom finally had his breakout performance, leading the team with eight receptions for 101 yards and his first NFL touchdown, while also breaking up a pass on defense.
Despite the effort, Jacksonville heads into the bye week 4-3 after two straight losses, with plenty of questions and little time to find answers. As Coen put it, “We’ve got to figure it out.”
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/jacksonville-jaguars/jaguars-news-insider-calls-out-comical-problem-after-london-embarrassment