The early game of the Week 3 doubleheader on “Monday Night Football” was a bloodbath. The Buffalo Bills annihilated the Jacksonville Jaguars 47-10. The Bills opened up with five consecutive touchdown drives, Damar Hamlin got his first career interception, and the 0-3 Jaguars looked helpless in front of a raucous Bills Mafia.
Fans look at quarterbacks first, in lean times and lush times. In a famine like we saw Monday night, the criticism of Trevor Lawrence was as scathing as you might expect.
Fans Start To Question Whether Jags’ Contract Extension for Trevor Lawrence Was the Right Move
Lawrence’s AAV (average annual value) ranks No. 4 in the NFL at $55 million. A poor interception (to Damar Hamlin) and getting sacked four times is not going to help the narrative.
“The good news for jags fans is that TLaw is already 3 games into his new contract! Only 4 seasons and 14 games left,” said one X user.
Ouch.
The good news for jags fans is that TLaw is already 3 games into his new contract! Only 4 seasons and 14 games left 🙏🙏🙏
— LebronJamesHarden™️ (@LBJamesHarden) September 24, 2024
Outs in Lawrence’s contract become more palatable in the 2028 offseason. However, backup Mac Jones didn’t fare much better, getting sacked and losing a fumble.
In extending QB Trevor Lawrence this summer, the #Jaguars turned a 2 year, $31.3M remaining contract into what is effectively a 5 year, $202M deal.
Lawrence's contract covers 7 years, $306.3M in total.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) September 24, 2024
These words from Jags owner Shad Khan have … not aged well: “Winning now is the expectation. … Make no mistake, this is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars, ever. Best players, best coaches. But most importantly, let’s prove it by winning now.”
Jags owner Shad Khan, last month: "Winning now is the expectation. . . . Make no mistake, this is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars, ever. Best players, best coaches. But most importantly, let’s prove it by winning now."
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 24, 2024
Other reactions from around X:
- “Reminder. This guy had Trevor Lawrence as a top 5 QB. Tlaw can’t hold Purdy’s jockstrap.”
- “Fraud watch TLaw sorry.”
- “Why is TLaw still in the game???”
Reminder. This guy had Trevor Lawrence as a top 5 QB. Tlaw can't hold Purdy's jockstrap https://t.co/68cyc9wWaH
— Fight Me IRL (@DillieHoliday) September 24, 2024
Fraud watch TLaw sorry pic.twitter.com/mI5jot0Pkk
— CANT GUARD ANA 🏈 (@FootballGirlAna) September 24, 2024
The Jaguars got behind early, and the game script put them in a difficult spot, essentially needing to abandon the run. Lawrence dropped back 38 times for 178 yards, hitting Brenton Strange for his lone touchdown pass of the evening — the opening drive of the third quarter was the one drive where the Jags’ offense had some rhythm.
Bills fans were absolutely deafening with their noise and enthusiasm, contributing to the Jags’ lack of continuity.
Aside from the third-quarter drive, Jacksonville looked disjointed, succumbing to penalties and drops.
Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense was unstoppable, and the Jags’ injuries in the secondary reared their ugly head. It won’t get easier for the Jaguars, traveling to Houston to take on the Texans.