Trevor Lawrence is flourishing in a extra structured Jaguars offense

If there was one noticeable distinction between final 12 months’s Jacksonville Jaguars offense and this 12 months’s offense, it could be construction.

Final 12 months, there have been too many performs the place three receivers could be inside three yards of one another, or performs the place receivers would run into one another and develop into an ideal encapsulation of the City Meyer period. Thus, then-rookie QB Trevor Lawrence struggled. He completed with extra interceptions than touchdowns, and his whole EPA (anticipated factors added) was second to final in all the league.

The Jaguars fired Meyer and within the offseason, employed revered head coach Doug Pederson, who above all issues has introduced construction and stability to an offense and QB that desperately wanted it. This was on full show towards the Colts, a 24-0 pasting that noticed Lawrence go 25-30 for 235 yards and two touchdowns. Inspecting that recreation reveals how vital construction is, and having actual precise folks run an NFL offense.

First issues first: Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor have introduced elevated movement utilization earlier than the snap to Jacksonville. Not that each crew must spam movement simply to do it (seems in Pittsburgh’s route), however for a QB it may provide the solutions to what the protection is working. In Jacksonville, Pederson and Taylor are making it simpler for Lawrence:

This was evident within the Jaguars recreation vs. the Colts, going towards a defensive coordinator in Gus Bradley who predominantly ran Cowl 3 or Cowl 1. The Jaguars used movement to get the reply pre-snap, and mainly spammed the Colts with hitches, cease routes, and overs, all very profitable vs. Cowl 3 or Cowl 1.

This lengthy completion to Christian Kirk is good as a result of they movement Kirk from the backfield to the slot, creating an empty look. Primarily based on the alignment of the Colts and the communication between the security and linebacker, the Colts are in Cowl 1. versus a 4 verticals idea, and Kirk working a “jerk” route towards a slower linebacker. That is simply deliberate game-planning and execution, and the Jaguars and Lawrence had been profitable due to it:

The primary landing to Christian Kirk can also be actually cool, as a result of they use movement to beat the Colts once more with Kirk. Christian Kirk is lined up off the ball on the far facet of the journeys formation, however then motions into the backfield (we’ve seen plenty of receivers line up within the backfield this 12 months!). The Jaguars use an angle route from the backfield to get Kirk into house, nevertheless it seems virtually like a path or comply with idea.

What meaning is one receiver runs a shallow route, after which one other receiver “follows” behind him. The expectation, and what the Colts do, is match the linebacker with the primary shallow route, giving Kirk inside leverage towards the slot nook and a security method too deep ultimately zone to do something. Landing Jaguars.

This play stands out to me, however not essentially for the outcomes. The Jaguars line up in journeys formation to the broad facet of the sphere, and TE Evan Engram is the one receiver to the opposite facet. What stands out to me about this play is that there are solutions for something the Colts run. The Colts ran Cowl 1, so Engram ran a shallow throughout the sphere, creating separating and getting the primary down. However watch the remainder of the play, and it’s clear there was a solution for something the Colts had been to run:

So to the journeys facet, the Jaguars had been working a Dagger idea, which if the Colts had been to play Cowl 3, would’ve given them any benefit they needed. The over by Kirk would take away the linebacker, and the deep route by Zay Jones would take the security away, leaving Marvin Jones on the dig vs the nook, or left broad open.

The Colts run Cowl 1, so Lawrence has his reply within the shallow. Inbuilt solutions for a protection assist your younger QB!

On a bigger scale, Lawrence’s nice day in Duval reveals the necessity for construction, and a cohesive plan in a training employees to get probably the most out of a younger QB. Far too typically we count on these younger QBs who’re caught with out good play-calling or construction to show hen crap into hen salad, and it places lots on a QB who hasn’t seen each protection on the earth. Groups with precise adults within the room when designing the game-plan imply lots to younger QBs as a result of there’s a plan. The Jaguars got here in with a plan and executed it completely.

Jacksonville received’t be going through Gus Bradley and his protection each week, nonetheless. This Sunday they journey to Los Angeles to face the Los Angeles Chargers, who’re led by Brandon Staley and his versatile protection, and fearsome go speeding duo Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Pederson and firm have already proven the flexibility to game-plan, they’ll want it on Sunday.