Coach says no talk of surgery for Trevor Lawrence as Jaguars prep for Lions

Across the NFL universe, several power rankings this week list the Lions (8-1) at No. 1 and the Jaguars (2-8) at No. 32. And as those teams prepare to square off Sunday at Ford Field (1 p.m. ET, CBS), there’s one area that separates them more than others: One-score games.

Last week’s 12-7 loss to Minnesota marked Jacksonville’s sixth setback this season in a game decided by one score or less. And in those games of eight points or fewer, the Jaguars are 1-6 (.143) this season, worst in the NFL. In contrast, the Lions are 4-1 (.800) in those games – including Sunday night’s 26-23 win at Houston, where Detroit somehow erased a 15-point deficit and won despite throwing five interceptions.

Jacksonville, which started Mac Jones at quarterback while Trevor Lawrence reportedly contemplates his playing future with a shoulder injury, picked off Sam Darnold three times but still couldn’t overcome the Vikings. It’s been a difficult year in Duval County.

“They could be on their third coach in five seasons if they wind up firing Doug Pederson,” said NFL insider Dianna Russini on Monday’s edition of the Scoop City podcast. “And then Trevor Lawrence is trying to figure out what he wants to do; he’s dealing with an AC-joint sprain. Do you get the surgery, which would put him out for the rest of the year? Do you try to push through it?”

Co-host Chase Daniel, who played quarterback for 13 years with six NFL teams, encouraged Lawrence to get the surgery.

“I think if you’re Trevor, just hard reset,” Daniel said. “Because you’re probably going to have a new coach next year, even though I love Doug Pederson and wish he wouldn’t lose his job. But the results have not been there.”

But here’s what’s interesting with regard to Lawrence and his immediate future, including his status for Detroit on Sunday. Pederson said there’s been no discussion of surgery to his quarterback’s left, non-throwing shoulder.

“There’s not been a talk on surgery, so I don’t know where the surgery talk is coming from. Nothing like that,” Pederson said on Monday, adding that he didn’t have definitive answers with regard to whether Jones or Lawrence would start against the Lions.

Lawrence, who signed a five-year, $275 million contract before the season, started off well under Pederson after a disastrous rookie season under Urban Meyer. In 2022, Pederson’s first year, the quarterback led Jacksonville to an AFC South title and a berth in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Over a 12-month period from Week 12 of 2022 through Week 12 of 2023, Jacksonville was 14-4 (.778), tied with Kansas City for the third-best record in the league during that span. However, since Week 13 last season, the Jaguars have endured a stunning fall. In that period, they’re 3-13 (.188), worst in the league.

And according to Russini, of the 27 active NFL quarterbacks with at least 60 starts, Lawrence (23-38, .377) ranks 26^th in winning percentage. Jacksonville gets a bye week after playing Detroit.

For more information on the Jaguars and Lions, visit the Jacksonville and Detroit team pages at ProFootballPost.com.