A knee injury on a short week threatened Trevor Lawrence’s status for Thursday Night Football, but he’s officially in for the contest. The Jacksonville Jaguars would’ve turned to C.J. Beathard in his absence. This is obviously excellent news for Jacksonville as they seek another win tonight.
Jaguars HC Doug Pederson told me Trevor Lawrence will start tonight.
Lawrence just finished his 20-minute pregame workout where he showed good lateral movement making cuts and throwing on the run. He dapped up trainers + QB Mike McCoy with smile headed back into locker room. pic.twitter.com/CDV5prPTeu
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 19, 2023
What Does Trevor Lawrence Mean to the Jaguars Franchise?
Lawrence is unquestionably Jacksonville’s franchise quarterback after the organization drafted him first overall in 2021. Trevor Lawrence has 1,439 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions this season. After a rough rookie year under former head coach Urban Meyer, his passer rating is above 90 in 23 games as Doug Pederson’s gunslinger. The Jaguars are eyeing consecutive division titles for the first time since the 1998 and 1999 seasons, the type of sustained success they envision with Lawrence under center.
Last year’s Jaguars finished 10th in scoring, averaging 23.8 points per game. This season, Jacksonville is 10th again, scoring 23.7 per contest. For a second straight year, it appears that the Jags will finish as a top-10 team in pass attempts, which wouldn’t be possible without full faith in Trevor Lawrence’s abilities.
What’s at Stake for Jacksonville Tonight?
Moving to 5-2 will require them to beat the New Orleans Saints on the road tonight. Thursday Night Football is always tough, especially when facing a defense like New Orleans has. Guard Walker Little and wide receiver Zay Jones were already ruled out for the game, which won’t help things. It’s going to be much easier with Trevor Lawrence in the lineup to pilot the offense.